Insulin Resistance – Why Is It So Common?

Recent medical advances are addressing problems that were deadly just a few decades ago. However, new conditions are also emerging, the seriousness of which is still little known, such as insulin resistance.

In this article we explain why this condition is becoming more and more common. We will also tell you more about the risks and causes and how you can prevent this problem in time.

What is insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance is a condition that is becoming more common. We speak of it when the body stops responding to insulin. The pancreas secretes insulin to distribute glucose and keep blood sugar levels stable.

Once this mechanism fails, blood sugar levels rise. This increases the body’s need for insulin. This then results in a vicious circle that can have harmful effects on health.

While insulin helps the body re-stabilize glucose, increased levels of this hormone can have other effects in the body. Insulin resistance is different from diabetes. It may foreshadow it, but it may also be completely independent of it. In principle, the blood sugar level in the case of insulin resistance is even normal.

Why does it happen so often?

Below we share an overview of the top five reasons why insulin resistance is one of the most common diseases today.

1. Obesity

Fat cells are linked to insulin resistance. Obesity thus seems to be a very important factor. This is especially the case when the body stores fat mainly on the abdomen.

At the same time, it is almost always the case that someone suffers from insulin resistance if that person, in addition to being overweight, also suffers from:

• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol

• fatty liver
• polycystic ovary syndrome
• dark skin on the neck and under the armpits

2. Bad Diet

Since insulin resistance is linked to obesity, poor diet may also be related. However, this does not mean that slim people are immune to it.

What foods make us prone to insulin resistance?

• Sugar
• sweets
• Refined carbohydrates – cookies, pastries, etc.
• sweet fruit

3. Sedentary Lifestyle

If you have (had) a sedentary lifestyle for a long time, this can also play a role in the development of insulin resistance. Office work and spending hours every day in front of the computer or in front of the TV causes our body to store fat on our stomach. In addition, these things also lead to poorer circulation.

These factors can increase a person’s predisposition to insulin resistance. Daily exercise and sports help the body use insulin. In addition, they enable it to burn fat and maintain a balanced weight.

4. Stress

As you can see, these factors are very common at the moment and, moreover, they are interrelated. And we haven’t even talked about stress yet. While stress is one of the greatest evils of our time. It is a very complex problem that completely changes our bodily functions.

Constant stress also changes how the body responds to insulin and also raises blood sugar levels.

5. Medicines

• As modern medicine continues to advance, more and more people are prone to overusing drugs.
• Even healthy people take drugs. Think of the contraceptive pill, allergy medication, sleeping pills, etc.
• However, overmedication is another factor that increases the risk of insulin resistance, especially when combined with other factors.

Symptoms to watch out for

As we mentioned above, the blood sugar level in the case of insulin resistance is often simply stable. So it doesn’t make much sense to measure blood sugar levels to determine whether someone is affected or not.

However, these symptoms can help to make you aware that you should adopt a healthier lifestyle to prevent certain chronic conditions in the future.

• Unexplained, frequent fatigue
• Mood disorders, with a tendency toward depression or irritability
• Hair loss and excess sebum production (especially in women)
• Acne
• Infertility and miscarriage during the first three months of pregnancy
• Hoarseness
• High cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• Small warts on the neck and under the armpits
• High bloodpressure
• Sweet appetite in the evening