To understand what insulin resistance is, it is first necessary to understand what insulin is and how it affects our body.
What is insulin
Insulin is an essential hormone produced by the pancreas, and its main function is to regulate blood glucose levels, allowing it to be used as an energy source by the body’s cells.
When food is consumed, especially foods rich in carbohydrates, blood glucose levels rise; in response, the pancreas releases insulin, which acts as a key that opens the cells so they can absorb glucose and either use it or store it as glycogen in the liver and muscles.
The proper functioning of insulin is fundamental to maintaining energy homeostasis; without this hormone, cells cannot effectively use the available glucose, leading to high blood sugar levels.
When the body’s cells stop responding adequately to this hormone, insulin resistance develops, making it difficult for glucose to enter the cells despite sufficient insulin being present in the blood.
Insulin resistance
A metabolic disorder known as insulin resistance causes impaired glucose uptake in the tissues and other organs of the body, particularly in the muscles and liver. This results in difficulty storing glucose, which in turn leads the pancreas to secrete a greater amount of insulin in order to maintain glucose within normal ranges, explains Dr. Jorge Valladares García, internist with a subspecialty in endocrinology and advanced specialization in diabetes and technologies at ABC Medical Center.
It is important to consider that the greater the alteration in insulin resistance, the higher the risk of developing other metabolic conditions, such as high cholesterol or triglycerides.
Insulin resistance, symptoms
Insulin resistance usually develops silently and, therefore, asymptomatically. However, in some people it may manifest as fatigue, headaches, a feeling of low energy after consuming a carbohydrate-rich meal, or darkening of certain areas of the skin such as the armpits, groin, or neck.
It may also be associated with some clinical findings identified through laboratory tests, such as:
- Blood pressure ≥ 140/90.
- Fasting glucose ≥ 100 mg/dl*.
- 2-hour glucose tolerance test ≥ 140 mg/dl.
- Glycated hemoglobin ≥ 5.7%.
- Triglycerides > 150 mg/dl.
- HDL (good cholesterol) < 40 in men and < 50 in women.
Among the main complications of insulin resistance are prediabetes and type 2 diabetes; the latter being the result of long-term insulin resistance over several years.
If this metabolic alteration is detected in time, it is possible to prevent the development of both type 2 diabetes and other metabolic or cardiovascular diseases.
See an endocrinologist to learn what actions you can take to manage insulin resistance if you have it, or to prevent its development.
At the ABC Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Department, we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!
Fuentes:
Dr. Jorge Valladares García – Internista con subespecialidad en endocrinología y una alta especialidad en diabetes y tecnologías del Centro Médico ABC
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