Comment from: 3-6 Female (Caregiver)Published: September 17
What isn't clear here is what is actually happening to the insulin receptors during insulin resistance. The receptors are getting damaged and that is why the muscles do not hear the knock as well. I have found with my Type 1 diabetic son that wheat/gluten/dairy cause damage to the insulin receptors. When these foods are omitted his need for insulin diminishes. Periodically, he would need an entire unit of Humalog to cover his meal instead of .5 as normal. Having had omitted wheat/gluten/dairy I was perplexed until I found out that there was an unlabeled ingredient in his vanilla and chocolate flavored Splenda soy milk. Once I stopped that food item his insulin became more sensitive again. Quite often he doesn't need any Humalog to cover dinner if he's active. I thought I would share this with you in hopes that more research would be done to determine what foods damage those receptors. It may be more complex than that, meaning, not all foods affect each of us the same. Nonetheless, this avenue should be researched.
I am 67 years old and very active. I am a master herbalist and nutritionist, so I always thought I was eating healthy. I eat lean meats, low-fat dairy and no trans fats. I also counted fiber and made sure I ate a minimum of 30 grams of fiber a day so I was eating whole grains and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. I walk several miles three to four times a week, garden, swim, kayak and play tennis. But the weight just would not come off. Then I began having problems with my knees and knew it was from weight. My annual physicals and blood work for cholesterol, triglicerides, sugar levels, etc. have always been normal as well as my blood pressure. At my last physical in April, I told my family physician who specializes in endocrinology that in spite of my lifestyle and diet, I was slowly gaining additional weight. She concluded that I am insulin resistant because of the quantity of natural carbs in the whole grains and fruits and vegetables I was eating. I also have many skin tags, both flat and with stems. She prescribed 500 mg of metformin, two times a day and a food regimen that consists of only 20 carbs a day. Also, she put me on an anti-spastic bladder medication and 5 mg. of aphrazolom to help me sleep at least eight hours without interruption. Since April, I have lost 20 lbs, my appetite has decreased, my cravings for carbs has totally diminished, and I have more energy than I have had in a long time. Even the pain in my knees is gone. Last week, the lab work showed kidney and liver functions to be normal and sugar levels are normal. It has been quite an experience for me to change my diet and to count carbs instead of fiber and fats. Now my younger daughter has been diagnosed with insulin resistance by the same doctor and my two granddaughters have weight problems and skin tags. Both of my grandmothers were overweight and both ate a lot of carbs. If the gene for insulin resistance is hereditary, it must be in my family.
Comment from: krmg2705, 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: June 01
I am a 53 year old woman with hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure, depression, obesity, restless leg syndrome, iron deficiency, not in menopause, and arthritic. In the last year and a half I have gained 40 lbs. no matter how I ate or exercised. Every time I went to my family doctor I would ask her why this was happening and she never gave me an answer other then find a weight loss program that worked for me. One week ago I went to my gynecologist to discuss why I had not had a period in 1 1/2 years and explained how I gained so much weight. In 5 minutes of talking to him he suggested insulin resistance and ordered all the necessary tests as well as checking me for menopause and hyperthyroidism. Today I received the news that not only am I insulin resistance but my thyroid medication needed to be changed and unfortunately I am not going through menopause.
Comment from: Desperate Mom, 25-34 Female (Caregiver)Published: November 17
My daughter is 28 years old. She has always been small in weight. At the age of 16, the doctors said she had Gilbert's disease, which sounds worse than it really is. It can get scary when her eyes turn yellow though! Now we are told she is insulin resistant. The medicine they put her on makes her really sick, and she can't keep losing weight. She weighs 85 pounds now. Everyone I hear about with IR struggles with obesity, so we are totally confused.
Comment from: shousley, 55-64 Female (Patient)Published: November 17
With my experience with insulin resistance (IR), I was tested a few years ago by my primary doctor who also studies bariatrics. I did not get on any medication. I am 55 years old now, and I can't lose weight. I need to lose 30 pounds. Currently, I weigh 185. I am 5 feet, seven inches tall. I always crave carbs and sweets: candy, cookies, crackers, baked potatoes, and fries. About eight years ago, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Before that, I worked out six days a week I still try to do something, but I'm just so tired. I also notice grumpiness when I get hungry. That has been going on since I was 30, and I was not overweight then.
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What isn't clear here is what is actually happening to the insulin receptors during insulin resistance. The receptors are getting damaged and that is why the muscles do not hear the knock as well. I have found with my Type 1 diabetic son that wheat/gluten/dairy cause damage to the insulin receptors. When these foods are omitted his need for insulin diminishes. Periodically, he would need an entire unit of Humalog to cover his meal instead of .5 as normal. Having had omitted wheat/gluten/dairy I was perplexed until I found out that there was an unlabeled ingredient in his vanilla and chocolate flavored Splenda soy milk. Once I stopped that food item his insulin became more sensitive again. Quite often he doesn't need any Humalog to cover dinner if he's active. I thought I would share this with you in hopes that more research would be done to determine what foods damage those receptors. It may be more complex than that, meaning, not all foods affect each of us the same. Nonetheless, this avenue should be researched.
Related Reading: soy