Insulin Resistance

Extracted Attributes

• Clinical Sign

  Acanthosis nigricans (dark velvety skin patches)

• Dietary Trigger

  Refined Carbohydrates

• Key Risk Factor

  Obesity (specifically abdominal fat)

• Scientific Field

  Endocrinology and Metabolic Health

• Diagnostic Marker (A1C)

  5.7% to 6.3% (indicating prediabetes)

• Primary Tissues Affected

  Muscle, fat, and liver cells

• Waistline Risk Threshold (Men)

  Over 40 inches

• Waistline Risk Threshold (Women)

  Over 35 inches

• Diagnostic Marker (Triglycerides)

  Over 150 mg/dL

• Diagnostic Marker (Fasting Glucose)

  100 mg/dL or higher

Timeline

• FDA Commissioner Marty Makary discusses the link between refined carbohydrates and widespread insulin resistance at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. (Source: Document 065d2e96-4d40-49bd-8511-d8d35f8b01f4)

  2025-01-13

• Standard medical guidelines recommend screening for prediabetes and insulin resistance starting at age 35 for adults. (Source: NIDDK Web Search)

  2024-01-01

• Healthcare professionals begin testing children for insulin resistance risk factors at age 10 or the onset of puberty if they have obesity. (Source: NIDDK Web Search)

  2024-01-01

Insulin resistance

Insulin resistance (IR) is a pathological response in which cells in insulin-sensitive tissues in the body fail to respond normally to the hormone insulin or downregulate insulin receptors in response to hyperinsulinemia. Insulin is a hormone that facilitates the transport of glucose from blood into cells, thereby reducing blood glucose (blood sugar). Insulin is released by the pancreas in response to carbohydrates consumed in the diet. In states of insulin resistance, the same amount of insulin does not have the same effect on glucose transport and blood sugar levels. There are many causes of insulin resistance and the underlying process is still not completely understood. Risk factors for insulin resistance include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, family history of diabetes, various health conditions, and certain medications. Insulin resistance is considered a component of the metabolic syndrome. Insulin resistance can be improved or reversed with lifestyle approaches, such as weight reduction, exercise, and dietary changes. There are multiple ways to measure insulin resistance such as fasting insulin levels or glucose tolerance tests, but these are not often used in clinical practice.

Web Search Results

• Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes - NIDDK

  ## What are insulin resistance and prediabetes? Insulin resistance is a condition in which your body doesn’t respond to insulin the way it should. Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas. Insulin resistance can lead to increased blood glucose levels, also called blood sugar levels, and weight gain. People have prediabetes if they have blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. If your blood glucose levels keep going up, you could develop type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can affect almost every part of your body, including your heart, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. [...] ## What causes insulin resistance and prediabetes? Insulin resistance means that cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin. If your cells don’t respond well to insulin, over time your pancreas may not make enough insulin to help extra glucose enter your cells. When extra glucose can’t enter your cells, you may have higher levels of glucose in your blood. When your blood glucose levels get higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes, you have prediabetes. Researchers don’t fully understand what causes insulin resistance and prediabetes. However, people with risk factors for type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop these conditions. ## How do health care professionals diagnose insulin resistance and prediabetes? [...] Health care professionals may not test for insulin resistance. The test for insulin resistance is primarily used only for research studies. To diagnose prediabetes, your primary health care professional may ask about your medical history and suggest blood tests. Your primary health care professional may be a doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. Your health care professional may order tests for prediabetes if you’re age 35 or older, or if you have overweight or obesity and other risk factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Health care professionals begin to test children who have overweight or obesity when they’re age 10 or have reached puberty.

• Insulin Resistance: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

  Abu Dhabi|Canada|Florida|London|Nevada|Ohio| 855.733.3712|MyChart|Need Help?|Careers|Donate Now| Find a ProviderLocations and DirectionsServicesPatients and VisitorsHealth Library Find a Provider Locations and Directions Services Patients and Visitors Health Library Home/ Health Library/ Diseases & Conditions/ Insulin Resistance Advertisement Advertisement # Insulin Resistance Insulin resistance is a complex condition in which your body doesn’t respond as it should to insulin. Insulin is a hormone your pancreas makes that’s essential for regulating blood sugar levels. Several genetic and lifestyle factors can contribute to insulin resistance. [...] Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.Policy Care at Cleveland Clinic Diabetes Care Make an Appointment ContentsOverviewSymptoms and CausesDiagnosis and TestsManagement and TreatmentOutlook / PrognosisPreventionLiving With ## Overview ### What is insulin resistance? Insulin resistance happens when cells in your muscles, fat and liver don’t respond to insulin as they should. This is also known as impaired insulin sensitivity. Insulin is essential for life and regulating blood glucose (sugar) levels. Advertisement [...] #### Who does insulin resistance affect? Insulin resistance can affect anyone — you don’t have to have diabetes — and it can be temporary (for example, using steroid medication for a brief period causes insulin resistance) or chronic. The two main factors that seem to contribute to insulin resistance are excess body fat, especially around your belly, and a lack of physical activity. Advertisement Having a family history of insulin resistance (family members with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and/or PCOS) can also contribute to insulin resistance. People who have prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes usually have insulin resistance. People with Type 1 diabetes can also experience insulin resistance. ## Symptoms and Causes ### What are the symptoms of insulin resistance?

• Understanding Insulin Resistance - American Diabetes Association

  Skip to Main content Change Site Language: English (en) Español (es) English Change Site Language: English (en) Español (es) main content start Health & Wellness # Understanding Insulin Resistance While insulin resistance is a hallmark of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, it can also affect those with type 1. ## What Is Insulin Resistance? People with insulin resistance, also known as impaired insulin sensitivity, have built up a tolerance to insulin, making the hormone less effective. As a result, more insulin is needed to persuade fat and muscle cells to take up glucose and the liver to continue to store it. [...] ## What Does It Mean for Your Health? Insulin resistance comes in degrees. The more insulin resistant a person with type 2 is, the harder it will be to manage their diabetes because more medication is needed to get enough insulin in the body to achieve target blood glucose levels. Insulin resistance isn't a cause of type 1 diabetes, but people with type 1 who are insulin resistant will need higher insulin doses to keep their blood glucose under control than those who are more sensitive to insulin. As with type 2, people with type 1 may be genetically predisposed to become insulin resistant, or they may develop resistance due to being overweight. Some research indicates that insulin resistance is a factor in cardiovascular disease and other complications in people with type 1. [...] In response to the body's insulin resistance, the pancreas deploys more of the hormone to keep cells energized and manage blood glucose levels in a healthy range. This is why people with type 2 diabetes tend to have higher levels of circulating insulin. The ability of the pancreas to increase insulin production means that insulin resistance alone won't have any symptoms at first. Over time, though, insulin resistance tends to get worse, and the pancreatic beta cells that make insulin can wear out. Eventually, the pancreas no longer produces enough insulin to overcome the cells' resistance. The result is higher blood glucose levels, and ultimately prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

• What is insulin resistance? A Mayo Clinic expert explains

  Hello. I'm Dr. Eleanna De Filippis, an endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic. In this video, we'll cover the basics of insulin resistance. What is it? Who gets it? The symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Whether you're looking for answers for yourself or someone you love, we're here to give you the best information available. To understand insulin resistance, often referred to as prediabetes, let's first talk about what insulin does. When you eat food, your body converts that food into dietary sugars. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas that tells your cells to open up to that sugar and convert it into energy. With insulin resistance, the cells don't react, and don't open up, resulting in excessive sugar in the blood. Over time, the pancreas keeps trying to regulate the blood sugar, [...] Who gets it? Anyone can become insulin-resistant. In particular, people with excess weight are at a higher risk, compared to the general population. Risk is further increased with a family history of type two diabetes, age over 45, African, Latino or Native American ancestry, smoking, and certain medications, including steroids, anti-psychotics, and HIV medication. There are other medical conditions associated with insulin resistance, like obstructive sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, also known as PCOS, Cushing's syndrome, and lipodystrophy syndromes. Lipodystrophy syndromes are conditions that cause abnormal fat loss. So carrying either too much or not enough fat tissue in your body can be associated with insulin resistance. [...] Very often people with insulin resistance don't have any symptoms at all. It is usually picked up by their doctor during an annual health exam or routine blood work. There are some signs of insulin resistance that your doctor may look for. These includes a waistline over 40 inches in men, and a waistline over 35 inches in women. Skin tags or patches of dark velvety skin called acanthosis nigricans. A blood pressure reading of 130 over 80 or higher. A fasting glucose level equal or above 100 milligrams per deciliter. Or a blood sugar level equal or above 140 milligrams per deciliter two hours after a glucose load test. An A1C between 5.7% and 6.3%. A fasting triglycerides level over 150 milligram per deciliter. And an HDL cholesterol level under 40 milligrams per deciliter in men, and an

• What's the best diet for insulin resistance?

  Over time, your liver can respond to this extra insulin by making more glucose, much like a shipping coordinator who wants to fill all those empty trucks with cargo. This additional glucose changes the glucose balance in the body even more. Your body can turn the extra glucose into fat, which can cause weight gain and obesity. “It becomes a cycle,” Rodgers says. Insulin resistance can lead to metabolic syndrome. This condition is marked by health problems including obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and abnormal cholesterol levels. ## Signs of insulin resistance Insulin resistance can lead to high blood sugar and high blood insulin levels. These can cause symptoms such as: Sleepiness Increased hunger Increased thirst Frequent urination [...] It can help to think of insulin as a truck and glucose, or sugar, as its cargo. When you eat foods that have carbohydrates or sugars, insulin moves the glucose from those foods from your blood into your cells. Then, that glucose is used to fuel your body. But for someone who is insulin resistant, it is harder for insulin to transport glucose into the cells – kind of like if the truck had a flat tire. To fight this, the pancreas creates even more insulin. But adding more insulin doesn’t always help get more glucose into the cells, kind of like how sending more trucks with flat tires out on the roads wouldn’t be super helpful for moving cargo. [...] ## Who is at risk for insulin resistance? Factors like genetics and body weight can put you at a higher risk for insulin resistance. So, does weight cause insulin resistance or does insulin resistance cause weight gain? “It probably is a little bit of both,” Rodgers says, sharing two possible theories. One is that when people are overweight or obese, their fat cells are larger. This makes it harder for insulin to find a receptor site when it brings glucose into cells. Another has to do with that cycle we mentioned earlier. High insulin levels increase appetite and put the body in a pro-inflammatory state, which can lead to weight gain. And weight can drive insulin resistance. "It's kind of this slippery slope,” she says.