With insulin resistance, your cells don’t respond properly to the insulin your body makes. Normally, insulin triggers the use of sugar to fuel your body’s cells, but in this condition, the cells resist the use of sugar for energy.
This resistance causes the sugar in your blood to increase which then triggers the pancreas to release more insulin to compensate. The result is higher insulin and sugar levels in your blood. This can lead to other diseases like type 2 diabetes.
Insulin resistance is the predecessor of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. In fact, insulin resistance is the root of many metabolic diseases like prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. The best way to combat insulin resistance is through lifestyle change that includes a healthy diet and consistent exercise.
In cases where blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes, the condition is called prediabetes. If untreated, the condition will likely progress to the state of type 2 diabetes increasing the severity of symptoms and health risks.
According to the CDC, 33.9% of adults in the US (84.1 million adults) have prediabetes but the disease affects both adults and children alike. The disease may show no signs or symptoms. However, there are signs that prediabetes is progressing to type 2 diabetes and they include:
The most impactful treatment of prediabetes is lifestyle change specifically with diet and exercise. Medication may also be prescribed. With prediabetes, the long-term damage of diabetes may already be starting, which includes damage to your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.
For more information about insulin resistance or prediabetes, the American Diabetes Association has extensive information on their website. If you feel you may be suffering from signs of diabetes or prediabetes, don’t delay seeking treatment. Please give us a call for your health’s sake.