Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, and high triglyceride levels are two warning signs of insulin resistance. These two conditions, along with elevated cholesterol levels, excess abdominal fat and high blood pressure are the symptoms of metabolic syndrome, also called syndrome X. This group of conditions can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. Together, elevated glucose and triglyceride levels indicate your body isn't effectively using insulin, but you can increase your insulin sensitivity with diet and lifestyle changes.
Hyperglycemia and Triglycerides
Your body uses glucose as its primary energy source. When you have too much glucose, the extra is converted into glycogen and stored in your muscle tissue. The more muscle mass you have, the more glycogen you can store. If there's too much glycogen for your muscles, your liver converts the extra into triglycerides -- the most common type of fat in your body. Triglycerides are then stored in your fat cells to be used for energy if your glucose levels get too low, called hypoglycemia.
Insulin Connection
Insulin is a hormone that your pancreas produces in the presence of glucose. When you eat food that your body can quickly convert to glucose -- sugar is easiest -- your body produces insulin to transport glucose from your bloodstream and into your cells for use. Later, that same insulin also helps move triglycerides into your fat cells. Without insulin, you'll just have large amounts of glucose and triglycerides circulating in your bloodstream, while your cells don't get the energy they need. Insulin resistance, called prediabetes, occurs when you either don't produce enough insulin, or your body stops using it effectively.
Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance may be genetic, but your weight and lifestyle choices play an important role. Fat interferes with your body's ability to use insulin -- the more overweight you are, the more likely you are to develop insulin resistance; fortunately losing weight can improve your sensitivity to insulin. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, exercise can prevent and reverse insulin resistance. Even losing just 7 percent of your current body weight can delay the onset of diabetes by 60 percent.
Dangers
Triglycerides are a type of lipid, the medical term for fat, just like cholesterol. And much like "bad" LDL cholesterol, too many triglycerides in your bloodstream can narrow and harden arteries, restricting blood flow and putting you at risk for heart disease and stroke. Because hyperglycemia also increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, having both problems dramatically increases your risk. Chronic high glucose levels weaken your smaller blood vessels and can cause kidney failure, nerve damage and blindness in addition to heart attack and stroke.
