{"id":8373,"date":"2023-03-06T16:28:27","date_gmt":"2023-03-06T10:58:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/?p=8373"},"modified":"2023-10-16T12:46:46","modified_gmt":"2023-10-16T07:16:46","slug":"understanding-insulin-resistance-in-womens-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/understanding-insulin-resistance-in-womens-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Insulin Resistance in Women’s Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is Insulin Resistance?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Diabetes mellitus, or type 2 diabetes<\/a>, is a chronic metabolic condition in which the body does not use insulin efficiently. The first stage of type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance. <\/span><\/p>\n

Insulin resistance is when muscle, fat, and liver cells become resistant to insulin and find it difficult to bring glucose into the cell. But the pancreas compensates for this by producing more insulin, which helps keep blood sugar levels within normal range.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before understanding <\/span>insulin resistance<\/a> symptoms in females<\/b>, we must know what insulin is!<\/span><\/p>\n

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. The food that you eat is absorbed and broken down into sugars, which enter the bloodstream. <\/span><\/p>\n

This signals the pancreas to release insulin. The <\/span>primary goal of insulin is to act as a key that helps glucose enter the cells. <\/span><\/a>When there is excess sugar in the blood, insulin signals the liver to convert it into fat and store it.<\/span><\/p>\n

While this usually happens, the process can go haywire when excess sugar is in the blood. When the blood sugar levels are high, the pancreas produces lots of insulin to help transport this sugar to the body cells. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, if the blood sugar levels remain high for a long time, the <\/span>body cells stop responding to insulin<\/span><\/a>. At this point, the cells have become resistant to insulin, or the body has developed insulin resistance.<\/span><\/p>\n

But no need to press the alarm bells!<\/span><\/p>\n

The good news is that <\/span>Insulin resistance in females and males<\/b> is reversible if identified and treated at this stage. There are <\/span>several signs of <\/span>insulin resistance in females<\/b>,<\/span><\/a> such as obesity, infertility and PCOS.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Reverse

In India, the social, cultural, behavioural and financial burdens are very high for women. Even if they don\u2019t face these burdens, many Indian women prioritise their family\u2019s health over theirs and neglect their own. This prevents them from getting timely attention and care to treat insulin resistance.<\/span><\/p>\n

How is Insulin Resistance Expressed in Women Before Getting Diabetes?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Despite the casual take of women towards their health in countries like India, their bodies give certain indications of insulin resistance before they actually develop diabetes. Some of these include:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

1) PCOS<\/b><\/h3>\n

PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome is <\/span>one of the most common endocrine and metabolic disorders in women of reproductive age<\/span><\/a>. Insulin resistance <\/span>may<\/span><\/i> be one of the many reasons for its development.<\/span><\/p>\n

Women with PCOS are often insulin resistant<\/span><\/a> and have a higher amount of male hormones, which disturb their menstrual cycle causing irregular periods.<\/span><\/p>\n

2) Acne<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

If you are wondering- \u201c<\/span>Is insulin resistance always PCOS<\/span><\/i>?\u201d it is not so! Another sign of possible insulin resistance in women is acne.<\/span><\/p>\n

Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. While there are several reasons why acne may develop, a <\/span>rise in male hormones, insulin and insulin growth factor may have a role to play in acne development<\/span><\/a>, making insulin resistance one of the many causes of its development.<\/span><\/p>\n

3) Hirsutism<\/b><\/h3>\n

Hirsutism (a condition in women where they get <\/span>excessive facial hair growth)<\/span><\/a>. Women with increased insulin levels <\/span>may<\/span><\/i> have PCOS and hirsutism, suggesting <\/span>both conditions may be associated with insulin resistance<\/span><\/a>. So, if you are developing excessive facial hair, consult your doctor to get it evaluated.<\/span><\/p>\n

4) Infertility<\/b><\/h3>\n

Infertility in women is a complex condition, and there can be several causes for it. Insulin resistance <\/span>might<\/span><\/i> be one of the many causes of this condition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Does Diabetes Affect Women Differently?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Diabetes is more common in men than women. Infact, <\/span>men are more likely to develop diabetes at a lower weight than women<\/span><\/a> if they develop more weight around their abdomen. However, here\u2019s an interesting fact:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span><\/i>diversities in culture<\/span><\/i><\/a>, environment, lifestyle, social and economic factors affect the differences seen between men and women in the likelihood of developing diabetes, its development and clinical features.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

It is also interesting to note that male and female <\/span>sex hormones affect metabolism<\/span><\/a> and other bodily functions and influence the risk of developing heart conditions. Additionally, women have more stressors in life than men. At the same time, post-menopausal <\/span>women are at a greater risk for heart disease, stroke and heart attacks than men<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Factors like educational level, occupation, income, lifestyle behaviour, social disparity, obesity, lack of sleep, lifestyle, and hormonal imbalances increase the risk of insulin resistance type 2 diabetes in women.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Diabetes Reversal
Calculator<\/h4>\n

To know your chances of  Diabetes reversal, take the Diabetes Reversal Test<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n Check<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

What are the Risks for Women with Insulin Resistance?<\/b><\/h2>\n

When insulin resistance is not addressed in time, it can lead to several complications, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n