Eight Surprising signs that you might have insulin resistance
When I first started on my health journey of trying to lose weight, balance hormones and clear my skin, I didn't know what insulin resistance was, nor did it seem to apply to me.
But when I started in my nutrition career, I learned it was one of the root causes of my health issues.
If you experience weight gain, hormone issues, skin issues, or blood sugar issues, then you will want to keep reading.
Insulin resistance is also known as metabolic syndrome, or syndrome X. Insulin resistance is basically a combination of conditions including high blood sugar and weight gain, that puts someone at risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The issues associated with insulin resistance have increased drastically in the United States - in other words, we are finding out it is more important than we thought.
For example, if you have insulin resistance, you are twice as likely to develop heart disease and five times more likely to get type 2 diabetes!
So What is Insulin Resistance?
Well, first, if you don’t know what insulin and blood sugar are, here is the ‘quick and dirty’:
You will see that I refer to the ‘sugar’ in your bloodstream quite a lot. Keep in mind that I am referring to the sugar that is a result of the breakdown of carbohydrates, called glucose. You don’t have to eat a dessert to get sugar into your bloodstream (as you might think). Even vegetables turn into blood sugar because they are made up of carbs! This blood sugar that I am speaking of is necessary to feed energy to your cells.
Your cells need energy, and carbs are their primary fuel source!
But it's important to know that refined carbs and processed sugars have a much higher concentration of carbohydrates than natural vegetables and plants, and consumption of refined carbs can spike your blood sugar and insulin higher than it should be.
So…
When you eat carbohydrates, sugar enters the bloodstream. This triggers insulin, a hormone, to be released. Insulin is responsible for pulling the sugar into the cells so it can give them energy (for organ function, brain clarity, muscle development, and more!). Insulin senses the sugar, and then triggers the cells to absorb the sugar, kind of like a doorman opening the door.
So then, what is insulin resistance?
Just like the name signifies, Insulin Resistance means that insulin no longer recognizes sugar in the blood (the doorman doesn’t open the door). This leaves the sugar in the bloodstream, and therefore a high fasting blood sugar level.
The cells think they are starving of sugar (energy), so it triggers you to keep eating (hunger, and mostly for the high-carb foods!) to try and get more energy. This leads to worsening insulin resistance, higher blood sugar, and weight gain.
Why does insulin resistance occur? A diet high in refined carbs and sugar can lead to chronically high levels of insulin and blood sugar. Eventually, the insulin becomes desensitized to the blood sugar.
Reversing insulin resistance is essential for getting to the root cause of your metabolic, heart, and hormonal health issues. So then, how do you know if you have insulin resistance?
Five (Surprising) Signs of Insulin Resistance
Weight Gain
Have you ever eaten a bagel for breakfast, and shortly after felt hungry, cranky, and craving sweets?
As we learned above, when your cells are not absorbing sugar, they think they are starving. This can lead to fatigue and hunger.
And the hunger is not usually for something healthy, like vegetables. But rather, doughnuts, potatoes, rice, bread, cereal….the refined carbohydrates that will spike your blood sugar the fastest. Anything, to get you “your sugar”, but the sugar is not getting into the cells.
This worsens the insulin and blood sugar rise. This triggers a biochemical reaction to store excess sugars as fat. Yes, this actually forces your body to store fat.
If calorie counting and various fad diets have not worked for you, it's for good reason (these are not effective or permanent solutions anyways). It's because the issue is not the calories, it's the amount and quality of carbohydrates you are consuming.
I specialize in holistic and sustainable weight loss and metabolic health. I encourage you to sign up for a discovery call to see if I can help you. And if you are curious, I do not restrict calories with my clients. I have them eat large volumes of food. :)
2. High Fasting Blood Sugar
If your fasting blood sugar (known as “glucose”) is ≥ 100 mg/dL or if you are on drug treatment for elevated blood sugar, then conventionally this is considered a sign of insulin resistance.
However, in my nutritional approach, I have seen insulin resistance in those with fasting glucose > 90 mg/dL.
Fasting means 8-10 hours of no eating or drinking anything but water. You want your fasting blood sugar to be between 80-89 mg/dL.
If you do not know your fasting blood sugar level, I highly recommend asking your doctor for a test, or schedule a call with me to get an insulin resistance evaluation.
3. Triglyceride to HDL Ratio > 2
If you ask your doctor or nutritionist to order you a lipid panel, you will get a blood test looking a the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides (TG) in your blood (basically the types of fats in your blood). This can help you and your healthcare professionals to predict heart disease as well as other health issues such as insulin resistance.
If you already have labs for this - check them out now. Look at your triglyceride result, and then your HDL (known as your “good” cholesterol). Divide your triglycerides by your HDL.
Many health professionals will consider a TG:HDL ratio 3 or higher to be indicative of insulin resistance.
However, as nutritional medicine becomes more advanced, research shows that if the result is 2 or greater, then you may have insulin resistance.
Ideally, you want it below 2.
This calculation is now one of the best predictors of insulin resistance and heart disease.
4. Skin Tags
Skin issues are not external issues. Many of us think rashes, acne, bumps, flakes, etc are a reaction to external stimuli. Rather, it's that the skin reflects what is going on inside our bodies (that we cannot see). A brilliant communication system, no?
Skin tags are little growths of skin that stick out, and are found usually on eyelids, neck, shoulders, and armpits. They are painless, but not fun from an aesthetic point of view.
We are often told that ski tags are caused by friction (skin against skin). This is not true.
Skin tags are caused by high insulin - the hormone that is responsible for pulling blood sugar into the cells.
Improve your insulin levels by going on a low-carb diet, or reaching out to me directly.
5. Dark Skin Folds
Same as the previous sign, the skin is a reflection of what is going on inside the body (most of the time). Dark skin on the neck, groin, and armpits (called acanthosis nigricans) is a sign of high amounts of unused insulin in the body. The insulin accumulates, leading to skin that is usually thick and velvety in the body’s folds and creases. These areas can be itchy or have an odor. They also can develop skin tags (see “Skin Tags” above).
6. Low Testosterone in Men or High Testosterone in Women
Testosterone is a hormone found both in men and women, that is necessary for muscle development, sex drive, bone mass, red blood cells, and more. Healthy men will have higher amounts of testosterone, while healthy women will naturally have lower amounts of testosterone.
However, in men with insulin resistance, low testosterone is also present. In women with insulin resistance, high testosterone is shown. You can get a blood test for testosterone from your doctor or other health professional. While blood tests for hormones are not the most accurate, it's a great starting place. I can help you evaluate your hormone levels to see if insulin resitsnace is the driving factor behind them.
7. Puffiness and Swollen Ankles
Insulin, that hormone that is released every time sugar (enters the bloodstream) tells your kidneys to hang on to salt, and therefore water. Water retention leads to puffiness in hands, feet, arms, legs, and especially in the ankles. You might feel generally “swollen”. You can experience fluid retention anywhere on your body for many different reasons, however, gravity can pull much of this to your lower extremities such as the ankles Ankle swelling is a tell-tale sign of insulin resistance.
Addressing insulin resistance with a low-carb diet will help you reduce puffiness and water retention. It will also help you to balance the electrolytes in your body which might be off-kilter due to the high insulin.
8. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) in Women
If you have ever gone to the doctor for “irregular, or painful periods” then you probably have had the response “Take birth control”. I wish I could shout from the rooftops for every woman on earth - this is not the answer. You need to know the reason that you have irregular periods in the first place, and then you can address it without going on a synthetic hormone that will have other side effects.
PCOS is when your ovaries have little cysts on them. You will have imbalanced hormones, and your menstrual cycle can be irregular, absent, or very painful. You may even struggle with fertility issues and pregnancy. You may or may not know whether you have PCOS. It is underdiagnosed and often misdiagnosed.
The signs and symptoms of PCOS include:
Irregular periods, or skipping periods altogether
Long, painful periods
Acne
Weight gain
Scalp hair loss
Facial hair
High testosterone
The primary cause of PCOS is insulin resistance. Taking hormonal birth control is the conventional approach, however, it doesn’t address the root cause (or really help at all).
A low-carb, nourishing diet, along with several supplements can help to reverse insulin resistance, and yes, therefore repair your PCOS.
Do you have PCOS?
Reach out for a 15-min call and we can talk about how I can help you. Warning: this area of health (PCOS and insulin resistance in women) is a big passion of mine :)
The Bottom Line
Insulin resistance has many signs and symptoms that cannot be ignored. These include skin issues like dark folds of skin, skin tags, hair loss, and acne. Some of these signs you can only see if you have had blood testing done through your doctor or other health professional. You can always ask your doctor for additional blood testing during your visit. You can ask for a fasting insulin, glucose, and lipid panel (you will want to fast for 8-10 hours before getting your blood drawn). This should give you a very good idea of your insulin and blood sugar health. These tests are generally covered by insurance (therefore no additional cost to you!)
If you are concerned about insulin resistance being the cause behind your weight gain or other health issues, please reach out to me for a FREE 15-min consultation to see if I can help you!
