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Re: Paper on Insulin Resistance THANKS AGAIN!!!!
From: anonymous (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 13 Feb 2001 08:07:47 -0600 (CST)
THANKS PAULA...YOU SURE SEEM TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT THIS STUFF. IT'S GREAT
THAT YOU DO TO GIVE HELP TO SO MANY. :)
>Each time this is posted I have to say thank you to Paula for taking the
>time and sending this information out. I have been on here for a while,
>but when I first found out what I had this was VERY VERY informative and
>gave me a lot of comfort and knowledge. Knowledge is power, and with
>the medical profession in the state it is in, we need all the power we
>can get!
>
>Thanks Professor Paula :)
>
>TTFN
>
>--
>Smed
>
>At Mon, 12 Feb 2001, paula wrote:
>>
>>Insulin is a hormone which is produced in an area of the pancreas called
>>the islets of Langerhans. This hormone is essential to the function of
>>the human body. According to an article by Shawn P. Kellerman, “it
>>promotes glucose utilization, protein synthesis, and the formation and
>>storage of neutral lipids by regulating the sugar metabolism of the
>>body” (1).
>>In those people afflicted with Insulin Resistance Syndrome, it is
>>believed that insulin activity breaks down due to a defective gene
>>located on chromosome 19 (Wysong 1). This defect damages insulin
>>receptor sites located throughout the body. The effects of this damage
>>are felt in many different ways.
>>Insulin resistance essentially works like this: the affected individual
>>eats a carbohydrate rich food (such as potatoes, breads, and pastas),
>>carbohydrates are short chain sugars that break down into basic blood
>>sugar in about 30-40 minutes. Once the carbohydrates have been broken
>>down into sugars, the pancreas sends out a copious amount of insulin to
>>store the blood sugars as fat, and since there is now much too much
>>insulin in the blood stream, the blood sugar falls dramatically below a
>>normal level causing hypoglycemia and hunger, even if it has only been
>>an hour since the last meal. The disease progresses to the point where
>>any small amount of carbohydrates taken into the body will cause the
>>pancreas to pour forth with insulin, continuing the cycle.
>>Insulin resistance in women is especially troublesome, and occurs in
>>three stages. Stage one is characterized by increased fasting insulin
>>levels and normal glucose levels. In general, a female in her early
>>20s, who is otherwise healthy, should have a fasting insulin level of
>><10. In stage one insulin resistance the fasting level of insulin is
>>generally between 15-25. At this point the disease can usually be
>>controlled by a low-carbohydrate diet.
>>Stage two insulin resistance is characterized by medium to high fasting
>>insulin levels (26-40) and impaired glucose tolerance. This stage of
>>the
>>illness is usually treated by a low-carbohydrate diet and medications
>>that restrict insulin production, such as Glucophage. Finally, Stage
>>three insulin resistance patients may not experience any symptoms due to
>>the fact they are usually full-blown diabetic and glucose levels are
>>controlled by diabetic medications.
>>There are several effects of insulin resistance on the female body, some
>>symptoms are serious, others merely annoying. The main factor in the
>>kind of symptoms a patient experiences is whether or not their insulin
>>production has been askew long enough to cause other hormonal
>>imbalances. In most patients, unfortunately this is the case.
>>Over-production of insulin causes other hormone producing organs, such
>>as the pituitary gland and the ovaries, to also either over-produce or
>>under-produce their respective hormones. Many of the serious effects of
>>insulin resistance come from “side illnesses” or conditions which have
>>the root cause of insulin resistance.
>>The most common illness caused by insulin resistance in women is
>>Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a serious disease with many
>>effects including: chronic fatigue, balance and spatial orientation
>>problems, confusion, hypoglycemic episodes, trouble concentrating,
>>abnormal cholesterol levels, hypertension that is not responsive to
>>conventional medications, hirsutism, obesity, diabetes, lack of
>>menstrual cycles, and anovulation, causing infertility (Insulin
>>Resistance...). Other illnesses caused by insulin resistance include:
>>irritable bowel syndrome, vulvodynia, and chronic migraine headaches.
>>The merely “annoying” symptoms of insulin resistance are generally
>>cosmetic, but can result in severe social consequences. These effects
>>include: hirsutism (facial and body hair in overabundance), obesity,
>>severe acne, acanthosis nigracans (darkening of skin giving the
>>appearance of dirt),
>>and male pattern hair loss. Picture a 20 year old female who weighs 300
>>pounds, has very little hair on her head, an overabundance of hair
>>elsewhere on her body, and dark patches of skin on her neck, knees,
>>knuckles, and elbows. This is what women with insulin resistance must
>>deal with. While insulin resistance ia a syndrome, and not all women
>>with it are suffering from all of the symptoms, many are affected by all
>>of them.
>>Diagnosing insulin resistance early is the key component to effective
>>treatment. According to the Insulin Resistance Information Page, “The
>>disease can be deceptive in diagnosis, and frankly many doctors are
>>unwilling to search for the cause of a fat women’s problem with weight
>>when it is much easier to claim the problem is self-induced” (3). This
>>indeed seems to be true. Insulin resistance can sometimes be diagnosed
>>by a simple fasting insulin and glucose test, however many times these
>>tests are influenced by
>>the previous day’s food choices and can come back as normal. When these
>>tests come back with results that are in the “normal” range, and the
>>patient has symptoms of insulin resistance, an
>>Insulin-glucose-tolerance-test (IGTT) should be ordered. This test is
>>generally 2-5 hours long and involves taking blood samples every 10-30
>>minutes to determine and map the dips and spikes in both insulin and
>>glucose levels.
>>Once a diagnosis is made and the stage of the illness is determined, it
>>is time to pursue treatment. Depending on whether a patient is
>>afflicted with PCOS or not, the treatment may or not include fertility
>>treatments. If the patient does not desire a pregnancy at the time,
>>treatment should include a low-carbohydrate diet, medications to control
>>symptoms, and an exercise regimen. Treatment also depends on the doctor
>>treating the illness. Many doctors are now prescribing medications such
>>as Glucophage (formerly used exclusively for diabetes, this drug has
>>shown to lower insulin levels), spirolactone (used to suppress body hair
>>and stimulate scalp hair), and provera (a hormone used to promote
>>menstruation).
>>Insulin Resistance and its effects on women is a serious concern. It is
>>the root cause of many illnesses, and is easily treatable once
>>diagnosed. Doctors must overcome their assumptions and stereotypes
>>regarding obesity, and step up to find the cause. Continuing research
>>should enable us to successfully treat and eliminate the effects of this
>>disease in the near future.
>>
>>hope this helps clear up what insulin resistance is, and what we can do
>>about it =)
>>love, paula
>>
>>--
>>feel free to email me anytime at paulam74@hotmail.com
>>
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