You may have heard that diabetes has something to do with insulin resistance. But what is insulin resistance, and how does it connect to diabetes? And is it really true that eating too much sugar can give you insulin resistance?
At Monrovia Internal Medicine & Primary Care of Duarte, California, Dr. Ulin Sargeant offers insulin resistance testing to give you important information about your insulin resistance levels and pancreatic heath. Dr. Sargeant can also help you understand what your results mean and how close to diabetes you may be.
Here are some of the myths and facts Dr. Sargeant wants her patients to be aware of surrounding diabetes and insulin resistance.
Myth: Insulin resistance and prediabetes are different
Insulin resistance is the condition that comes before full-blown diabetes develops. You may hear the diagnosis of prediabetes, which refers to early stages of insulin resistance. If you’re developing insulin resistance, you can seek medical treatments and make lifestyle changes to help you avoid developing diabetes.
Myth: Being overweight means you’ll develop insulin resistance
While there is a connection between being overweight or obese and developing insulin resistance or full-blown Type 2 diabetes, it’s not a sure thing that extra weight will lead to diabetes. Nevertheless, losing weight can help reduce your risk of developing diabetes.
One of the natural functions of insulin in your body is to manage the storage of fat. Insulin resistance can cause weight gain, including unhealthy added pounds in your belly and abdomen that may lead to health complications.
Myth: Eating lots of sugar can cause insulin resistance and diabetes
When you eat food, whether it’s sugary or not, your body converts it into a sugar known as glucose, also called blood sugar. So it’s easy to understand where people get confused.
Your body needs normal levels of glucose for energy. However, if you develop insulin resistance, your body doesn’t transfer glucose from your blood to your cells, so your blood sugar levels stay high.
While sugary foods contain simple sugars that do increase your blood sugar levels more than other foods, you can still indulge in moderate treats if you have insulin resistance or diabetes.
Myth: Needing to take insulin means you aren’t healthy
If you have Type 1 diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin, so taking insulin is important. If you have Type 2 diabetes, you may need to take insulin if your natural insulin production levels decrease over time.
You may be able to completely manage your blood sugar levels with lifestyle changes like dietary planning, regular exercise, weight loss, or oral medicines. If not, you may need insulin to keep your blood sugar levels within a healthy range.
Myth: You can’t determine a person’s insulin resistance
With insulin resistance testing, Dr. Sargeant can help you learn more about your insulin and blood sugar levels. When you know about potential insulin resistance issues in your body, you can take steps to reduce your risk of diabetes, thyroid problems, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease, all of which are potential complications of insulin resistance.
To get the information you need about insulin resistance, blood sugar levels, your diabetes risk, and more, get in touch with Dr. Sargeant at Monrovia Internal Medicine & Primary Care today. Schedule your appointment through our virtual office now!
