When your body digests a meal, it converts carbohydrates into glucose and proteins into amino acids. Glucose and amino acids are absorbed directly into your bloodstream, causing blood glucose to rise sharply. This sharp rise signals cells in your pancreas to secrete insulin into your blood. Insulin plays an important role in allowing your cells to absorb glucose, which, in turn, your cells convert into energy. As your blood glucose peaks, your pancreas cuts back on the insulin it produces. Diabetes occurs when your pancreas either cannot produce any insulin or does not produce enough, or your body no longer responds properly to insulin.
Insulin
The primary function of insulin is to regulate the level of blood glucose in your bloodstream and keep it within normal range by allowing the glucose to enter your body's tissues where the glucose is used to create energy, MayoClinic.com states. The other function of insulin is to signal the liver to store any excess glucose in the form of glycogen. The liver releases glycogen into your bloodstream in between meals when the level of insulin in your blood is low. The released glycogen is converted into glucose and keeps your blood glucose level within normal range.
Insulin Resistance
In some cases, patients lose sensitivity to insulin making. A decrease in insulin sensitivity means that your tissues do not use insulin efficiently. Another term for decreased insulin sensitivity is insulin resistance. To compensate for this loss of sensitivity, the pancreas secretes greater and greater amounts of insulin, according to American Family Physician. Eventually, however, the beta cells of the pancreas are unable to secrete enough insulin to overcome this resistance and, as a result, glucose levels rise. If this condition is not treated properly, you may develop diabetes.
Blood Glucose
You should monitor your blood glucose level if you have been diagnosed with diabetes. The most accurate way to measure your blood glucose level is to use a blood glucose meter. For adults with diabetes, the usual target numbers are 70 to 130 mg per dl before eating and less than 180 mg per dl after eating, according to the American Diabetes Association. Work with your health-care provider to establish how often you need to check your blood glucose level, at what times and what blood glucose levels to target.
Management
One avenue of managing the loss of sensitivity to insulin is to take steps to restore sensitivity. A typical non-pharmacological approach involves a lifestyle change that emphasizes exercise, weight reduction and dietary fiber. If you have lowered insulin sensitivity, it is a good idea for you to accumulate 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most, if not all, days of the week. It is also a good idea to restrict the number of calories you take in and increase the amount of fiber in your diet, as these two changes also increase your sensitivity to insulin. The combination of regular exercise, restricted calorie intake and high dietary fiber often results in weight loss, which further improves your sensitivity to insulin. By increasing your insulin sensitivity, you can indirectly lower your blood glucose levels.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Checking Your Blood Glucose
- MayoClinic.com; Diabetes Treatment: Using Insulin to Manage Blood Sugar; November 2010
- American Family Physician; Insulin Resistance Syndrome"; Goutham Rao, M.D.; March 15, 2001
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Diabetes - Type 2 - Introduction; Harvey Simon; May 2009
