Chances are, if an individual is a Type 2 diabetic or has been diagnosed as being pre-diabetic, they have heard of the term insulin resistance.
Hopefully though, it was just as an informative measure and not as a diagnosis.
Either way, it is important to know what it is and how serious of a condition it can become.
What does insulin resistance mean? Insulin resistance has to do with the way insulin is processed in the body.
Under normal conditions, insulin removes sugar from the blood in order to utilize it for energy.
When insulin resistance exists the cells are not able to adequately process the sugar.
In other words, insulin resistance is an impairment of the body's ability - specifically the liver, fat, and muscle cells - to use insulin to process sugar.
The pancreas becomes misinformed of this condition and feels the body is low on insulin.
Now the body compensates by having the pancreas deliver even more insulin.
As this cycle is allowed to progress, the condition can morph into various other complications such as hypertension, heart disease, obesity and, of course, diabetes.
Signs insulin resistance is present have to be recognized and dealt with as soon as possible.
The development of Type 2 diabetes is a sign things have been ignored for far too long.
Other symptoms are subtler and can be easily missed.
For instance, high blood pressure can be attributed to other health issues, but it can also be paired with insulin resistance.
Heart disease is often present due to the hardening of the arteries, called atherosclerosis.
In this disease, the walls of the arteries build up from fatty materials, such as cholesterol.
This progression is often slow and goes unnoticed so the effects are taking their toll on the vessels unbeknown to the individual.
The formations, or plaque, will often rupture and can restrict the blood flow to tissues.
Sometimes, the blood flow is completely stopped.
In these instances, the tissue almost immediately begins to die.
When blood flow is completely cut off to the heart it causes a heart attack.
When the same situation occurs in a vessel traveling to the brain, it results in a stroke.
This is why blood flow is so vitally important not just for circulation throughout the body, but as it pertains to major organs.
Another clear indication insulin resistance is present is the formation of abdominal fat.
Those who are experiencing this condition will often deposit the excess fat in the stomach area.
While this happens for both sexes, it is often more prevalent with men.
Not everyone who is insulin resistant goes on to develop Type 2 diabetes.
In fact, if you discover you are insulin resistant, you can take steps to help reverse the condition.