If you’re gaining weight or struggling with cravings, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve chosen the wrong diet. Sometimes it might be a sign that your body is not responding well to insulin.
Let’s start by clarifying that insulin resistance is not the same as diabetes. By taking the right steps, you can attempt to slow down or reverse this condition.
Read on to learn more about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of insulin resistance.
What Is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body’s cells become less responsive to insulin produced by the pancreas. Insulin helps the body use glucose for energy (blood sugar), but when cells become less responsive, too much blood sugar builds up and can easily lead to hyperglycemia.
In these cases, the body attempts to compensate by producing enough insulin to normalize blood sugar levels. However, when cells become too resistant to insulin, it results in increased blood glucose levels.
This increases the chances of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Who Does Insulin Resistance Affect the Most?
Insulin resistance affects not only those with prediabetes or diabetes. Others are at risk too, including:
- Patients with a family history of insulin resistance
- Women with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)
- People using steroid medications
- People with excess weight
- People lacking enough physical activity
What Causes Insulin Resistance?
The physiological process of developing insulin resistance is pretty simple. However, other factors can contribute to the development of insulin resistance. Here are the most common acquired causes of insulin resistance:
- Excess body fat, especially around the belly (visceral fat)
- Lack of physical activity
- Unbalanced meals (consuming too much processed foods, high in carbs and saturated fats)
- Medications (steroids and blood pressure medications)
- Gestational diabetes
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
- Smoking
Hormonal Disorders That Can Cause Insulin Resistance
Here are some of the most common hormonal disorders that can cause insulin resistance:
- Cushing’s syndrome – It is a condition caused by excessive cortisol levels (the stress hormone). It leads to insulin resistance because cortisol raises blood sugar levels and blocks the action of insulin. When cortisol levels in the body remain elevated for an extended period, the body becomes less sensitive to insulin.
- Hypothyroidism – The thyroid gland isn’t producing enough thyroid hormones, which affects the energy usage. It slows down the metabolism, which affects how the body uses insulin. People with hypothyroidism often struggle with excess weight, which increases the risk of insulin resistance.
- Acromegaly is a rare condition characterized by excessive growth hormone (GH) production, which interferes with insulin’s ability to function properly and elevates blood sugar levels.
- PCOS – It is one of the most common hormonal imbalances in women and one of the most common causes of insulin resistance in women. It additionally leads to weight gain and other hormonal imbalances.
Insulin Resistance Symptoms
When this condition is present, the body tries to compensate as much as possible; however, if the condition worsens, the pancreas will be unable to produce enough insulin.
Here are the most common symptoms and signs of overly high blood sugar levels:
- Weight loss
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Fatigue
- Increased hunger
- Blurred vision
- Blood pressure over 130/80
- Triglyceride levels over 150mg/dL
- HDL cholesterol under 40mg/dL in men and 50mg/dL in women
- Waistline over 39 inches in men and 36 inches in women
People who have already been diagnosed with prediabetes may also have:
- Darker skin
- Skin tags
- Retinopathy
Differences Between Men and Women
Many diseases are more prevalent in one sex and may also exhibit different symptoms between the two. So, do insulin resistance symptoms in males differ from insulin resistance symptoms in females?
In men, symptoms of insulin resistance may be less obvious than in women. According to Diabetologia, even when women and men have a similar BMI and activity levels, males are more prone to obesity, insulin resistance, and hyperglycemia.
More men than women are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but women more often have an impaired glucose tolerance. Men are also diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at a younger age.
Again, Diabetologia showed that the biggest risk for women is developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy, which is a huge risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Another significant risk for women is increased psychosocial stress, which can contribute to the development of diabetes.
Insulin Resistance Diagnosis
You might catch some of the symptoms and signs, but the definite diagnosis is made by a healthcare professional using:
- Medical history review
- Physical exam
- Fasting plasma glucose test
- Oral glucose tolerance test
- Hemoglobin A1c test
- Lipid panel
If additional tests are needed, your doctor will inform you.
Insulin Resistance Treatment
Most doctors agree that improving lifestyle habits is a key step in managing any disease. If you want to support your body without relying on medications, consider the following lifestyle changes to help manage insulin resistance:
- Incorporate a balanced diet – We consume sugar daily from various types of foods, not just sweets and sweetened drinks. That is why if you have a risk of insulin resistance, you should limit the amount of carbs you take. Try to include more lean proteins, such as fish and poultry, and incorporate as many vegetables and fruits as possible.
- Physical activity – Engaging in regular exercise can help increase glucose energy usage and improve muscle insulin sensitivity.
- Maintaining a normal weight – Losing weight can be achieved through the previous steps, which can also improve insulin resistance.
By following these recommendations, you can reduce insulin resistance, decrease blood pressure, decrease blood glucose levels, and normalize cholesterol levels.
Medications for Treating Insulin Resistance
If these tips do not help, then your doctor might recommend medications, especially if you are at a high risk of diabetes, prediabetes, or you have any concurrent hormonal imbalance.
Here are the most commonly prescribed medications for insulin resistance:
- Metformin
- Thiazolidinediones
- GLP-1
- SGLT2 Inhibitors
- Statins to normalize LDL cholesterol
- Blood pressure medications
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Any disease that may arise can incur a significant financial cost. Therefore, even in more serious cases, it’s important to find cost-effective treatment options.
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What Is The Insulin Resistance Treatment for PCOS?
The best way to help yourself when dealing with both insulin resistance and PCOS is to implement healthy habits. If this does not help, then your doctor might recommend drug treatment.
Insulin resistance can sometimes cause a range of symptoms and complications, so a combination of healthy habits and drugs is needed.
Researchers from the University Hospital of Essen Medical School in 2007 examined whether the metformin treatment for 6 months was effective for 188 women with PCOS. It was found that metformin improved all parameters except those of fasting glucose levels. It also improved the fasting insulin levels, testosterone levels, anovulation rate, and acne.
GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as liraglutide, also yield significant results, including improved insulin sensitivity, reduced BMI, and decreased abdominal girth. The Genesis Healthcare Centre in Dubai compared liraglutide and metformin, revealing that liraglutide leads to a weight loss of 3-5.7 kg, while metformin results in approximately 2.3 kg of weight loss over a 12-32 week period.
Top Natural Ways to Improve Your Insulin Sensitivity
Here are the best natural ways for insulin resistance treatments:
- Get more sleep
- Exercise more
- Reduce stress
- Lose weight
- Eat balanced meals
To improve your nutrition, you should eat more soluble fiber, fruits, and vegetables. Additionally, reduce your carb intake, drink more green tea, and add apple cider vinegar.
If you want to implement a supplement as well, ask your doctor for a recommendation and see what the best supplement is for you.
What Is the Prognosis for Insulin Resistance?
If you are diagnosed with insulin resistance, it is not the end of the world. You need to find and determine the cause of insulin resistance and treat it accordingly. The treatment process and efficacy depend on the severity of the cause.
To Sum Up
Even if you are diagnosed with insulin resistance, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will develop prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. To avoid these conditions, you must make the right choices in your life.
Take proactive steps to manage your health and start with natural treatments for insulin resistance. This includes making dietary changes, engaging in regular physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight. If this approach is not effective for you or doesn’t work at all, consult your doctor or a licensed pharmacist to determine the best treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
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Original Publish Date: 4/20/2021 – Updated 6/12/2025
