Insulin sensitivity refers to the body’s ability to process glucose with normal or low levels of insulin. Insulin resistance requires a lot of insulin to process glucose, leading to health problems. Diagnostic tests can determine insulin sensitivity, and changes to diet and exercise can improve it. Insulin sensitivity is important for people with diabetes who need to manage their condition with insulin. Changes in insulin need may indicate complications and require diagnostic tests.
Insulin sensitivity is a term used to describe people who require relatively normal or low levels of insulin to process glucose. People with insulin resistance, on the other hand, need a lot of insulin to process glucose, and this leads to health problems. Several diagnostic tests can be used to determine a person’s sensitivity to insulin, and these tests may be ordered if a doctor suspects a patient is having difficulties with glucose metabolism.
The pancreas is responsible for the secretion of insulin. Insulin causes the body’s tissues to absorb glucose from the blood, lowering blood sugar levels so they remain relatively stable. These tissues can store glucose in the form of glycogen. In someone with insulin sensitivity, insulin works as it should; when insulin-sensitive tissues such as the liver and muscles are exposed to the hormone, they respond by absorbing glucose.
In a person with insulin resistance, large amounts of insulin are needed to get the same effect. An easy way to determine sensitivity or lack thereof is to take a blood test to measure blood insulin levels. If they are unusually high, it indicates that the pancreas is producing too much insulin because the body is having difficulty using the hormone. Over time, this can lead to damage to the pancreas and is a cause for concern.
There are ways to regulate how the body reacts to insulin in some cases. Changes to diet and exercise can sometimes encourage the body to use it more efficiently, reducing the demand for the hormone and allowing the pancreas to return to more normal production levels. These measures are often used as a first line of treatment when a patient appears to be developing insulin resistance, to see if the growing problem can be controlled before resorting to more aggressive measures.
For people with diabetes who need to take insulin to manage their condition, insulin sensitivity is very important. A healthcare professional can estimate how much insulin the patient should need and, if the patient exceeds this amount, suggest that he or she has insulin resistance. Changes in insulin need may be an indicator that the patient is experiencing complications, and the person should discuss the situation with a doctor. Diagnostic tests may be recommended to determine why the patient’s insulin demand has changed, so that the healthcare provider and the patient can develop a new approach to diabetes management.
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