Are You Insulin Resistant?
Finding out you are insulin resistant doesn't mean much unless you understand what that implies, and how it effects your health. Insulin resistance is an condition in which the body is not responding properly to the hormone insulin. If faulty insulin signaling is not treated, it can develop into worsening conditions of metabolic syndrome, pre diabetes, and finally type 2 diabetes. What Causes the Insulin Resistant Condition? The insulin resistant condition is rooted in the metabolic effects of a high carb diet in combination with a lack of exercise. Weight gain is a symptom of insulin resistance, rather than a cause. Carbohydrates are foods which contain either some form of sugar or starch, or both. For instance, orange juice is full of fructose, a type of sugar, and white potatoes contain large amounts of starch. Both types of carbohydrate are broken down in the body into glucose, a simple sugar, which your cells can use for energy to do all the things that cells do. Since too much glucose in your body can be toxic, your pancreas releases a powerful hormone called insulin. Insulin works to control the amount of glucose in your bloodstream. It acts to quickly move glucose from your bloodstream and push it into your cells where it can be burned or stored. But there's a catch. To get the glucose into the cells, the cell's glucose "storage tanks" have to be empty. This is logical when you think about it. Imagine what would happen if you tried to fill up your car's gas tank if it were already full. And just like running a car burns up gasoline, when a person exercises, the glucose which is already in the glucose tanks get used. Now there is room for insulin to push the glucose made from the last meal into the muscle cell for fuel. If a person exercises frequently, lots of c Continue reading >>
Insulin Sensitivity: The Secret To Optimal Health
Insulin Sensitivity: The Secret to Optimal Health Insulin sensitivity is a vital mechanism in your body that determines how efficient your body utilizes the effects of insulin. People with low insulin sensitivity have a higher chance of developing metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease. While some people may be born with healthier insulin sensitivity levels, there are several lifestyle changes you can make to improve it. The more insulin sensitive your body is, the more effective it is in utilizing carbohydrates for energy and the easier it becomes for your body to lose weight. Because of this, the weight loss industry has begun to magnify the importance of insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a crucial hormone secreted by your pancreas. Insulins job is to manage the nutrients you absorb from food. Insulin is known for its role in controlling blood sugar and carbohydrate consumption. When you eat carbs, it increases the level of blood sugar in your bloodstream. This is acknowledged by the cells in your pancreas which then releases insulin into the blood. Once the insulin is traveling in your bloodstream, it starts signaling the bodys cells that they should pick up sugar from the blood. The purpose of this cycle is to reduce the amount of sugar in your blood and place it where its supposed to, into cells for storage. This is crucial because abnormally high amounts of sugar in your blood can have harmful effects to your body and in some cases can lead to death if neglected. Insulin sensitivity is a system in the body that determines how effectively your body can utilize carbohydrates. Insulin sensitivity arbitrates how much insulin your body needs to produce to precipitate a certain amount of glucose (sugar). Its the mechanism in your body that determi Continue reading >>
Dear Mark: Does Eating A Low Carb Diet Cause Insulin Resistance?
157 Comments Despite all the success you might have had with the Primal way of life, doubts can still nag at you. Maybe it’s something you read, or something someone said to you, or a disapproving glance or offhand comment from a person you otherwise respect, but it’s pretty common when you’re doing something, like giving up grains, avoiding processed food, or eating animal fat, that challenges deeply-and-widely held beliefs about health and wellness. It doesn’t really even matter that you’re losing weight or seem to be thriving; you may still have questions. That’s healthy and smart, and it’s totally natural. A question I’ve been getting of late is the effect of reducing carb intake on insulin sensitivity. It’s often bandied about that going low carb is good for folks with insulin resistance, but it’s also said that low carb can worsen insulin resistance. Are both true and, if so, how do they all jibe together? That’s what the reader was wondering with this week’s question: Hi Mark, I’ve been Primal for a few months now and love it. Lowering my carbs and upping my animal fat helped me lose weight and gain tons of energy (not too shabby for a middle-aged guy!). However, I’m a little worried. I’ve heard that low carb diets can increase insulin resistance. Even though I’ve done well and feel great, should I be worried about insulin resistance? Do I need to increase my carb intake? I always thought low carb Primal was supposed to improve insulin function. Vince Going Primal usually does improve insulin sensitivity, both directly and in a roundabout way. It improves directly because you lose weight, you reduce your intake of inflammatory foods, you lower systemic inflammation (by getting some sun, smart exercise, omega-3s, and reducing or dea Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Diet And Insulin Resistance
Ketogenic diets around the world have been known to be extremely effective in helping improve health and lose weight fast. The diet takes into account and addresses the underlying causes of your weight gain, which could include things such as hormonal imbalances. With the ketogenic diet, you are restricting your net carb intake to under 50 grams a day. With the number of restricted carbs, your body needs to reset its way of getting the fuel that it needs. See how a diet high in healthy fats can help improve insulin resistance by changing the bodies preferred fuel source from glucose to ketones. What is Insulin and Insulin Resistance Insulin is a fat storing hormone formed by the pancreas that enables your body to manage glucose and sugars from carbs within the food. It prevents blood sugar levels from hyperglycemia or reaching too high or hyperglycemia which is too low. Insulin resistance has many symptoms including sugar cravings, weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol.(1) Insulin resistance is also linked to type 2 diabetes. Therefore, cutting out or reducing sugar in your meal planning will help prevent becoming diabetic. The worrying thing about insulin resistance is symptoms take a long time to appear. When symptoms surface such as weight gain, multiple other problems may creep up. Why You Gain Weight Insulin in your body helps to regulate your blood sugar levels. Blood sugar also referred to as glucose is the primary fuel in the body for energy and brain function. When blood sugar rises, the insulin your pancreas releases move the glucose into your bloodstream. If there is glucose in your system your body will burn it first for fuel. If your body is already filled with higher glucose levels, more cannot be broken down for fuel. So because of this, your Continue reading >>
008: Boosting Insulin Sensitivity And Workout Performance With A Ketogenic Diet Rachel Gregory And Dr. Brian Lenzkes
Is it by your weight, your blood pressure, your cholesterol profile, or maybe all of them? According to Dr. Brian Lenzkes, theres one critical health marker you should pay attention to (but probably dont): insulin sensitivity. Dr. Lenzkes is an internal medicine doctor who focuses on clinical nutrition and helps his patients through lifestyle and nutrition changes. He also happens to be one of todays guests. Brian believes mainstream nutrition advice has made people so worried about fat and cholesterol that they dont pay attention to the damage carbs do to their body. Insulin resistance what happens when you lose insulin sensitivity is a direct result of eating too many carbs and too many meals per day, and its a precursor for diabetes and heart disease. However, most people dont know they have it until its too late. The CDC director admits that over a third of U.S. adults have prediabetes (which involves insulin resistance), and most of them haveno idea. The worst part is, by the time youre insulin resistant, its harder to turn your metabolism back to normal. Today Dr. Lenzkes explains why insulin sensitivity matters and how you can optimize yours with a ketogenic diet or a low carb approach. Todays episode is extra special because we have a double feature! Rachel Gregory is also my guest and she will explain how a ketogenic diet can give you an edge at the gym and radically improve your post-workout recovery. Rachel is a board-certified nutrition specialist and athletic trainer. She made a giant contribution to the scientific community and keto space by publishing the first ever human clinical trial about the effects of the ketogenic diet on CrossFit athletes. Shes seen first hand the positive effects a low carb diet has over metabolic flexibility. Lets just say that Continue reading >>
- The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus
- Nine-year-old boy with type 1 diabetes comes off insulin by eating Paleolithic ketogenic diet
- Effects of resveratrol on glucose control and insulin sensitivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis
Insulin Resistance And Skin Health
2018-02-21T09:25:00+00:00 By Rebecca McCusker | News | One major reason to embark on the ketogenic diet is to manage insulin levels, which can make or break a persons general health status. Our bodies need insulin to deliver energy to our cells. Once carbs are broken down into glucose by the digestive tract and absorbed into the bloodstream, insulin allows our bodys cells to use glucose as energy. Insulin resistance happens when glucose builds up in the blood, and the bodys cells cant respond normally, leading to high blood sugar and other conditions such as prediabetes. Its helpful to know the first warning signs of insulin resistance, which is often displayed on our bodys largest organ, the skin. How can insulin resistance showon the skin? One of the first ways that physicians and patients alike can spotinsulin resistance is by recognizing how it manifests on the skin. In fact, these skin conditions may lead to more positive outcomes for patients, because they may allow doctors to recognize insulin resistance earlier than they otherwise would have. Skin tags aresmall growths that usually appear on the neck, upper chest, underarms, and eyelids. They are typically harmless and painless, and can easily be removed by a doctor, but they can often signal less benign health concerns under the surface. Having multiple skin tags is strongly associated with insulin resistance, according to a Brazilian study. 1 Often one of the first signs of diabetes is the appearance of a dark rash on the skin. This rash is velvety in texture and typically appears on the armpits, groin, and neck. This condition is clinically called Acanthosis nigricans. When theres too much insulin in the blood, skin cells reproduce at a faster rate, which typically means more melatonin, especially in individ Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Drinks Improve Glycemia And Insulin Sensitivity
Ketogenic Drinks Improve Glycemia and Insulin Sensitivity A ketone supplement, taken as a so-called 'keto drink' half an hour prior to consuming glucose, reduces glycemic response and improves markers of insulin sensitivity without affecting insulin secretion, show data from a small randomized cross-over study in healthy volunteers. According to the authors, led by tienne Myette-Ct, PhD candidate, from the University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, Canada, "ketone monoester supplements could have therapeutic potential in the management and prevention of metabolic disease." The article was published online February 15 in theJournal of Physiology. So called 'ketogenic diets,' which are high in fat and low in carbs, have increased in popularity because of celebrity endorsement the latest by actress Halle Berry and have also been reported to reduce seizures and improve behavior and quality of life in children with drug-resistant epilepsy, as well as reduce migraines. And a ketogenic diet has been shown to improve outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. Using their coaching platform, the online specialty clinic Virta Health recently published 1-year data in Diabetes Therapy showing that, in 262 trial participants, there was a mean drop in HbA1c of 1.3% at 1 year, with 94% of patients eliminating insulin, and an average weight loss of 12%. As previously reported by Medscape Medical News, however, experts have questioned whether people couldmaintain a ketogenic diet for as long as a year. Hence the allure of a ketogenic drink, although the current researchers acknowledge that, at the moment, the beverage tastes terrible. In a Journal of Physiology press release, coauthor Jonathan Little, PhD, also from the University of British Columbia Okanagan, said, "the ketone s Continue reading >>
Ketosis
Tweet Ketosis is a state the body may find itself in either as a result of raised blood glucose levels or as a part of low carb dieting. Low levels of ketosis is perfectly normal. However, high levels of ketosis in the short term can be serious and the long term effects of regular moderate ketosis are only partially known at the moment. What is ketosis? Ketosis is a state the body goes into if it needs to break down body fat for energy. The state is marked by raised levels of ketones in the blood which can be used by the body as fuel. Ketones which are not used for fuel are excreted out of the body via the kidneys and the urine. Is ketosis the same as ketoacidosis? There is often confusion as to the difference between ketosis and ketoacidosis. Ketosis is the state whereby the body is producing ketones. In ketosis, the level of ketones in the blood can be anything between normal to very high. Diabetic ketoacidosis, also known as DKA, only describes the state in which the level of ketones is either high or very high. In ketoacidosis, the amount of ketones in the blood is sufficient to turn the blood acidic, which is a dangerous medical state. When does ketosis occur? Ketosis will take place when the body needs energy and there is not sufficient glucose available for the body. This can typically happen when the body is lacking insulin and blood glucose levels become high. Other causes can be the result of being on a low carb diet. A low level of carbohydrate will lead to low levels of insulin, and therefore the body will produce ketones which do not rely on insulin to get into and fuel the body’s cells. A further cause of ketosis, less relevant to people with diabetes, is a result of excessive alcohol consumption. Is ketosis dangerous? The NHS describes ketosis as a pote Continue reading >>
The Ketogenic Diet And Insulin Resistance
We recently touched on how you can use the ketogenic diet to control symptoms of diabetes such as elevated glucose and triglycerides. In this article, we examine research showing the impact that the ketogenic diet has on levels of the hormone insulin, a key regulator of blood sugar in the body. What is Insulin’s Role in the Body? Before we look at the research, we need to know our main players. Insulin is a protein-based hormone produced by beta-cells located in the pancreas. The pancreas, which is located under the stomach, also produces enzymes that aid with digestion. Insulin’s primary purpose is to regulate the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. The digestive system breaks down carbohydrates, such as sugars and starches, into a molecule called glucose. This compound can be used by cells to produce energy through a process called cellular respiration. Insulin allows cells in the body absorb glucose, ultimately lowering levels of glucose in the blood stream. After a meal is consumed, blood glucose levels increase and the pancreas responds by releasing insulin into the blood. Insulin assists fat, liver, and muscle cells absorb glucose from the blood, resulting in lower levels of blood glucose. Insulin stimulates liver and muscle tissues to store excess glucose as a molecule called glycogen and also reduces glucose production by the liver. When blood sugar is low, the hormone glucagon (produced by alpha-cells in the pancreas) stimulate cells to break down glycogen into glucose that is subsequently released into the blood stream. In healthy people who do not have type II diabetes, these functions allow levels of blood glucose and insulin to stay in a normal range. What Is Insulin Resistance and Why Is It a Problem? Unfortunately, for many Americans and other peopl Continue reading >>
The Link Between Cancer, Insulin Resistance And A Ketogenic Diet | Real Meal Revolution
The link between Cancer, Insulin Resistance and a Ketogenic Diet Posted at 10:59h in All by Real Meal Revolution Research done by Dr Dominic DAgostino , Dr Thomas Seyfried and Dr Gary Fettke has revealed that cancer is predominantly a metabolic disease and not a genetic one as previously thought. Most cancer scientists have historically thought that cancer was a genetic disease, but only 5-10% of cancer is hereditary, says Dr DAgostino. A metabolic disease is one that disrupts normal metabolism, the process of converting food to energy on a cellular level. The mitochondria generate the energy that our cells need to do their job and are often referred to as the powerhouses of the cells. When carbs (made up of glucose) are ingested, they cause the blood glucose levels to rise. The hormone insulin, responsible for regulating energy usage in particular our relationship to carbs is secreted by the pancreas because a high blood glucose concentration is toxic for human tissues as it damages the structure of all proteins. According to Dr Fettke, we can only metabolise about one teaspoon (4 grams) of glucose at once and the rest is stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen, or if this cannot happen, it is stored as fat. The more carbs ingested, the more insulin is produced, the more our body becomes resistant. Insulin resistance occurs when the body does not respond to insulin correctly. This results in increased blood glucose levels, which cant be stored in the liver or muscles, so must be stored as fat. This is discussed in great detail, by Prof Noakes, in the Beginner Banting Online Program. Insulin is therefore the fat storing hormone, which leads to an expanding waistline. If a high carb diet is followed, and if unchecked, it can lead to obesity, metabolic syndrome (a co Continue reading >>
Increased Insulin Resistance With A Low Carb Diet?
Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community Increased Insulin Resistance with a low carb diet? Bebo321 Family member Well-Known Member @azure @Brunneria @tim2000s , I would be interested to hear your thoughts on an observation of increased insulin resistance with a very low carb/keto diet. I was discussing this topic recently with somebody with T1D (we tried a food fast together over a number of days) They noticed that coming back out of the fast, their insulin requirements had increased fairly significantly in order to manage any carb they ate (the increased requirements only lasted a few days). Interestingly, their basal had remained exactly the same throughout the fast however and blood glucose levels had remained level. This would suggest that their 'insulin resistance' hadn't actually changed at all. What we considered had perhaps happened was that the body had become so effective at burning ketones and generating its own glucose requirements (gluconeogenesis), that once carbs were re-introduced, the body was fairly 'ambivalent' to it - after all, it had everything it needed to fuel itself perfectly well up until that point. Without cells calling out for a top up of glucose, more insulin would be required in order to be effective at taking the glucose out of the bloodstream. This was a temporary effect and therefore perhaps different to insulin resistance created through the build up of fat deposits. Anyway, I thought I would relay this to you (and anyone who might have their own experience to add). Perhaps it is misleading to think of the body's adaptation to a low carb diet as becoming 'insulin resistant' and it might be better instead to think of it becoming 'fat complient' It's referre Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Diet + Insulin Resistance
I am T1D since I am 16. I am currently 31 years old. I am in fairly good shape (train 5 times / week). 165cm / 71kg. I use Humalog and Lantus. I use a CGM to measure my sugar since 4 months and I started making experiments to improve my sugar level. 6 weeks ago I began a ketogenic diet. I measure my ketones daily and they are generally between 0.3 - 1.2mmol and thus I hover around light ketogenesis. Breakfast - 150ml coconut thick milk (30% fat,no sugar) + scoop of whey protein (Brand: Gold Standard). It contains no sugar. Lunch - 150-200 grams of red meat, green salads, 50 gr grilled cheese, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar. Snack - 10 almond nuts, 4 brazil nuts, 10-15 cachews Dinner - 2 eggs or fish, 50 gr grilled cheese, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar. Breakfast - 4-6 units of Humalog. 2units to deal with morning sugar hike. The remainder I don't understand. Lunch - 8-10 units of insulin and still my sugar level is stubbornly not returning to 80-120 spot. 1. I fasted to see if my lantus is set right. It was perfect straight line all day hovering at 95-100mg/dl apart from slight hike at 6pm because of a stressful work incident. No Humalog needed. See image attached. 2. I changed my Humalog to see if it was perhaps exposed to incorrect temperature. Nothing changed. I did some research and learnt that the body can use proteins to make glucose (protein -> amino acids -> glucose). However the units of insulin I am having to take seem excessive. I feel my body is no longer sensitive to the insulin. I feel I am loosing control of the sugar. Has anybody out there experienced something similar? D.D. Family Getting much harder to control D.D. Family diabetic since 1997, on insulin 2000 D.D. Family diabetic since 1997, on insulin 2000 That is a modest Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Diet And Insulin Resistance
What is Insulin? Insulin is a fat storing blood sugar regulating master hormone that is involved in multiple body functions beyond its metabolic role. A few examples include triglyceride and fat synthesis, electrolyte balance of sodium and potassium, feeding behaviors and cognitive and emotional brain function. What is Insulin Resistance? Insulin resistance (IR), might also known as syndrome X or metabolic syndrome, is a cluster of symptoms (weight gain, cravings and increased appetite, skin tags, gum disease, low energy) and health risk factors (abnormal, not necessarily high, blood sugar, high triglycerides and cholesterol, polycystic ovarian syndrome, high blood pressure) all resulting from abnormal insulin function. What is important to know is that just like diabetes, with IR there may be no symptoms at all. Insulin resistance is an early-stage in Type 2 diabetes but not everyone with IR will develop diabetes. Fifty percent of those with essential hypertension are insulin resistant. (1). How Many People Are Affected by Insulin Resistance? IR is more common than you think, in the United States, an estimated 60 to 70 million individuals are affected by insulin resistance, that’s 1 out of 4 people. More than 40% of individuals older than 50 years may be at risk for insulin resistance; however, it can affect anyone at any age (2) especially overweight children and adolescents regardless of race. You can connect with this link to see a table of the prevalence of insulin resistance by country. Causes of Insulin Resistance There are several causes of insulin resistance: Genetics and family history of diabetes, pre-diabetes Ethnic origin (African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, or Pacific Islander American) Age Hormone malfuncti Continue reading >>
Insulin Sensitivity And Glucose Tolerance Are Altered By Maintenance On A Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet (KD) is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that is used for a variety of health-related effects. This type of diet is effective at suppressing seizure activity in children with refractory epilepsy (1) and has perhaps more commonly been implemented as a dietary strategy by which weight maintenance or weight loss is the desired outcome. It has been demonstrated that restriction of dietary carbohydrates results in positive effects on cardiovascular parameters. Consuming this type of diet favorably affects body adiposity and improves features of metabolic syndrome in humans (2,3,4,5,6). Although studies evaluating the efficacy and metabolic effects of KDs have increased in recent years, the effects of macronutrient-controlled diets remain controversial in the literature. Insulin has potent short-term and long-term effects on energy intake and glucose homeostasis. In the short term, insulin release is cephalic; the brain initiates insulin secretion by directing messages through the vagus nerves to the pancreas as opposed to direct pancreatic stimulation of insulin-secreting cells. Cephalic insulin is most readily observed at the onset of a meal and consists of a short burst of insulin that is preabsorptive with regard to the ingested food. After consumption of a meal, insulin secretion increases and is sustained, because one of insulin’s roles is to prepare the body for the increase in glucose that accompanies food intake and to control the increased levels and use of glucose (7). In the long term, insulin’s role as an adiposity signal is well known, with increased plasma insulin levels resulting from increased body weight. Together, the short- and long-term effects of insulin allow for proper glucose homeostasis and assist in the regulation of body wei Continue reading >>
- Effects of resveratrol on glucose control and insulin sensitivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis
- Effects of resveratrol on glucose control and insulin sensitivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis
- The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus
Insulin And Keto: What You Need To Know
If you want to make keto really work for you, it helps to understand a little bit about how the diet does its magic and one of the big players here is the hormone insulin. Insulin does a whole lot of different things, but its best-known as the hormone that you make to metabolize carbs. Insulin gets a really bad rap in low-carb circles, to the point where it can get really oversimplified. Theres more to weight gain than insulin! For general health, insulin isnt necessarily bad , and its actually necessary for some health-related goals (for example, if you want to gain muscle, insulin is definitely your friend). But keto isnt just about general health. Keto is about a specific metabolic shift. If your goal is ketosis specifically, insulin is bad news heres what you need to know. The whole point of the ketogenic diet is that youre forcing your body to use ketone bodies for energy, instead of fat and carbohydrate. Thats what makes the diet work. Insulin suppresses ketone production . So if you want to get into ketosis and stay there, you want to minimize insulin as much as possible. Unless youre taking outside insulin, the easiest way to do this is by changing what you eat. Insulin is produced in response to different foods, so by changing your diet, you can minimize insulin production. Thats the point of a ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet minimizes insulin production by restricting both carbs and protein the diet keeps carbs as low as possible and supplies just enough protein to meet your needs, but not more. To reduce insulin production, lower carbs Carbs raise insulin levels because you need insulin to metabolize carbs (use them for energy). The more carbs you eat, the more insulin you need. It works like this: when you eat something carb-heavy, the glucose (carbohydr Continue reading >>
