Insulin is a hormone that pushes glucose into our cells for metabolism; insulin resistance is when organs are resistant to insulin and don't respond. Watch endocrinologist Reza Yavari, MD, explain insulin resistance and its impact on blood sugar.
Insulin is the hormone the body makes to push sugar glucose into the cells for the cells metabolism, that's called glucose uptake. Now in certain conditions including diabetes earlier on and metabolic syndrome, the body produces insulin, however organs are resistant to it and therefore do not respond.
In that case, blood sugar goes up as well as insulin and that is defined as insulin resistance. Insulin resistance, paradoxically, can actually cause low blood sugars, in case someone does't eat or someone eats fast absorbing sugar, such as fruit juice or candy. Their insulin levels are so high that they actually eventually work and their the blood sugar drops.
So people with instant resistance are often complaining of low blood sugar as well.
Reza Yavari, MD, is an endocrinologist board Certified in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. He is the author of It Must Be My Metabolism. He teaches at the Yale School of Medicine.
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