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What To Take For Insulin Resistance


What New Research Is Being Conducted On Insulin Resistance

How Long Does It Take To Reverse Insulin Resistance?

Insulin resistance has gained awareness and significance, in its own right, as a contributor to the metabolic syndrome. Timely intervention can delay the onset of overt type 2 diabetes. Future studies must assess longer intervals than existing research to determine the duration for treatment to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and related complications.

Lifestyle changes are clearly important to delay the development of type 2 diabetes in individuals with insulin resistance. Lifestyle changes are the primary recommendation for prevention of diabetes in high-risk individuals. Metformin is the only drug recommended by guidelines for patients at highest risk. Education about these changes must be directed to all groups at risk for type 2 diabetes. Childhood obesity is epidemic and on the rise in developed countries. Changes must be made in homes and school cafeterias to ensure healthier nutrition.

Thoughts On Reverse Insulin Resistance In 4 Easy Steps

  • Jonathan Johnson

    Hello, the reason I am contacting you today is because my wife has PCOS. She has insulin resistance pcos. She has been diagnosed for a few months. But she has really been taking care of herself and starting to see good improvement. But there has been some bad days and days where she feels like she can not do it anymore. I have been with her the entire way, we have changed the way we eat, and have always been by her side motivating her. But I feel sometimes I am not doing enough. I have been trying to educate myself more on what she is going through, but I feel it may not be enough. Is there more I could be doing Dr Briden?

  • I would love to have the references for the health insulin range you mentioned in this post if possible. I find with most labs the ranges are too broad so clients and doctors believe a client is still healthy with for instance a fasting insulin level of 163.9 pmol/L. I am a nutritional therapist so always looking for the evidence to help clients better! Keep up your amazing work!!!

  • May 31, 2019 at 9:09 pm

    Hello,I asked a blood test to my GP specifically to test for insulin resistance, and she had me do an HBA1c test. It turned out normal, even though I do think I have all the symptoms for an insulin resistant driven PCOS.Should I insist for another more specific test?

    Thank you for your work, it is really helping me understand my body and I hope going to the root of my symptoms.

  • Lara Briden

    Thanks so much for sharing your story.

  • How Much Chromium Do You Need

    We already know you don’t absorb much Chromium when you eat Chromium-rich foods or take Chromium supplements, so you need to take the following every day:

    Take: 400 mcg 1000 mcg per day


    You will need to take Chromium for at least 3 months or until your blood sugar issues resolve themselves.

    You DON’T have to take Chromium forever!

    Read Also: How To Keep Blood Sugar From Dropping

    Chromium And Blood Sugar

    Chromium is an essential trace mineral that the body uses to metabolize fats and carbohydrates. It works through a complex mechanism to boost the effectiveness of insulin.

    A meta-analysis published in March 2014 in the Journal of Pharmacy and Therapeutics found that chromium supplements improved patients’ average blood sugar levels over a three-month period. The researchers suggested that more than 200 micrograms of chromium were needed to see a benefit. But they also noted that the long-term benefit and safety of chromium supplementation needs further investigation 11. Indeed, according to the National Institutes of Health , there is no recommended dietary allowance for chromium, although an adequate daily intake for adults is between 20 and 35 micrograms 1516.


    • Chromium is an essential trace mineral that the body uses to metabolize fats and carbohydrates.

    > Blood Tests For Insulin Resistance

    The ultimate Guide to Insulin, Insulin resistance and more ...

    Keep in mind that the typical tests for diabetes often dont pick up insulin resistance. Nor does a fasting insulin. This is especially true in women who are mildly insulin resistance as well as women with lean PCOS. The following information was adapted from Dr. Fiona McCullough, PCOS expert. to bring to your next doctors appointment. Even if you dont have PCOS, the chart can be helpful. BEST TESTS FOR DIABETESFasting glucose: done after an overnight fast. Normal range is < 99 mg/dl Glucose intolerance or prediabetes is 100-124. Over 124 is diabetes. Many individuals with insulin resistance have normal glucoseHbA1c: done anytime. Normal range is < 5.7. Interpretation: An HbA1c of 5.7-6.4 indicates pre-diabetes and 6.5 and higher is diabetes. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, if blood tests indicate prediabetes, insulin resistance most likely is present. However a normal test does not mean you are NOT insulin resistant!

    C peptide: done after an overnight fast C- peptide is not often tested except in those suspected of having type 1 diabetes however it can also be a surrogate marker of insulin resistance as levels can be higher than normal.Normal values : range from 0.51 2.72 ng/mLElevated levels suggest insulin resistance, however it is not diagnostic for insulin resistance.

    BEST TEST FOR INSULIN RESISTANCE:

    Also Check: Diabetes Article

    What Is Insulin Sensitivity

    Insulin sensitivity is a measure of how well your cells respond to the message insulin sends. And insulins primary function is to allow your bodys cells to use glucose for energy.


    When you eat any carbohydrate, which includes anything from broccoli to added sugars like candy, the food is digested in your stomach, and moves to your intestine where the sugar portion passes into your bloodstream as glucose.

    Your blood glucose rises in response to eating food, and your pancreas secretes insulin to allow cells to uptake the glucose as energy, decreasing blood sugar.

    If youre insulin sensitive, you need less of this hormone to bring down your blood sugar levels after eating. Insulin resistance occurs when your body needs more and more insulin to bring down blood sugar levelsand if left unchecked long enough, this leads to type 2 diabetes, inflammation, and many other chronic illnesses.

    CentreSpringMD can help you determine how your body is using insulin, and the steps you should take for better blood sugar balance.

    Supplements That Reduce Insulin Resistance

    4 Supplements That Reduce Insulin Resistance


    Insulin resistance is a common problem. Too many people are overweight and eat a diet heavy in processed foods that contain trans fats, bleached flour, and high fructose corn syrup. To make matters worse, most Americans are burning the candle at both ends, leaving little time for sleep. All of these factors contribute to insulin resistance. The problem with insulin resistance is it can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes and increase the risk of other health problems such as heart disease.

    The most important thing you can do to reduce insulin resistance is to eat a whole food diet consisting of lean protein, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats such as the monounsaturated fats found in nuts and olive oil. Exercise regularly, and get at least seven hours of sleep a night. In addition, there are four supplements that may help to reduce insulin resistance.

    Don’t Miss: Craving Milk Type 2 Diabetes

    Can Fasting Reverse Insulin Resistance

    As research shows, regular intermittent fasting directly improves insulin sensitivity. Therefore it doesnt just reduce high insulin levels.

    Furthermore, fasting can reverse insulin resistance, which most diets cant .


    Additionally, a fasting detox yields lots of health benefits like the removal of unnecessary or dysfunctional components from cells.

    The 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Yoshinori Ohsumi for the discovery of this mechanism known as autophagy .

    However, there are many myths about the drawbacks of fasting. For example, a sticky myth ist that it will overwhelm you with hunger.

    But Viennese researchers have shown that the hunger hormone ghrelin gradually decreases after the peak on the first day of fasting .

    According to research, blood glucose levels also remain stable when switching to burning body fat for energy .


    Therefore the intake of carbohydrates is simply not necessary. And isnt it the body fat that generally worries us? Consequently, the breakdown of body fat will not harm us in any way.

    In contrary to conventional wisdom, fasting also doesnt cause muscle loss, as you will see when we compare intermittent fasting and calorie restriction.

    Recommended Reading: What Type Of Insulin Can Be Given Iv

    Insulin Resistance Tests: Ideal Ranges

    How Long Does It Take To Reverse INSULIN Resistance? And How Do You Get Insulin Resistant?

    Conventional doctors and functional medicine or naturopathic doctors treat numbers differently.

    Typically, conventional doctors will consider broader ranges as normal, even when you have symptoms. Only when youre out of range will they treat, and treatment is most often centered around a prescription with less attention to diet and lifestyle.


    Functional medicine works differently. First off, conventional laboratories consider the a middle percentage of the people who have been tested as normal. That means the numbers change periodically based on who has been tested. Do you want someone to decide your numbers are okay compared to a perfect human, or compared to a group of people in one of the sickest developed nations in the world? Healthy ranges are much more targeted in functional medicine.

    Second, functional medicine doctors treat your symptoms and bloodwork as puzzle pieces to arrive at a diagnosis. Lab tests arent the sole determinant.

    Third, treatment involves diet and lifestyle changes, and prescriptions only when absolutely critical.

    Here are the blood tests youll typically get to determine your insulin sensitivity, and what ranges conventional medicine doctors use as compared to functional medicine doctors.

    Recommended Reading: Is Banana Good For Diabetic


    Cook With Saturated Fats Instead Of Vegetable Oils

    Removing vegetable oils is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Not only are they directly linked to cancer and Alzheimers, they also cause insulin resistance.

    In this study, mice were placed on a high fat diet . One group consumed olive oil and the other consumed vegetable oils.

    The group of mice consuming vegetable oils developed insulin resistance.

    Another study showed that vegetable oils damage the GLUT4 transporter, which ultimately reduces the efficacy of insulin

    Instead, cook with natural fats like beef tallow, butter and ghee.


    Skin Tags/darkening Of The Skin

    Insulin resistance causes darkening of the skin usually around the neck and areas where there are folds in the skin and is referred to as acanthosis nigricans.

    You may also notice skin tags. Skin tags can occur on the neck, eyelids, underarms, in your groin area, and under your breasts.

    You can tell a lot about someone and their health based on their skins appearance. If it is dry and flaky, it means you are dehydrated. Acne can signal inflammation and insulin resistance. Yellowing skin can be a sign of liver problems.

    Pay attention to the health of your skin, it tells a story.

    While skin tags can be unsightly, they arent harmful to you. You can remove them if you want. You can either try to remove them yourself with an over-the-counter product or you can have a dermatologist remove them for you.


    Read Also: What Is A Normal A1c For A Diabetic

    Also Check: Why Is Pasta Bad For Diabetics

    Insulin Resistance: Dealing With The Diagnosis

    When my daughter was a pre-teen, her routine blood glucose test came back a little high. Her pediatrician had her undergo a special test called a fasting blood glucose test, which was followed by a series of other tests. The results prompted her doctor to come back with a chilling diagnosis: insulin resistance.

    As a pediatric nurse, I was familiar with the topic of diabetes and insulin resistance, but this was a frightening diagnosis. My daughter was very upset, thinking she now had a terrible disease. And both my husband and daughter turned to me for ways to deal with this new diagnosis.

    What is insulin resistance?


    It’s a condition in which the hormone, insulin, becomes less effective at managing sugar levels in the blood glucose after eating or drinking anything that contains a simple sugar.

    Insulin is produced by the pancreas and acts to open the doors of the cells, taking glucose out of the bloodstream and putting it into the cells for energy. When cells don’t respond enough to insulin, blood glucose levels rise as a result.

    How serious is insulin resistance?

    The presence of insulin resistance typically precedes the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, previously known as adult onset diabetes. When an individual has diabetes, his or her pancreas does not make enough insulin to keep blood sugars level. This is a chronic disease which can result in a number of side effects and disabilities.

    How do I know if my child has insulin resistance?


  • Exercise
  • Healthy eating
  • Insulin Resistance Causes And Symptoms

    How Fat Kills Insulin

    One in three Americansincluding half of those age 60 and older1 have a silent blood sugar problem known as insulin resistance. Insulin resistance increases the risk for prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and a host of other serious health problems, including heart attacks, strokes2 and cancer.3

    What is Insulin Resistance?

    Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, body fat and liver start resisting or ignoring the signal that the hormone insulin is trying to send outwhich is to grab glucose out of the bloodstream and put it into our cells. Glucose, also known as blood sugar, is the bodys main source of fuel. We get glucose from grains, fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and drinks that bring break down into carbohydrates.

    How Insulin Resistance Develops

    While genetics, aging and ethnicity play roles in developing insulin sensitivity, the driving forces behind insulin resistance include excess body weight, too much belly fat, a lack of exercise, smoking, and even skimping on sleep.4

    Signs and Symptoms of Insulin Resistance

    Insulin resistance is usually triggered by a combination of factors linked to weight, age, genetics, being sedentary and smoking.

    – You have additional signs of metabolic syndrome. According to the National Institutes of Health,7 in addition to a large waist, if you have three or more of the following, you likely have metabolic syndrome, which creates insulin resistance.

    Health Conditions Related to Insulin Resistance

    Read Also: How High A1c Before Insulin

    Insulin Resistance And Cancer

    When you are insulin resistant, your pancreas needs to produce increasingly more insulin to remove sugar from your bloodstream. The insulin takes those sugars and parks it in your liver, your fat cells and in your muscles, which is the preferred destination. This is why weight resistance exercises are the best for your health. You are creating more bins in your muscles to store glucose.

    For years now, we have known that sugar feeds cancer cells, but we didnt know the mechanism used to do this. We now know the enzyme p31k diverts sugar, which was meant to be stored in your muscles, into cancer cells. This is especially true if you are insulin resistant!

    Join Dr. Martin in todays episode as he unpacks this discovery. He also teaches on fatty acids and how cancer tumours need this fuel to grow.

    Read Also: What Causes Low Blood Sugar In Diabetics

    To Improve Insulin Sensitivity Get More:

    • Quality fats and protein help promote balanced blood sugar levels by slowing the release of glucose into the bloodstream.
    • Intermittent fasting has been shown to improve fasting insulin levels in many studies . Intermittent fasting can be done in many ways suited to your lifestyle, and doesnt require strict adherence to see benefits. Begin with an overnight fast , and then slowly delay breakfast in the morning until hunger naturally ensues.
    • Strength training. Lean muscle mass improves your bodys ability to use blood sugar for energy and maintain insulin sensitivity. Maintaining adequate muscle is especially important for older people, as muscle will naturally decline as we age, decreasing our insulin sensitivity along with it. Mediating this decline in muscle mass is key to managing the metabolic side effects of getting older.

    Also Check: How Long Do Type 1 Diabetics Live

    What Recent Studies Suggest About Diabetes And Diet:

    There is evidence that eating high loads of animal products can lead to higher disease risk or poorer diabetes management. Population groups that modify their traditional dietary habits, increasing the amount of animal products while reducing plant-based foods, experience a remarkable rise in the frequency of type 2 diabetes, says Mendez del Rio.

    In fact, the study found, diets that push high protein intake and low carb eating can further intensify insulin resistance. On the other hand, plant-based foods enhance insulin sensitivity, which means you should be reaching for more greens to fill your plate.

    Natural Ways To Improve Your Insulin Sensitivity

    How to REVERSE Insulin Resistance NATURALLY! (3 STEPS)

    Insulin is an essential hormone that controls your blood sugar levels.

    Its made in your pancreas and helps move sugar from your blood into your cells for storage. When cells are insulin resistant, they cannot use insulin effectively, leaving your blood sugar high.

    When your pancreas senses high blood sugar, it makes more insulin to overcome the resistance and reduce your blood sugar.

    Over time, this can deplete the pancreas of insulin-producing cells, which is common in type 2 diabetes. Also, prolonged high blood sugar can damage nerves and organs.

    Youre most at risk of insulin resistance if you have prediabetes or a family history of type 2 diabetes, as well as if you are overweight or or have obesity.

    Insulin sensitivity refers to how responsive your cells are to insulin. Improving it can help you reduce insulin resistance and the risk of many diseases, including diabetes.

    Here are 14 natural, science-backed ways to boost your insulin sensitivity.

    Recommended Reading: Is Oatmeal Bad For A Diabetic

    Cut Out Vegetable Antinutrients

    Vegetables arent here for human survival. They dont want to be eaten.

    Turns out those innocent and healthy veggies are quite devious after all. To prevent predators from eating them, vegetables all have chemical weapons and booby traps set.

    Theyre all like Kevin McAllister in Home Alone. Innocent looking, but destructive. Dont judge a book by its cover

    One of those groups of anti nutrients are lectins. Theyre found primarily in grains, nuts, legumes and nightshades.

    And they wreak absolute havoc on your body, especially in high doses. This study found that when lectins they reach the bloodstream, they can bind insulin receptors and thereby interfere with insulins action

    Just one more reason to cut out vegetables and eat meat like were made to.

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