Insulin resistance —Why is it harmful to health?
Definition:
Impairment of biological tissue response to insulin is called insulin resistance. Biological tissue has specific receptors that are supposed to respond to insulin stimulation; however, these tissues become resistant to the effects of insulin secondary to disease processes that happen in other organs of the body.
Salient features:
Unhealthy adipose tissue secondary to chronic inflammation caused by obesity can fuel insulin resistance.
This is usually associated with an increased load of visceral adipose tissue (adipose tissue around organs in the abdominal region).
Lack of exercise and resistance training can cause unhealthy muscular tissue that has more intermixed fatty tissue when compared to lean muscle mass, which can also decrease the sensitivity of the receptors to insulin and in turn affect the normal metabolic pathways of glucose that can fuel conditions like diabetes.
Resistance to insulin in turn causes a compensatory increase in the beta cell mass (insulin-producing cells of the pancreas) that creates a state of hyperinsulinemia.
High insulin states can cause a state of salt retention within the body that can fuel hypertension that in turn increases the risk of plaque disruption in the blood vessels and increases the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease; additionally, the elevated blood pressure causes end organ damage in the kidneys by increasing glomerular filtration pressures, as well damage in the eyes, and in other vital organs.
Abdominal obesity also causes malfunction in the liver secondary to an increase in fat cell infiltration within the organ, causing malfunction and chronic inflammation that can fuel cirrhosis and end liver failure.
Liver malfunction can also fuel disordered lipid metabolism that increases unhealthy fats within our body and increases the incidence of cardiovascular disease.
There is accompanying damage in our blood vessels that includes endothelial changes that create a milieu for clot formation and propagation.
The above points are but a tip of the iceberg with respect to the dangers of insulin resistance. This crisis that is a worldwide pandemic can be mitigated through healthy diet and exercise. As always, I pray that you will keep your health and nutrition in center focus and live long and strong!
