In a state of silence, insulin resistance may creep into your body without you knowing, which poses a major threat to your health. Statistics indicate that the incidence of this condition has reached more than 25% of the world’s population, and the infection rate in Arab countries may exceed 30%. Therefore, you urgently need to read this article to learn about the symptoms and causes of insulin resistance, and the most prominent diseases associated with it and effective treatment methods.
What is insulin resistance?
Insulin resistance is a medical condition and a sign that precedes diabetes because the body does not respond effectively to the hormone insulin, which results in a major imbalance in regulating the blood sugar level. Therefore, the pancreas is forced to pump a larger amount of insulin in order to maintain the balance of the sugar level, and thus the body’s health is affected and gets worse.
Symptoms of insulin resistance
Symptoms of insulin resistance appear gradually and do not become apparent in the early stages. They include the following:
- Noticing sudden weight gain, especially in the abdominal area, due to high insulin and increased fat storage.
- Constant feeling of excessive hunger and desire to eat sugar due to the imbalance in blood regulation.
- Due to an imbalance in the sugar level in the brain, the patient experiences difficulty concentrating and mental distraction.
- Feeling constantly tired and exhausted due to the lack of glucose entering the cells, which inhibits energy.
- Delayed wound healing and constant exposure to infections in various parts of the body.
- High blood pressure is a condition closely linked to insulin resistance.
- Darkening of the skin in certain areas such as the armpits, thighs, and neck as well.
- Menstrual disorders in girls and women.
Causes of insulin resistance
The causes of insulin resistance are related to many factors, including genetic and acquired factors, and these causes affect the body’s ability to use insulin effectively, and are represented in the following:
- Genetic factors: such as having a medical history or genes for type 2 diabetes.
- Some medications: Some medications may affect the body’s response to insulin, such as cortisone or contraceptive medications.
- Wrong lifestyle: such as lack of physical activity and lack of burning calories in the body, which reduces the stimulation of cells for glucose.
- Relying on an unhealthy diet: such as excessive use of sugars, saturated fats, and carbohydrates, which exhausts the pancreas.
- Obesity and obesity: especially visceral fat in the abdomen, which secretes inflammatory substances that negatively affect the cells’ response to insulin.
- Hormonal imbalance: such as polycystic ovary disease or a thyroid disorder that affects metabolism.
- Severe sleep disorders: Insufficient sleep or sleep disturbances may negatively affect the balance of hormones in the body.
- Constant tension and stress: Constant psychological and physical tension or stress may raise the level of cortisol in the blood, resulting in higher blood sugar levels and poor insulin response.
Learn about: ما هو تحليل مقاومة الانسولين؟ وأهميته في الكشف عن مرض السكري
7 of the most prominent diseases associated with insulin resistance
Learn with us, dear reader, about 7 of the most prominent diseases associated with insulin resistance, including:
1. Obesity
There is a strong relationship between poor insulin sensitivity and obesity, because it causes fat accumulation, especially in the abdominal area, which is the area that most affects the body’s response to insulin.
2. Increased alcoholic liver fat
It is a medical condition in which fat accumulates inside the liver without the patient getting used to drinking alcohol. Rather, it only occurs due to insulin resistance, which helps enhance the storage of fat inside the liver, which over time leads to cirrhosis.
3.Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common diseases associated with insulin resistance because the body secretes abundant amounts of insulin from the beginning to compensate for the weak response of the cells, which leads to exhaustion of the pancreas and thus a decrease in insulin production, which results in an increase in blood sugar levels and the development of diabetes.
4. Cardiovascular diseases
Unfortunately, the patient may develop cardiovascular diseases due to disturbances in the levels of fats, cholesterol, and high blood pressure. The most prominent diseases are atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and angina pectoris.
5. Polycystic ovary syndrome in women
Polycystic ovary syndrome in women is a hormonal disorder linked to cases of insulin resistance, which leads to irregular menstrual cycles and difficulty getting pregnant, along with the appearance of frequent acne on the face.
6. Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a health condition that combines several problems associated with insulin resistance, such as high blood pressure, low cholesterol, high triglycerides, and high blood sugar.
7. Sleep apnea
There is a close connection between sleep apnea and the body’s resistance to insulin because sleep disorders cause severe stress to the body as the level of hormones changes, which increases the state of insulin resistance. In addition, people with sleep apnea are usually overweight or obese.
Methods for diagnosing insulin resistance
Methods for diagnosing insulin resistance are divided into 3 effective methods:
1. Medical examination and history
The treating physician conducts a clinical examination of the patient, asks about the symptoms we mentioned above, then examines the entire body to look for any other signs and conducts a comprehensive medical history for the patient.
2. Insulin resistance analysis
The analysis of insulin resistance is divided into several tests and final indicators:
- Fasting blood sugar test: If the blood sugar level is high and the insulin level is high, this confirms the infection.
- HbA1c test: which measures the average blood sugar level during the last three months to evaluate the condition.
- HOMA-IR analysis: It is an indicator that is calculated using the results of fasting glucose and insulin levels to determine the extent of poor insulin sensitivity.
3. Additional tests
Additional tests in case of doubt include measuring the percentage of triglycerides and cholesterol. If they are high, this confirms the infection, in addition to measuring the waist circumference and the percentage of visceral fat accumulated in the abdomen, as it is one of the basic indicators.
Book your consultation now at Diabetes and Endocrinology Center At Al Mousa Specialist Hospital.
How to treat insulin resistance
At Al-Mousa Specialist Diabetes Treatment Center, which is considered the best diabetes treatment center in Al-Ahsa, doctors care about creating a comprehensive treatment plan to control cases of insulin resistance. This plan includes the following:
1. Diet modification
Modifying the diet is the most important and first step on the path to treatment. The diet depends on doing the following:
- Eat foods that do not raise sugar quickly, such as oats, legumes, and leafy vegetables.
- Increase meals that contain protein, such as eggs, chicken, and fish, which enhance the feeling of fullness.
- Completely avoid simple carbohydrates such as sweets, white bread, and of course soft drinks.
- Stay away from processed food and fried foods, and instead eat a lot of healthy fats such as olive oil and nuts.
2.Improve lifestyle
The specialist doctors at the Diabetes Treatment Center at Al Mousa Hospital recommend several important instructions to improve the patient’s lifestyle, the most important of which are:
- Increase physical activity: It is preferable to exercise daily, such as aerobic cardio or resistance exercises, with continuity and regularity to improve the body’s health.
- Good sleep and rest: The patient must sleep at least 7 hours a day because sleep disorders affect hormones and increase the disease.
- Work to reduce stress: by practicing relaxation and meditation exercises daily and staying away from any psychological pressures that could worsen the patient’s mood.
3. Treatment with medications
Treatment with medications depends on the accuracy of the diagnosis and knowledge of the cause behind the condition. One of the most important medications that doctors use for treatment is Metformin, which is used to prepare and improve cells so that they respond to insulin. In some cases, the doctor may recommend modern diabetes medications, GLP-1 Agonist.
4. Psychological support for patients
The patient may need psychological support programs to relieve the tension and psychological pressure that he feels, and among the most important programs that can contribute to this are support groups that help exchange experiences and expertise between those who experience the same suffering, and self-motivation programs that are based on writing down daily achievements that motivate moving forward in treatment.
Frequently asked questions
نجيب فيما يلي عن أهم الأسئلة الشائعة التي ترد إلينا من متابعينا:
Is hunger beneficial for insulin resistance?
Yes, in some cases, hunger may be beneficial, but hunger may be for short periods, such as intermittent fasting, which helps the body reduce insulin levels, which improves the sensitivity of cells to it. However, extreme hunger may lead to the opposite result.
What is the best vitamin for insulin resistance?
There are many vitamins that help in cases of insulin resistance, such as vitamin B12, B7, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin C. You should not take any vitamins or nutritional supplements except after consulting your doctor and ensuring that they are appropriate.
ما هو الأكل الممنوع لمقاومة الإنسولين؟
The most prominent foods prohibited for insulin resistance are white bread, fried foods, hydrogenated fats, ready-made meals, sugars, and full-fat dairy products, in addition to soft drinks and sweetened juices.
Contact the Diabetes Treatment Center at Al-Mousa Specialist Hospital in Al-Ahsa for early detection of insulin resistance in the event of exposure to the signs we mentioned above, and you will find a selection of the best and largest consultants and internal medicine and endocrinologists in Al-Ahsa to begin with them the journey of accurate and effective examination and treatment until you are reassured about your health.
المصادر:
Insulin Resistance – clevelandclinic
