WHAT IS INSULIN?
In order for the body to function normally, the glucose (blood sugar) level in our blood must be at a certain level. The fact that the blood sugar in our blood is below or above a certain level can lead to various disease states. There are two main hormones to control this blood sugar level. Insulin and Glucagon.
insulin; It is a hormone secreted from the pancreas after meals or food intake and allows glucose, which is in excess in the blood, to enter the cell. In other words, it allows the sugar in the blood to enter the cells in order to meet the energy needs of the cells, and the glucose, which is more than the body’s needs, is stored in the liver, muscle and fat cells. In fasting situations, more precisely, when the amount of glucose in the blood falls below a certain level, it is also secreted from the pancreas. Its task is to ensure that the glucose stored by insulin is mixed back into the blood, allowing the body to reach the necessary energy. In order for insulin to transport glucose in the blood into the cell, it must bind to a structure called the “insulin receptor”. Insulin binds to the insulin receptor on the cell surface, allowing glucose in the blood to enter the cell. To compensate for this situation, the pancreas begins to secrete more insulin. Under normal conditions, blood sugar can reach normal levels with 1 unit of insulin, while in this case, which is called insulin resistance, the pancreas has to secrete 2-3 units of insulin.
In other words, sufficient amount of secreted insulin; When the pancreas fails to fulfill its duty, it starts to work harder and secrete more insulin. Insulin, which has to be secreted more and more, tires the pancreas over time, and a serious picture that can lead to pancreatic failure and diabetes mellitus (diabetes) may occur. Although there is enough glucose in the blood, the body perceives it as glucose and nutritional deficiency, since glucose cannot reach the tissues. To compensate for this, the liver increases glucose production. More frequent “eat, eat sweet” warning comes from the brain and more frequent hunger attacks begin to be experienced. The liver’s production of glucose out of necessity, more frequent feeding and frequent sweet consumption increase blood sugar and cause fattening in the liver and weight gain. Due to the inability of the tissues and cells to perform their normal metabolic activities, it can cause fatigue, weakness and drowsiness.
In short, the body begins to suffer non-existence in existence.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF INSULIN RESISTANCE?
- You feel more tired and sleepy than usual after a meal or after consuming a carbohydrate-dense food
- Complaints of trembling and sweating in hands due to uncontrolled decrease in sugar after meals
- Increased open feeling and stomach scraping complaints
- Frequent cravings for sweets
- Increasing and uncontrollable rate of weight gain
- having a feeling of fatigue
- Gradual enlargement of the waist circumference
- Skin darkening called ‘Acanthosis Nigricans’ in the armpits, groin and neck areas
DO I HAVE INSULIN RESISTANCE?
Insulin resistance is more common in the relatives of people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes (diabetes) due to the effect of genetic factors. In addition, factors such as a sedentary lifestyle and a high-calorie diet also lead to the development of insulin resistance. If you frequently experience the above-mentioned symptoms, a simple blood test can evaluate your metabolic status related to insulin resistance. For this, it is necessary to evaluate blood parameters such as insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting and postprandial blood sugar, HbA1c, and in some cases, a sugar loading test (oral glucose tolerance test). you can reverse it and regain your health. For this, first of all, it is very important to have a healthy diet and regular exercise. For a healthy diet, being in the weight range suitable for your body mass index, staying away from foods containing flour and sugar, which are called simple carbohydrates, as much as possible, meat, milk, eggs, fruits, vegetables, legumes and legumes. It is important that you focus on the consumption of foods containing nuts. For exercise, physical activities such as brisk walking for at least 30 minutes a day and at least 5 days a week on average will help you regain your health. Despite lifestyle changes such as nutrition and exercise, in some cases, with the advice of your doctor, it may be necessary to use medication to balance your blood sugar.
