A hormone called insulin helps your body convert glucose, or blood sugar, into energy. When the cells in your fat, liver and muscles do not absorb insulin properly, you have a condition known as insulin resistance. When you have insulin resistance, your pancreas will produce more insulin to help your cells take in an adequate amount of glucose. Sometimes, however, the pancreas cannot produce enough of the hormone required to maintain healthy blood glucose levels.
Does Insulin Resistance Cause Diabetes?
When your blood glucose levels are too high as a result of insulin resistance, you can be diagnosed with prediabetes. Prediabetes is when your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be categorized as diabetes. If your blood glucose levels continue to climb due to insulin resistance, prediabetes can evolve into Type 2 diabetes.
Am I at Risk for Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes?
Researchers are still working to determine what causes insulin resistance and prediabetes. Two factors have been identified that increase your likelihood of developing these conditions: excess weight and physical inactivity.
Excess Weight
Specifically, being obese and having excess fat in the abdominal area around the organs is a leading factor that can cause insulin resistance. For women, a waist measurement of 35 inches or more is a warning sign that you are at high risk for insulin resistance. For men, a waist measurement of 40 inches or more dramatically increases your risk of insulin resistance. This excess fat can also be associated with inflammation in the body that may contribute to insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Physical Inactivity
Physical inactivity also contributes to the development of insulin resistance and prediabetes. So, if you regularly exercise, your body is able to more effectively balance your blood glucose levels.
Other Factors
In addition to weight and exercise habits, other risk factors associated with insulin resistance and prediabetes include:
- Age—45 or older
- Ethnicity—Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander American
- Family history—Having a parent or sibling with diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- History of gestational diabetes, heart disease or stroke
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
Additionally, you may experience insulin resistance if you:
- Experience sleep apnea or other sleep disorders
- Have a hormonal disorder, such as acromegaly and Cushing’s syndrome
- Have taken certain medications, including antipsychotics, glucocorticoids and some HIV medications
Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes Symptoms
In most cases, there are no symptoms of insulin resistance. Similarly, if you have prediabetes, you are not likely to have symptoms. Some people with prediabetes might experience acanthosis nigricans, which is characterized by a darkening of skin on the back and sides of the neck and underneath the arms. Skin tags may also appear in these areas.
If you experience these symptoms of prediabetes and if you are overweight, have a family history of Type 2 diabetes or have other risk factors, your doctor may conduct blood tests to determine whether you have prediabetes. These tests include an A1C test or a fasting plasma glucose test.
How Can I Prevent or Manage Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes?
While you cannot change certain risk factors for insulin resistance or prediabetes, you can take action by making healthier lifestyle practices part of your daily routine. These habits can also help you manage and possibly reverse insulin resistance or prediabetes.
Losing weight is the most important thing you can do to help your body properly process insulin. To successfully manage weight, take gradual steps you can maintain in the long term. For example, you may begin transforming your diet by:
- Consuming more fruits and vegetables
- Eating smaller portions
- Introducing more lean protein, such as chicken and fish, into your diet instead of red meat
- Replacing white pasta and bread with whole grain options
When it comes to exercise, you do not necessarily need to hit the gym every day. Instead, set a goal to be physically active for 30 minutes, five days a week.
This type of exercise may include:
- Ballroom dancing with your sweetheart
- Practicing yoga in your living room
- Taking a walk with your dog and your family
There are many easy ways to fit more exercise into your day. Other ideas to get moving include parking far away when you arrive at the grocery store, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and doing lunges during the workday when you need a break from the computer.
Hear From Our Experts
Angela Ginn-Meadow, RN, RDN, CDE, a Senior Education Coordinator at UM Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology at the University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus, discusses everything you need to know about prediabetes on the Live Greater Podcast.
