Understanding the Hidden Pandemic: Insulin Resistance

💡Insulin resistance is a hidden pandemic that affects not only people with diabetes but also the general population.

📊Testing for insulin resistance should be a routine part of metabolic blood tests, along with fasting glucose and lipid profile measurements.

🔬There are reliable surrogate measures of insulin resistance that can be used as alternatives to gold-standard measurements.

❗Insulin resistance is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

🩺Being insulin sensitive is preferable to being insulin resistant, as it is associated with lower risks of chronic diseases.

Who should get tested for insulin resistance?

—In my opinion, a measurement of insulin resistance should be part of a normal metabolic blood test panel for everyone, along with fasting glucose and lipid profile measurements.

What kind of tests should be done to measure insulin resistance?

—There are reliable surrogate measures of insulin resistance that can be used, such as fasting insulin levels or the HOMA-IR index.

Why is insulin resistance not routinely measured?

—One reason is that the evidence showing insulin resistance as an independent risk factor for chronic diseases is still limited. Another reason could be the lack of actionable treatments for insulin resistance in the absence of diabetes.

What are the risks of insulin resistance?

—Insulin resistance is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Is it better to be insulin sensitive or insulin resistant?

—It is clearly better to be insulin sensitive, as higher insulin sensitivity is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases.

00:00Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body is resistant to the effects of insulin.

02:57There are reliable surrogate measures of insulin resistance that can be used to diagnose the condition.

07:14Insulin resistance is a risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

10:49Insulin resistance should be routinely measured as part of a metabolic blood test panel for everyone.

11:47Insulin sensitivity is preferable to insulin resistance as it is associated with lower risks of chronic diseases.