Last Updated on June 5, 2025 by Dr. Mansi Srivastava
Insulin resistance is noticed in type 2 diabetic patients. The patient’s cells are not reactive to insulin, and that’s how sugar levels rise in the body.
You would not find this problem with anyone who has type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system does not let the beta cells produce insulin.
What is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin resistance relates to the condition in which the body’s cells, tissues, fats, and liver ignore the insulin. Such a condition leads to an abnormal rise in sugar levels in the bloodstream.
Sugar is essential for our body’s development. It is required for energy production. But if the sugar in the body is not utilised properly, then one can suffer from different health issues, which may risk life.
Insulin resistance is about flawed insulin sensitivity that any type 2 diabetic patient usually has. In exceptional cases of type 1 diabetic patients, such abnormal conditions for insulin are noted, for example:
- The person is suffering from obesity due to type 1 diabetes.
- Metabolic changes in any teenager who may have type 1 diabetes.
- The person is affected by any infection or disease during the period of type 1 diabetes.
- Many pregnant women may undergo the problem of this insulin disorder if diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
You must be physically active, consume as little sugar as possible, and maintain adequate hydration to make your body’s cells and liver more insulin-sensitive.
Stages of Insulin Resistance
It is about the growth of insulin resistance in the diabetic person through various stages and how it might have an impact on the rise in glucose levels and damage to your health:
Stage 1:
Insulin is at a normal level, during which insulin sensitivity is quite regular. When the beta cells of the pancreas stimulate the production of insulin at the standard level, for regulate blood sugar metabolism. It would be easier for the insulin hormone to trigger the cells to convert into energy.
Stage 2:
In stage 2, the pancreas comes into action by making more insulin to balance the elevated sugar levels.
Stage 3:
In stage 3, the sugar level starts going out of control, and there is not enough insulin to manage the increasing glucose levels. It is a sign of impaired glucose tolerance by indicating a sign of progression towards type 2 diabetes.
Stage 4:
Still, in stage 4, the pancreas produces insulin to keep the rising sugar under control, but fails to do so. A rise in insulin resistance worsens blood sugar metabolism. The blood sugar increases and goes into a state of compensatory hyperglycemia.
Stage 5:
In stage 5, one sees himself or herself in type 2 diabetic conditions. The diabetic individual’s pancreas will fail to meet the required insulin production for elevated glucose levels.
Stage 6:
In stage 6, Insulin function is hampered by toxic fat buildup in the abdomen, elevated blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol. As a result, there is a chance that one will develop several illnesses and possibly pass away.
However, by identifying the condition as soon as possible and using specific immediate intervention techniques, insulin resistance can be kept under control.
Consulting with your healthcare provider regularly will assist you in identifying and putting into practice the best lifestyle choices for managing your diabetes.
To monitor the progress of insulin, you must also regularly get blood tests and maintain your blood sugar levels.
Cause of Insulin Resistance
Medical science has not come up with the exact reason behind the cells, tissues, and liver showing poor insulin response. It is assumed to be one basic reason or a combination of different factors triggering insulin resistance. These causes of insulin resistance may be:
- An abnormality in genetics,
- An irregular lifestyle, or
- Adverse environmental effects.
Let’s understand how the following factors do not let the insulin maintain sugar at optimum or control any other metabolic activity:
1. Genetic Disorder
Many insulin resistance are inherited from biological family members. The patient’s family members may have cells weak in responding to insulin.
2. Overweight
Sitting for long hours can make someone obese and his or her metabolic activities become abnormal. Food does not get digested due to a sedentary lifestyle and thus disrupts many other metabolic activities that may be related to sugar metabolism and cardiovascular health, etc.
Keeping yourself active is essential to burn the unnecessary fats that are disrupting the process of diabetes management. This lifestyle factor is among the most common insulin resistance causes observed in modern-day living.
3. Poor Dietary
Many of us are drawn to the quick and processed food that is sold at eateries and on street corners. Although burgers, pizza, and chow mein may taste good and satisfy our hunger, they do not improve our health.
Instead, eating such foods will raise your risk of developing toxic fats, which can cause fatty liver disease or diabetes. A poor diet ranks high among insulin resistance worldwide.
4. Aging
In individuals in their late 40s, 50s, and beyond, there is an increase in insulin insensitivity or any indication of prediabetes and diabetic conditions. Their defence mechanism deteriorates.
Many would suffer from dependency on addictive items like alcohol, nicotine, and sweet products will weaken the cells’ ability to respond to insulin. These age-related changes are significant insulin resistance.
5. Use of Certain Medications
There have been reported cases of insulin insensitivity after oral intake of medications related to blood pressure and depression. These medications are now considered among the potential insulin resistance.
6. Exposure to Chemicals in the Environment
Rising pollutants in the environment are not only damaging the hair and skin of the body but also negatively impacting the blood lipid levels. Blood vessels undergo damage due to rising pollution and which leads to increasing insulin resistance.
Symptoms of Insulin Resistance
Symptoms related to this particular problem will help the doctor in the process of treatment and prescribing medications.
Indications or signs related to this insulin production malfunction, often referred to as symptoms of insulin resistance, are quite similar to those of diabetic conditions, like:
- Rise in thirst
- Recurring urination
- Rise in hunger
- Vision problem through the eyes
- Delay in wound healing
- Infections on the skin and the genital area
- Headache
There may be some more insulin resistance symptoms that are yet to be uncovered by healthcare professionals or diabetologists.
Treatment for Insulin Resistance
The method of treatment for insulin resistance identifies the procedures used in the case of diabetes management. Insulin resistance treatment is explained in step-by-step patterns like:
1. Healthy diet
A healthy diet might involve verifying the carbohydrate intake and including fiber-rich foods. One must not eat too many spices in their regular food habits.
It is better to have green leafy vegetables, lentils, oats, whole grains, and lean meat. Avoid eating red meat as much as possible, along with alcohol and any form of substance abuse.
Try to have a minimum-carbohydrate diet. Eating brown rice and wholegrain basmati rice would be beneficial for insulin-resistant and diabetic patients as these grains have a low glycemic index.
Excluding potatoes from the diet would be a better option to battle the insulin resistance disorder.
2. Managing the Weight Easily
Exercise is an important lifestyle choice you can make to make your body more sensitive to insulin. Moderate exercise of 30-40 minutes, 6 days a week, can help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
Several studies have also shown that regular exercise can significantly bring down cardiovascular risk associated with diabetes and also assist with healthy weight management.
You will be able to move more freely and lighter, and be active all day. Maintaining a yoga or exercise regimen under the supervision of a trainer will help your body get into good shape.
Simply continue exercising for another fifteen minutes or so daily, then assess how much weight you have lost.
3. Drinking Plenty of Water
Drinking 10 to 12 glasses of water during the phase of insulin resistance will dilute the increasing sugar levels in the bloodstream and stimulate insulin activity.
4. Having Adequate Sleep and Rest
It has been observed that the stress or rise in cortisol levels has been the major cause behind impaired insulin sensitivity and elevated blood sugar levels.
At least 7 to 8 hours of healthy sleep will keep away the stress, calm down the brain nerves and related tissues and aid in normalising the circulatory health and thus blood sugar metabolism.
5. Taking Medicines on Time if Prescribed
In the cases of diabetes type 2 and high insulin resistance, patients are prescribed metformin and sometimes insulin injections.
Many diabetics have found effective sugar management results by combining prescribed medicines with ayurvedic supplements like Dr Madhu Amrit.
The blend of herbs in this ayurvedic supplement, like gurmar, neem, amla, karela, chirata and aloe vera has shown improvement within 15 days.
There are no side effects noticed, which are usually found with oral intake of any allopathic medicine.
Preventing Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance and prediabetes may lead to chronic type 2 diabetes conditions and make you suffer lifelong. You may be burdened with different medicines and their related side effects, and other dietary restrictions. According to the popular phrase, “prevention is better than cure”, we must look forward to different positive ways to keep away from insulin resistance and its related negative health consequences.
Key strategies for safeguarding from insulin resistance are:
- Controlling carbohydrate intake and instead relying on fiber-rich diets, which are found with low glycemic index values.
- Staying away from alcohol or any form of addictive substances, including fast food items.
- Practising yoga and aerobic exercises.
- Keeping oneself in good humour to drive away stress.
- Maintaining information regarding your family history of in-laws.
Adopting such strategies will improve your insulin sensitivity and boost your immune system.
Conclusion
Insulin resistance, a condition where the body’s cells, tissues, fats, and liver ignore insulin, causes abnormal blood sugar levels. Causes include genetic disorders, lifestyle changes, and environmental factors.
Treatment involves a healthy sugar-free and fiber diet and exercise. Impaired insulin sensitivity will ruin your body’s metabolism and give rise to different fatal illnesses. Henceforth, consulting a doctor will surely assist you in taking preventive steps against insulin resistance.
