Insulin is a hormone that the pancreas must produce so that the body’s cells can use glucose for energy. The problem is that any alteration of this hormone has serious consequences for health. And One of the most common disorders that is increasingly being mentioned by health professionals in recent times is insulin resistance.
This disorder is often referred to in relation to type 2 diabetes mellitus, Specialists warn that its relevance goes far beyond this specific condition. This silent metabolic disorder can have serious consequences if it is not detected and treated in time.
“In insulin resistance, cells do not respond adequately to insulin, which causes the body to need to produce more insulin to maintain blood glucose levels within normal ranges. Over time, this extra effort can lead to pancreas exhaustion and the onset of type 2 diabetes,” explains Dr. Alessandra Luque, a specialist in the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service at the Olympia Quirónsalud medical-surgical center.
The most worrying problem for this specialist is that lInsulin resistance can appear completely asymptomatic in its early stages, making it a silent threat affecting millions of people around the world.
Causes of insulin resistance
As Dr. Alessandra Luque explains, there are several factors that can contribute to insulin resistance, including:
– The obesity. It is estimated that in 80% of people with obesity, excess body fat is deposited in abnormal places, especially within the abdomen (central obesity) and in other places such as the liver, muscle and vascular endothelium (walls of blood vessels), causing a state of chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.
– Physical inactivity. Sedentary lifestyle itself causes a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
– Genetics. Some individuals have a genetic predisposition to insulin resistance.
– Diet. Of course, diet is a determining factor when it comes to causing this disorder in the assimilation of insulin. In this sense, the regular consumption of refined sugars and processed carbohydrates can increase the risk of insulin resistance.
– Age. As we get older, the risk increases.
– Stress or infections Hormones such as cortisol, glucagon, catecholamines and growth hormone increase, which promote increased blood glucose and, therefore, insulin resistance,” says the doctor.
– The pregnancy. “Insulin sensitivity also decreases progressively as pregnancy progresses, due to the production of a hormone from the placenta (placental lactogen). This hormone normally tries to facilitate the supply of glucose to the fetus and for this reason it produces a certain resistance to insulin in the mother. The problem arises when other conditions such as obesity, family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus or previous insulin resistance come together and gestational diabetes occurs,” explains the specialist.
Consequences of insulin resistance
Although at first glance one might think that lInsulin resistance will lead to type 2 diabetes, with what this means for the patient, but it can also produce more negative effects on health, since metabolic problem is associated with a number of serious health conditions, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is the most common cause of long-term cirrhosis today. “Even insulin resistance associated with obesity can promote the development of malignant tumors, such as endometrial cancer, among others, and impair the response to treatment.”says the expert.
In addition to all this, this problem can also have repercussions on the patient’s skin, causing what is clinically known as Acanthosis Nigricans, which causes certain areas of the skin, such as the folds and wrinkles that form in the armpits, groin or neck, to darken and thicken. “In addition, other lesions can be seen such as skin tags, which are small, soft, darker bumps than the skin, located in various places, especially on the neck,” adds the expert.
Detecting insulin resistance in time
As with almost any disease or health condition, early detection and immediate intervention are key to managing IR.A diagnosis can be made through blood tests that evaluate glucose and insulin levels, especially in patients who are clinically suspected due to abdominal obesity, altered glucose levels, high blood pressure and altered lipids, which is known as metabolic syndrome..
Once the glucose and insulin levels that indicate the presence of insulin resistance have been determined, it is time to address the problem. How? Well, Dr. Luque points out that the ““Lifestyle changes such as a balanced diet (low in refined sugars), regular exercise and weight loss are the first lines of defense.”
Depending on the severity of this metabolic disorder, “in some cases, medications such as Metformin may be necessary to improve insulin sensitivity or newer drugs such as Liraglutide, Semaglutide and Tirzepatide, which can promote weight loss and, above all, the latter, according to the technical data sheet, can improve insulin resistance,” concludes the Olympia specialist.