Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body's mechanism for signaling to the cells that glucose, or blood sugar, is available in the bloodstream is defective. Insulin resistance is often a component of metabolic syndrome, a complex condition linked to obesity, high bad cholesterol, low good cholesterol and high blood pressure. Metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Symptoms of insulin resistance include dry mouth, excessive thirst and frequent urination.
The Role of Insulin
In healthy individuals, the pancreas secretes the hormone insulin after meals. By binding to cell surface receptors, insulin signals to the cells that glucose is present in the bloodstream. This triggers the cells to embed glucose transporters into their membranes. When glucose enters the cells through the transporters, the cells can use it as immediate energy or store it as fat or glycogen, a stored form of sugar.
Insuline Resistance
In insulin resistance, the pancreas produces sufficient insulin in response to a rise in blood glucose levels but when insulin binds to the insulin receptors on the cell surfaces, the receptors do not transfer the signal properly to the cells' interior. This results in an accumulation of blood sugar in the bloodstream. Insulin resistance is sometimes restricted to certain types of cells, for example, the skeletal muscles. The liver then turns the excess glucose into fat, and weight gain occurs.
Glucose in the Urine and Excessive Thirst
When insulin resistance affects most body tissues, including the liver, your body cannot metabolize all of the excess sugar. The kidneys are normally responsible for filtering out glucose in the production of urine. When glucose stays at high levels, however, some of it may make its way through the kidney's filters together with extra fluids. When extra fluids are excreted in the urine, you become dehydrates. This can give rise to dry mouth and excessive thirst.
Treatment
Doctors normally prescribe blood glucose medications and a diet and exercise program for insulin resistance. Common diets for insulin resistance include low-carb diets, which restrict all carbohydrates, the main source of glucose, and glycemic index diets, which restrict carbohydrate foods that spike insulin and blood sugar, such as sweets, white bread, white pasta and white rice. Both kinds of diet control blood sugar levels by either completely restricting the main source of blood sugar or by restricting foods that can cause quick rises in blood sugar levels.
References
- "Circulation"; Diagnosis and Management of the Metabolic Syndrome; Scott M. Grundy, et al.; September 2005
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes
- "PNAS"; The Role of Skeletal Muscle Insulin Resistance in the Pathogenesis of the Metabolic Syndrome; Kitt Falk Petersen, et al.; July 2007
- Science Daily: Low Glycemic Index Diet Best For Weight Loss And Cardiovascular Health
- American Diabetes Association: Glycemic Index and Diabetes
- "Atkins Diabetes Revolution"; Vernon, J. Eberstein; 2004
