5 Surprising Signs you are Insulin Resistance

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

When your cells don’t respond adequately to insulin’s signal, it results in too much glucose remaining in your bloodstream (high blood sugar). This can lead to prediabetes, which in turn can progress into full-blown type 2 diabetes.

Research has shown insulin resistance puts you at risk for heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, dementia, or diabetes.

Signs and Symptoms of Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is usually triggered by a combination of factors including body weight, age, genetics, ethnicity, being sedentary, smoking, and possibly even skimping on sleep.4 Specific signs that may indicate that you have or are likely to develop insulin resistance include:

Here are 5 surprising symptoms of insulin resistance:

1. High Blood Pressure

Many with Type-2 diabetes have high blood pressure and research has shown a link between hypertension and insulin resistance.

2. Diabetes

As insulin resistance develops, your body fights back by producing more insulin. Over months and years, the beta cells in your pancreas that are working so hard to make insulin get worn out and can no longer keep pace with the demand for more and more insulin. Then – years after insulin resistance silently began – your blood sugar may begin to rise and you may develop prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. You may also develop non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a growing problem associated with insulin resistance that boosts your risk for liver damage and heart disease