Could it be insulin resistance?

Struggling with stubborn belly fat, cravings, fatigue, and hormonal imbalances? Insulin resistance could be the cause. Let’s explore what that means, how to identify it, and the steps you can take to reverse it.

What is insulin?

Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar levels.

When blood sugar levels rise after a meal, insulin helps glucose into the cells of the muscle, fat and liver, where it is used for energy, or stored for later use. This helps your blood sugar return to normal levels.

What is insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance occurs when cells become less responsive to insulin, making it harder for glucose to enter them. This often develops due to prolonged exposure to high blood sugar levels and can be triggered by factors such as:

• A diet high in refined carbohydrates, sugars, sugar-sweetened beverages, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods
• Adiposity (excess body fat)
• Lack of physical activity and poor muscle mass
• Chronic stress
• Disrupted circadian rhythms and poor sleep
• Reduced activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), often referred to as the “master regulator” of metabolism. AMPK is crucial for maintaining energy balance and supporting insulin sensitivity. However, its activity tends to decline with age, nutrient deficiencies, and exposure to chronic inflammation and oxidative stress [Source]

The role of cortisol in insulin resistance

Chronic stress can significantly impact insulin sensitivity. The stress hormone cortisol opposes insulin’s effects by stimulating glucose production in the liver while reducing glucose uptake by cells. As a result, cells become less responsive to insulin, making insulin resistance more likely in those experiencing prolonged stress.

Insulin resistance, unchecked

When cells become ‘deaf’ to insulin’s signals, the pancreas compensates by producing even more insulin to force glucose into the cells. At this stage, blood sugar levels may still appear normal, but your metabolism is under strain—this is a critical window to take action and restore insulin sensitivity!

But what happens if insulin resistance progresses unchecked? Over time, the beta cells in the pancreas struggle to keep up with the constant demand for insulin. Eventually, they may become dysfunctional or exhausted, leading to declining insulin production and rising blood sugar levels. This sets the stage for prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

🩸 Insulin resistance can precede the development of Type 2 diabetes by 10 to 15 years [Source].

Signs you might have insulin resistance

Wondering if insulin resistance could be affecting you? Here are some common signs to look out for:

• Weight gain, particularly around the belly (this type of fat is highly inflammatory)*
• Difficulty losing weight, even when eating healthy*
• Increased hunger, with cravings for carbs/sugary foods
• Fatigue
• Skin tags (small, harmless growths that can appear anywhere on your skin, but often develop on the neck, eyelids or underarms)
• Dark patches of skin (acanthosis nigricans)
• Elevated blood pressure
• Hormonal imbalances (irregular cycles, elevated androgens, PCOS, low progesterone, oestrogen dominance)

*Insulin resistance can occur in those with a healthy body weight, too.

Insulin resistance is easy to miss!

When assessing metabolic health, the most common test ordered by GPs is HbA1c (haemoglobin A1C), which measures average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months.

But here’s the catch: in the early stages of insulin resistance, your blood glucose levels may still appear normal. This means that HbA1c may not reveal insulin resistance until it has progressed further.

The best way to detect insulin resistance in its early stages is by measuring fasting insulin. This test should be done first thing in the morning after an 8-hour fast.

👩‍🔬 What to look for? Fasting insulin should be low. If it’s elevated, that suggests insulin resistance.

Other blood tests can offer further insights into metabolic health, including:

• HOMA-IR: A validated formula that assesses the relationship between insulin secretion and blood glucose levels. This is a robust way to evaluate insulin resistance
• Lipid panel: Insulin resistance is often associated with low HDL cholesterol and elevated triglycerides, indicating impaired carbohydrate metabolism and increased fat accumulation in the liver
• Liver function tests: An elevated ALT (alanine transaminase) level may indicate insulin resistance, fatty liver, increased androgens, or excess body fat. Research has linked high ALT levels with metabolic dysfunction
• CRP (C-reactive protein): A marker of inflammation that can also indicate insulin resistance

Start improving your insulin sensitivity today

Insulin resistance can be reversed with dietary, lifestyle and supplemental interventions. Here are some practical tips to get you started–

Dietary:

• Avoid refined carbohydrates, sugars, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods
• Have a decent portion of protein with a small portion of healthy fats (extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds) and a cup of non-starchy vegetables with each main meal (need high protein breakfast ideas? Grab my free guide here)

Lifestyle:

• Introduce resistance training to your exercise routine, as this will help build mass mass. Muscle is the body’s largest glucose sink: it accounts for up to 75% of tissue glucose uptake!
• Manage your stress levels and balance your cortisol pattern
• Ensure quality sleep, and work on optimising circadian balance

Supplemental:

• Magnesium and Inositol: These two supplements work in tandem to enhance insulin signaling. Magnesium helps reduce inflammation and supports healthy blood sugar levels, while inositol, a type of sugar alcohol, is particularly helpful for those with insulin resistance and conditions like PCOS. Together, they help the body use insulin more effectively [Source; Source]
• Berberine: Berberine is a occurring bright yellow compound within herbs such as Phellodendrum, Coptis, Oregan grape and Golden seal. This compound has hypoglycaemic effects and improves insulin signalling. It has beneficial effects on lipid metabolism and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. Berberine has been clinically trialled for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver and weight loss. In fact, it’s been shown to upregulate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). This is one of its key mechanisms for improving insulin sensitivity, similar to how Metformin (a widely used medication for type 2 diabetes) works [Source]

⚠️ Berberine does have some contraindications and can exert strong antimicrobial effects on the previous gut microbiome, so it shouldn’t be used long-term [Source].

Next steps

If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, don’t try and DIY your approach–particularly if you’re noticing hormonal imbalances; book a consult with me for expert care so we can help you start to feel your best self again.  

Lauren ❤️‍🩹