Unexplained Weight Gain….Insulin Resistance

One of the most common cause of unexplained weight gain.....Insulin Resistance.

The WHAT, WHY and HOW of Insulin Resistance.

Insulin resistance is when your body has built up tolerance to insulin making the hormone less effective therefore your body needs more insulin to persuade your fat and muscle cells to take up glucose and the liver to continue to store it.

So why does a person fail to respond to insulin...there are several risk factors that increases your risk of insulin resistance:

• Being overweight

• Increase in abdominal fat

• Inactive lifestyle

• Diet high in carbohydrates

• Poor sleep habits

• Smoking

• Family history of diabetes

When your body is resistant to insulin, it triggers your pancreas to make more insulin to keep your cells energized and control your blood glucose levels. Unfortunately over time, the insulin resistance gets worse and your pancreas can wear out and no longer produce enough insulin which causes high blood glucose levels increasing your risk for prediabetes and type II diabetes. Insulin resistance also increases your risk of heart disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

How do you know you are insulin resistant? Unfortunately, most people don't know they are insulin resistant until they have blood work done. There are however symptoms you should be aware of that can point to insulin resistance:

• Excessive thirst

• Increased Urination

• Increased Fatigue

• Blurry vision

• Tingling in your feet

• Acanthosis Nigricans (areas of dark, velvety discoloration in body folds and creases.)

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (menstrual irregularity, excess hair growth, acne, and obesity)

• Hidradenitis Suppurativa ( small, painful lumps to form under the skin)

How can we manage this? It may not be possible to completely get rid of insulin resistance however, there are ways to make your body more receptive to insulin.

• Physical Activity

• Weight loss (loosing 10% of your body weight can make a BIG difference)

• Medication Management (this can be achieved with a physician supervised weight loss program)

If you have concerns of insulin resistance, questions if you could be at risk or how to manage it, please schedule an appointment with your physician for evaluation.

If you do not have a primary care physician, please contact us and we will be happy to help you become a patient and get you scheduled and evaluated. Our members also have access to our discounted pricing for physician supervised weight loss program. Our physician supervised weight loss program is available to non-members as well, contact us for more information.

Email: welcome@onedpc.com | Call/Text: 828-360-8359

Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or medical advice. Please consult with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical, health related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this blog should not be considered a substitute for advice from your healthcare professional.

Education. Family Medicine. Endocrinology. Lifestyle Medicine.