1 in 3 Americans are insulin resistance. It is a silent epidemic that needs to be tackled. 

According to the author of ‘Why we get sick’ Dr. Bikman ‘too much insulin causes insulin resistance.‘

Research indicates that for every 1-microunit increase in fasting blood insulin, a person can experience ~20% increase in insulin resistance.

This principle underscores a fundamental aspect of how the body operates: when you provide more of something, the body begins to resist it.

This phenomenon is evident in various contexts. For instance, over time, increasing caffeine intake is needed to achieve the same level of alertness.

Similarly, stronger antibiotics become necessary as bacteria develop resistance to them.

Likewise, prolonged exposure to loud music through headphones can lead to a decreased sensitivity to sound, essentially causing a form of deafness.

So when there’s excess insulin in the bloodstream, cells gradually become resistant, leading to insulin resistance over time.

The MAIN Cause of Insulin Resistance: Overeating, especially refined carbohydrates and foods with added sugars.

The 3 primary sites of insulin resistance are the skeletal muscles, liver and fat cells. Around 70% of glucose disposal happens in our muscles.

Estimates suggest that our muscles can store up-to ~400g of glycogen.

Liver can store up-to ~100g. Fat cells also have a limited capacity to store fatty acids.

What happens when you don’t burn calories and keep eating?

You are right, the muscle cells, liver and fat cells starts to become resistant to insulin.

Remember the fundamental principle that our body operates on?

‘When you provide more of something, the body begins to resist it.’

Through certain mechanisms and processes the insulin signaling is decreased.

In simple words, the doors start to close for glucose to enter the cells.

What happens then?

You get elevated blood sugar levels.

Now after years of being insulin resistant, you get diagnosed with prediabetes or worse type-2 diabetes.

Extra glucose floating around in the blood is not safe for the body so that it tries to convert it into stored fat in non fat tissues called etopic fat.

This is when you get a fatty liver. Your body starts to store fat in your viscera; around your organs.

This type of fat as we commonly know as belly fat or visceral fat.

There are two main types of fat:

*Subcutaneous fat: found beneath the skin.

*Visceral fat: which surrounds organs like the liver, kidneys, intestines, and heart.

Research strongly supports the notion that visceral fat, particularly around the abdomen, increases insulin resistance. 2

So location of the fat matters.

There are two quick methods to measure your visceral fat.

1. Your waist-to-hip ratio.

2. Via a bioelectrical impedance machine which is now-a-days commonly found in the gym.

Obesity and insulin resistance are closely linked, and they often form a vicious cycle that exacerbates both conditions.

In summary, obesity and insulin resistance create a feedback loop,  obesity fosters insulin resistance, which, in turn, contributes to further weight gain, exacerbating insulin resistance.

Breaking this cycle often necessitates lifestyle changes, including adopting a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and achieving weight loss.

Do genetics matter in the development of insulin resistance?

I believe they do play a role in health and disease risk.

However, before pointing fingers at your parents, it’s essential to recognize that your habits and lifestyle have a more significant impact than genetics alone.

So yes, you may possess genes that hinder muscle building, impede fat loss, or elevate your risk of insulin resistance compared to your friend.

Consequently, this suggests that you may need to put in more effort to address these challenges.

With this thought in mind, let’s delve into four major lifestyle factors that can significantly reduce your risk of insulin resistance.

Imagine yourself in the Stone Age, relaxing with your family after a satisfying meal.

Suddenly, a wild bear attacks your tribe. Your body kicks into high gear, activating the stress response system, also known as the ‘fight or flight’ response.

This involves releasing stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol to help you cope with the threat.

Adrenaline quickly ramps up your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing, preparing you for action.

Meanwhile, cortisol mobilizes energy stores by increasing blood glucose and fatty acids, ready to fuel your muscles for a fight or escape.

However, the action of these stress hormones temporarily makes your body insulin resistant.

This makes sense, right?

During this stressful situation, your body needs the extra energy to fight the wild bear or flee if need be.

So the fat cells, liver cells, muscles cells all become insulin resistant, which means they stop accepting the glucose and fatty acids.

But you may ask this question Akash, it makes sense for the liver cells, fat cells etc to become insulin resistant, but why does the muscle cells also become insulin resistant?

Wouldn’t it be easier for the muscles to accept the fuel via the action of insulin?

The simple answer is that muscles don’t always need insulin’s intervention to accept glucose or fatty acids.

It can accept glucose and fatty acids independent of insulin’s action.

So once again, during the fight and flight response such as fleeing or fighting the bear, our muscles need all the energy it can.

So the cells all over become insulin resistant so that glucose and fatty acid can be quickly used up by the muscles cells to get us out of the situation as quickly and efficiently as possible.

That’s why I always emphasize to people, exercise and physical activity is the best way to lower your blood glucose levels without relying solely on insulin.

Now consider the stressors of today’s world.

We find ourselves stressing over trivial matters.

Work-related stress, such as looming deadlines, job insecurity, and office politics, can weigh heavily on our minds.

Financial stressors, like struggling to pay bills or save for the future, add to the burden.

Relationship challenges are another significant source of stress.

These acute stresses can accumulate and become chronic.

In cases of chronic stress, the body’s adrenal glands continue to release stress hormones, mobilizing glucose and fatty acids for energy.

However, in modern life, many stressors don’t require physical action, like facing a wild animal.

Consequently, the body’s prolonged exposure to stress hormones without physical exertion can significantly increase insulin resistance and lead to various health issues.

Do note cortisol has a direct impact on visceral fat. I have already created a article titled Cortisol belly, make sure to check that out.

When you compare two people, who have the same body fat % but the person who has more visceral (belly) fat will be more insulin resistant than the other.

Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with increased inflammation in the body, as evidenced by elevated levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).

Inflammation can disrupt insulin signaling pathways and contribute to insulin resistance.

Sleep deprivation has been shown to impair glucose metabolism, leading to higher blood sugar levels and reduced insulin sensitivity.

Studies have found that even short-term sleep restriction can lead to insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. 3 

Sleep deprivation can activate the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response.

Increased sympathetic activity can lead to higher levels of stress hormones and promote insulin resistance.

As you can see, ultimately tackling insulin resistance boils down to managing your stress levels, your sleep, and making sure that you live an active lifestyle and eat a plant-forward homemade diet. 

Before I end this article, I will say this again, get your Fasting Insulin Test done.

If you have belly fat, are overweight or obese, knowing your starting point is important.

When you start to measure something, it starts to improve. 

Thank you.

Stay healthy, stay fabulous !