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    Insulin Sensitivity And Its Effect On Hormones

    By Irshad Anwar
    11 Mar'23  6 min read
    Insulin Sensitivity And Its Effect On Hormones
    Synopsis

    This topic belongs to Class 11, Chapter 22 – Chemical Coordination and Integration. Understanding insulin and its functions, insulin resistance, and insulin sensitivity can help in practical life as well.  So, read on to know more!  

    Insulin Sensitivity And Its Effect On Hormones
    Synopsis

    This topic belongs to Class 11, Chapter 22 – Chemical Coordination and Integration. Understanding insulin and its functions, insulin resistance, and insulin sensitivity can help in practical life as well.  So, read on to know more!  

    Hormones play a very important role in the human body. It is the hormones that take charge of every bodily function. From feeling hungry to feeling a full stomach, from feeling sad to feeling happy, every function of the body, even sleep, is also controlled by the hormones in the body.

    Hormones are nothing but chemicals that are released by the glands in our body’s endocrine system that are responsible for controlling nearly all the life processes in the body. These chemicals are responsible for the control and coordination of the body. In other words, hormones help our body in maintaining bodily functions like metabolism, sexual function, growth and development, reproduction, etc.

    Below we are going to discuss one such important hormone, i.e., insulin.

    What Is Insulin?

    Insulin is the hormone that is created by the pancreas in the body. Insulin in our body is responsible for controlling the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. The functions of insulin also include helping to regulate the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Insulin also helps in the storage of glucose in the liver, muscles, and fat.

    But as we know that everything should happen in an adequate amount because too little or too much can prove dangerous. Similarly, the secretion of the hormone insulin in the body should take place in an adequate amount. So, what will happen if the hormone insulin is not secreted in the required amount?

    Well, as we know that insulin helps in the storage of glucose, when there is improper functioning of insulin, our body will not be able to store glucose in the liver or muscles. Also, the improper functioning of insulin stops the body from making fat. Rather, the fat of the body breaks down into keto acids. These keto acids are then released into other things. And, if the amount of these acids gets too high in the body, it can lead to potentially fatal conditions.

    What Is Insulin Sensitivity?

    Now that we have understood how important insulin is for our body, let’s understand one more interesting thing, i.e., insulin sensitivity and how it affects us.

    Insulin sensitivity is the sensitivity of the body toward insulin. In simple words, insulin sensitivity shows how responsive our cells are toward insulin. Or insulin sensitivity is specifically the relationship between the quantity of insulin that should be produced to deposit a particular amount of glucose in the bloodstream.

    Insulin sensitivity is a crucial factor in maintaining overall health and well-being. The body can respond to insulin, which is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels to prevent the effect of high sugar in the blood. Insulin sensitivity also plays an important role in the regulation of many physiological processes, including the production of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone – hormones that affect fertility and sexuality.

    Also, Read | Do Hormones Make You Look Fat?

    How Does Insulin Affect Fertility And Sexuality?

    Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are responsible for the development and maintenance of sexual attributes in both males and females. In females, estrogen and progesterone are the primary sex hormones. In males, the primary sex hormone is testosterone. These hormones are not only responsible for sexual development but also play a role in regulating many other physiological processes, such as bone health, mood, and cardiovascular health.

    Insulin Sensitivity And Sex Hormones

    What is that one thing that gets in the way of

    • producing fertility hormones like testosterone and estrogen
    • producing energy
    • regulating hormones like thyroid hormone
    • producing natural cortisone and cortisol
    • managing inflammation
    • making repair hormones like human growth hormones
    • producing vitamin D – the hormone that you make that supercharges your immune system

    The first thing they all have in common is the need for an enzyme process to transform cholesterol into all of those molecules and hormones for your body. You heard that right cholesterol which is supposed to kill you is actually necessary. Insulin resistance prevents your cholesterol from being transformed into all of those important molecules.

    Insulin resistance occurs when the body becomes less responsive to insulin, and as a result, blood sugar levels rise. This can lead to a variety of health issues, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome.

    Insulin resistance, which is the opposite of insulin sensitivity, can lead to imbalances in fertility hormone production. Studies have shown that insulin resistance can lead to a decrease in sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), which is a protein that binds to sex hormones and regulates their availability in the body. This can lead to an increase in free testosterone levels in both men and women, which can cause a variety of health issues such as acne, hair loss, and mood swings.

    On the other hand, improving insulin sensitivity can help promote healthy hormone balance. Studies have shown that improving insulin sensitivity can lead to an increase in SHBG levels, which can help regulate sex hormone availability and promote a healthy balance of sex hormones. So we have to come up with a strategy to restore insulin sensitivity.

    Ways To Improve Insulin Sensitivity

    There are several ways to improve insulin sensitivity and promote healthy hormone balance such as exercise, diet, weight management, sleep, stress management, and so on. Let's understand these ways, one by one.

    Exercise: Resistance exercise, long duration and low-intensity exercise can help improve insulin sensitivity and promote healthy hormone balance. Exercise helps to increase insulin sensitivity by promoting the uptake of glucose into muscle cells.

    Diet: A healthy diet that includes high protein, high fat, and low carbohydrate can help improve insulin sensitivity. Foods high in fibre, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can help improve insulin sensitivity.

    Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy weight can help improve insulin sensitivity and promote healthy hormone balance. Studies have shown that even modest weight loss can improve insulin sensitivity.

    Sleep: Adequate sleep is crucial for insulin sensitivity and healthy hormone balance. Studies have shown that poor sleep can lead to insulin resistance, which can cause imbalances in sex hormone production.

    Stress Management: Chronic stress can lead to insulin resistance and imbalances in sex hormone production. Practising stress-reducing activities such as yoga, meditation, or mindfulness can help improve insulin sensitivity and promote healthy hormone balance.

    All of the above-mentioned ways together can raise testosterone if you are a man, can normalise your monthly cycle if you are a woman, can reduce inflammation, and improve and speed up tissue healing.

    Our learning from this is, insulin sensitivity plays a crucial role in the production of sex hormones. Insulin resistance can lead to imbalances in sex hormone production while improving insulin sensitivity can promote healthy hormone balance. By incorporating regular exercise, a healthy diet, weight management, adequate sleep, and stress management into your lifestyle, you can improve insulin sensitivity and promote healthy hormone balance.

    Also, Read | Learn About Dopamine And Addiction

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