Insulin Resistance
In normal healthy adult, insulin, a type of hormone secreted from the
beta cells of pancreas into the blood, plays a significant role in body
metabolism with the help of which cells absorb glucose from the blood and
eventually use it as a source of energy. However, if the cells become
resistant to this hormone thereby unable to utilize it effectively, the
physiological condition which results is termed as Insulin Resistance. Thus,
instead of being absorbed by the cells, glucose builds up in blood
eventually causing type 2 diabetes. Beta cells subsequently increase their
insulin production due to increase demand, further adding to raised blood
sugar levels- Hyperglycaemia.
Causes- Two main causes that contribute to insulin resistance are:
Excessive Weight
Sedentary lifestyle
Other less common cause includes family history of diabetes, hypertension,
CVD, CKD etc. Miscellaneous causes such as old age, smoking, disturb sleep, certain
medicine use like steroids also contribute towards the causes of insulin
resistance.
Sign & Symptoms
Early detection of the state is difficult until hyperglycaemia is
apparent. Hence the symptom which is mainly to be observed under hyperglycaemia
is:
Acanthosis Nigricans - Dark patches on skin especially on the back of
the neck, round the neck, armpits, elbows, knees and knuckles
Diagnosis of Insulin Resistance - Diagnosis of insulin resistance in the
initial stages is very difficult till the symptoms due to hyperglycaemia start appearing.
Blood tests that help detecting this physiological condition include:
Glycosylated Haemoglobin
Fasting and post
prandial blood sugar
Oral glucose tolerance
test
Stay Healthy. Stay Safe from Diabetes. You can access
www.grass-diabetes.com to know more on diabetes and also to make a genetic risk
assessment report based on your genes and lifestyle.
Compiled By
Dr. Shivangi Gupta
