What does high blood insulin mean? What does high insulin mean - causes, effects, treatment

However, the amount of sugar in the blood does not give a complete clinical picture. In this regard, it is advisable to carry out diagnostic measures aimed at determining the concentration of insulin. It is the ratio of sugar and insulin that can give maximum information about the risks of development and progression. diabetes.

Essence of insulin

Insulin is a natural human hormone produced by the pancreas and is actively involved in metabolic processes. The basis of the impact on insulin metabolism is its ability to increase the permeability of cells to glucose, that is, the hormone helps to lower blood sugar levels due to its natural processing by the body.

Insulin is a vital hormone produced in the cells of the pancreas.

Normal performance

The norm of insulin in the body of a healthy person varies depending on age:

• Up to 18 years, the normal indicator ranges from 3 to 21.
• From 18 to 60 years old - 21-27.
• Over the age of 65 - up to 35.

At the same time, it is advisable to measure the glucose level, which should be in the range from 3.3 to 5.7. The need for complex measurements is due to the direct dependence of sugar and insulin levels. In some cases it is noted elevated insulin with normal sugar. The reasons for this phenomenon will be discussed below.

Causes of High Insulin Levels with Normal Glucose Levels

1. Violation of the mode of delivery of tests. As mentioned above, the clearest results can be obtained on an empty stomach. In other cases, it may be noted elevated level pancreatic hormone. Glucose levels drop faster after eating. As a result, increased insulin is observed with normal sugar.
2. Prerequisites for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The mechanism of action is to activate the body's own forces on pathogenic processes. As a result, the pancreas begins to produce more of the hormone so that it can withstand a further increase in glucose levels.
3. Itsenko-Cushing's disease against the background of a general hormonal imbalance often provokes an increase in insulin levels in the body without changing glucose levels. There is a high risk of complications of the disease in the form of diabetes mellitus.
4. The development of insulinoma, which is benign neoplasm and actively produces the hormone. Most often, the disease is observed in violation of liver function.
5. Myotonia is a neuromuscular disorder characterized by prolonged muscle spasms preceded by muscle contraction as a result of movement. It is rare and belongs to the category of hereditary diseases.
6. Obesity, provoking a decrease in the sensitivity of cell membranes to insulin. As a result, elevated cholesterol levels are observed against the background of carbohydrate metabolism disorders.
7. Pregnancy is not pathological condition, and an increased level of the hormone indicates the adaptation of the body to new conditions of functioning.
8. Injection of insulin preparations or the use of drugs that stimulate the activity of the human pancreas is not a pathology, except in cases of drug overdose.

Insulinoma is a hormone-producing tumor that often causes an increase in insulin levels in the blood.

Symptoms of high insulin levels

• Periodic attacks of hunger that occur for no apparent reason, which is associated with the activity of insulin in relation to the metabolism of carbohydrates. As a result, the energy reserves of the body are quickly wasted.
• Frequent bouts of tachycardia with low or no physical exertion.
• Tremor of the limbs.
• Excessive sweating.
• Periodic occurrence of conditions that can be characterized as pre-syncope.

Symptoms of hypoglycemia as a result of elevated insulin in the blood

If you have one or more symptoms, you should consult a doctor. Information for specialists: when diagnosing an elevated level of insulin against the background of blood sugar indicators within the acceptable range, it is necessary to prescribe a second diagnosis. When confirming the results, first of all, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and prescribe a therapeutic diet to the patient.

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Increased insulin

Insulin is a hormone responsible for the regulation of glycemia in human blood plasma. Elevated insulin leads to hypoglycemia, dysfunction of the pancreas and blood vessels, problems with blood pressure, and this means an increased risk of hypertension, myocardial infarction and type 1 diabetes. In diabetes mellitus, hyperinsulinism must be treated, and then constantly monitored to avoid deterioration in health and all of the above complications.

Hyperinsulinism is extremely dangerous for a person, therefore, with the slightest deviation from the norm, you should consult a doctor.

The function of insulin in the body

Insulin is a protein hormone that influences most processes in the body. Its main function is that it is responsible for the conversion of glycogen into glucose, stabilizes blood glycemia and moves glucose into fat and nerve cells as well as in muscles. As an anabolic, it stimulates muscle growth by transporting amino acids. But the disadvantage of the hormone is that instead of fat, it destroys carbohydrates, and fat reserves accumulate in the tissues. High levels of the hormone in the blood lead to disruption of all these processes.

normal sugar and insulin

A blood test for insulin should be done on an empty stomach, because after eating the indicator rises. You can contact the laboratory or purchase a glucometer to measure the hormone at home. If a person has been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus or hormone surges are likely, it is recommended to check at least 2 times a day. The average hormone level can be seen in the table below.

Causes of high insulin

Severely elevated levels of insulin in the blood, called hyperinsulinism, can occur after eating, after exercise, or due to lack of exercise. In children, there is no increase after eating, this process begins when the child transforms into a teenager, and the body matures. High insulin with normal blood sugar is called secondary hyperinsulinism and should never be ignored. A lot of insulin in the human body can be the result of a growth of a tumor in the pancreas called an insulinoma. In this disease, the production of insulin is stable high. The tumor can only be cured by surgical removal. After this, it should be observed that the formation is not re-formed in the brain or in the liver area.

Excess insulin can also provoke such reasons:

• the use of sweets or foods rich in carbohydrates;
• starvation;
• lack of vitamin E;
• excess weight;
• stress and anxiety;
• diabetes;
• infectious diseases;
• hormone therapy.

Increased insulin in the blood in women can occur during pregnancy due to hormonal changes or, for the following reasons:

• failure of carbohydrate metabolism;
• problems in the liver and adrenal glands;
• the appearance of tumors in the abdomen.

Even if insulin in the body rises slightly, but the level of glucose in the blood remains normal, treatment should be started immediately.

The main symptoms characterizing the pathology

A large release of the hormone significantly affects the well-being in men and women. In particular, the symptoms of elevated insulin in women are expressed by lethargy, absent-mindedness, frequent trips to the toilet for small needs. In other cases, with an increase in the hormone, the following symptoms appear:

• constant feeling fatigue;
• feeling of depression and oppression;
• increased sweating;
• increased appetite;
• forgetfulness;
• weight gain;
• oily hair and skin.

If you do not start treatment on time, your health may worsen, and the following symptoms will appear:

• insomnia;
• high pressure;
• problems in the work of the kidneys;
• gangrene of the legs.

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Why is excess dangerous?

When insulin is elevated in the blood, it is dangerous even for a person who does not complain about health. Over time, this condition causes many severe pathologies. Hyperinsulinism is dangerous because it affects the elasticity of the vascular system, as a result of which blood circulation is disturbed, and the risk of hypertension increases. If a person has type 2 diabetes, there is a risk of the disease becoming type 1, which cannot be cured.

Treatment of hyperinsulinism

Hyperinsulinism indicates a malfunction in the body. This means that you need to bring the hormone to normal levels. If the patient has experienced hyperinsulinism and low rate glucose, you should consult a doctor, determine the cause and conduct appropriate therapy. Critical sugar levels are treated with diet, physical activity, and in more difficult situations, the doctor prescribes special medications.

Medications

One of the methods by which hypoglycemia is treated is medical preparations. Most often, such therapy involves inpatient treatment with glucose droppers, but the doctor may prescribe a medicine that allows you to be treated at home. If insulinoma is the cause of hyperinsulinism, the problem is eliminated by surgical operation. But after insulin is lowered, it should be maintained in the normal range, following the recommendations of specialists.

How to eat right?

In order to prevent the recurrence of hyperinsulinism, you need to follow the diet prescribed by your doctor, because the effect of a person’s menu affects the hormone. Additionally, you can drink special tablets containing a vitamin complex. It is required to exclude soda from the diet; instead, you can drink unsweetened compotes or fresh juices. And also the norm of water per day should be at least 2 liters, so that dehydration does not occur. A high level of insulin in the blood requires eating 4-5 times a day, in small portions, so as not to overload the stomach. Menu items should be steamed or boiled. The following products are recommended for use:

It is necessary to ensure that the carbohydrate content in the menu does not exceed 150 g per day.

Life style

To lower insulin and keep it within normal limits, you should lead a certain lifestyle. First of all, it is necessary to abandon such bad habits like smoking and drinking alcohol. We should not forget about physical activity, because regular exercise effectively affects insulin. It is best to do simple exercises and walk daily in the fresh air for at least 30 minutes.

The information is given for general information only and should not be used for self-treatment. Do not self-medicate, it can be dangerous. Always consult your doctor. In case of partial or complete copying of materials from the site, an active link to it is required.

What does high insulin mean - causes, effects, treatment

What does high blood insulin mean? The answer to this question is of interest to many patients who have been tested for insulin. The hormone, which is produced in the islets of Langerhans, is responsible for lowering the level of glucose in the blood, ensuring its transition from the bloodstream to the tissues. Both low and high levels of insulin in the blood disrupt metabolism, cause Negative consequences in the body, so the task of the patient, physicians is to maintain a normal level of insulin folk remedies or medicines.

Insulin levels in the blood

Low and high insulin in the blood - what does it mean, what are their indicators? Why does insulin level rise? Physicians have established that the boundaries of the hormone content vary from 3 to -25 mcU / ml. So, the rate of insulin in the blood in women and men is almost the same - from 3 to 25 mcU / ml. The norm of insulin in children and adolescents ranges from 3 to 20 mcU / ml.

A normal indicator, but higher than the norm for women, may be in pregnant women - 3 to 27 mcU / ml. A lot of insulin can be in the elderly - 6-35 mcU / ml. If the indicators fluctuate in the range of these figures, the person is healthy. Low insulin levels are observed in diabetes, insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes. Insulin is elevated in type 2 diabetes.

Causes of an increase in insulin in the blood

A high insulin level is most often associated with the intake of carbohydrate foods. An excess of the hormone can be caused by fasting, excessive physical exertion, taking certain medications, and stressful situations. To determine the level of the hormone, you need to donate blood from a vein.

It is known that insulin rises sharply 2 hours after eating, so in order to determine the amount of insulin, the sample must be taken on an empty stomach. For analysis, blood is taken from a vein twice:

• the first time - on an empty stomach;
• the second time - two hours after the patient drank a portion of glucose.

Such a study shows the performance of the pancreas. According to the results of the analysis, it is possible to establish the type of diabetes mellitus. It is no secret that various diseases can be the cause of the increased content of the hormone. So, for women, high blood insulin can indicate many pathologies of other organs, such as liver, obesity, Cushing's syndrome, polycystic ovaries. High insulin in the blood can be an indicator of acromegaly, neoplasms in the pancreas or adrenal glands, psycho-emotional disorders, constant stress, depressive states. A large amount of the hormone in the blood can be observed with an overdose of the administered drug.

Many patients who first heard about the increased content of insulin are interested in the question of what hyperinsulinemia is. Is this already diabetes mellitus or just a harbinger of the disease? In a child, elevated insulin with normal sugar indicates a predisposition to type 2 diabetes. If insulin is elevated and glucose levels are normal, this may also signal a decrease in glucagon production or pancreatic tumors.

Symptoms of increased insulin production

What signs should alert a person, especially those who are overweight, so as not to miss the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, associated with the fact that the insulin level is exceeded:

• constant fatigue, excessive sweating;
• shortness of breath, even with minimal physical exertion;
• muscle pain, periodic cramps in the lower extremities;
• lack of sufficient feeling of satiety;
• pruritus, poor wound healing.

Consequences of high blood insulin

Excess insulin in the body causes negative effects:

1. lowers blood sugar levels;
2. leads to the appearance of excess weight, obesity - due to high insulin, the accumulation of fat mass occurs;
3. an excess of insulin causes the growth of benign cells, which eventually degenerate into malignant tumors;
4. lack of energy leads to the appearance of rapid fatigue, irritability, nervous behavior, fits of rage;
5. capillaries, vision, kidneys suffer, atherosclerosis develops;
6. wounds heal slowly, poorly, symptoms of a diabetic foot, gangrene appear;
7. reduces the strength of bone tissue - bones become brittle, brittle;
8. dandruff, oily skin, acne appear.

Hypertension and excess insulin often accompany each other. Hypertension contributes to the development side effects in the form of heart attacks, strokes. The consequences of elevated insulin adversely affect the work of the entire of cardio-vascular system.

Prevention and curative therapy

Treatment of hyperisulinemia rests on three pillars: drug therapy, diet, exercise. Having determined the causes of increased insulin, the doctor makes certain appointments.

Medical treatment

Normally, 70% of carbohydrates go to the needs of body cells, 30% are stored in reserve. But if the body suffers from the fact that insulin levels are elevated, then only 30% of carbohydrates are used by cells, 70% go to the formation of adipose tissue. Cells turn off receptors, stop responding to the hormone, so glucose begins to accumulate in the blood - non-insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes develops. An increase in blood glucose levels causes severe dehydration, which leads to a profound metabolic disorder, sometimes to death.

How to lower insulin in the blood to a relative norm? With high insulin, drugs are prescribed to reduce the level of this hormone in the blood. To treat excess insulin in the blood, medications are needed that reduce:

• pressure that reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes (calcium antagonists, ACE inhibitors);
• metabolic components that improve glucose levels, removing excess cholesterol from the body;
• appetite (enzymes that break down fats, serotonin inhibitors).

Treatment is prescribed only by a doctor, after a clinical examination and examination. If insulin is elevated and glucose levels are normal, this may also signal a decrease in glucagon production or pancreatic tumors. Pancreatic tumors require surgical treatment.

High insulin with low sugar means the likelihood of hypoglycemia attacks, therefore, a hospital cannot be avoided - only in a hospital setting can a patient be given a glucose solution. Acute stage hyperinsulinism will require the administration of glucagon or epinephrine. Home remedies for lowering insulin include diet and exercise.

Diet food

How to lower insulin in the blood? Stick to the diet prescribed by your doctor. Proper Diet, well-chosen nutrition with elevated insulin helps to reduce its level, prevent diabetes or its consequences, adjust weight, lower blood pressure, improve blood counts. If insulin is elevated in the blood, the menu for the week should be developed very carefully, including low-fat dairy products, cereals, lean meats, eggs, raw or boiled vegetables. Recommended fruits with a small amount of sugar and vitamin C, which is abundant in apples, kiwi, currants, cherries.

The menu for type 2 diabetes should become a permanent, not a temporary measure, because only in this way can positive results in treatment. Nutrition should be fractional, in small portions, but sufficient for saturation and lack of hunger.

Basic rules of rational nutrition that reduce insulin in the blood. Need:

1. control the amount of carbohydrates in food, properly distribute them throughout the day.
2. reduce portion sizes, count the calorie content of food;
3. reduce the amount of salt consumed, which only harms the body;
4. give up preservatives, canned food, fast food, other products harmful to the body;
5. forget about alcoholic drinks, lemonades, drink only natural juices, water;
6. use sweeteners instead of sugar (supermarkets have sections for diabetics).

Physiotherapy

Therapeutic exercise and diabetes do not contradict each other. Physical exercises will not replace treatment, but they will be very useful and will help a person, if not to defeat the disease, then significantly improve his health, be normal. A set of special exercises should be agreed with an endocrinologist.

Before you start exercising exercise, it is necessary to do an electrocardiogram to assess the condition of the heart. When performing exercises, do not forget to count the pulse, control arterial pressure and insulin and glucose levels. If the pressure and heart rate are elevated, you need to stop exercising and consult a doctor. Physical exercises:

• increase the sensitivity of cells to the hormone;
• improve blood circulation, the work of the cardiovascular system;
• reduce the risk of complications, protect against heart attacks, strokes.

Elevated insulin levels are the most early sign heart attacks and strokes.

Before classes, you should definitely eat at least a couple of sandwiches to protect yourself from hypoglycemia. It is also recommended to reduce the dose of diabetes pills and the dose of insulin. It is advisable to carry out the first physical education classes under the supervision of doctors so that you can monitor your health, adjust the dose, types and duration of exercises.

Symptoms of excess insulin are precursors and symptoms of type 2 diabetes. If there are doubts about health, it is necessary to take tests for insulin and glucose in order to establish a diagnosis, start timely treatment. The sooner treatment is started, the greater the chance of a speedy recovery.

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How insulin regulates blood sugar: a detailed diagram

Elevated blood sugar is the main symptom of diabetes and the main problem of diabetics. Elevated blood glucose is almost the only cause of diabetes complications. In order to effectively control your disease, it is desirable to have a good understanding of where glucose enters the bloodstream and how it is used.

Read the article carefully - and you will find out how the regulation of blood sugar occurs normally and what changes with impaired carbohydrate metabolism, i.e. with diabetes.

Dietary sources of glucose are carbohydrates and proteins. The fats we eat have absolutely no effect on blood sugar levels. Why do people like the taste of sugar and sugary foods so much? Because it stimulates the production of neurotransmitters in the brain (especially serotonin), which reduce anxiety, induce a feeling of well-being, and even euphoria. Because of this, some people become addicted to carbohydrates, as powerful as addiction to tobacco, alcohol or drugs. Carbohydrate dependent people have reduced level serotonin or reduced sensitivity of receptors to it.

The taste of protein products does not please people in the same way as the taste of sweets. Because dietary proteins increase blood sugar, but this effect is slow and weak. A carbohydrate-restricted diet that is high in protein and natural fats can lower blood sugar and keep it consistently normal, as in healthy people without diabetes. The traditional "balanced" diet for diabetes cannot boast of this, as you can easily see by measuring your blood sugar with a glucometer. Also on a low-carb diet for diabetes, we consume natural healthy fats and it works for the benefit of our cardiovascular system, lowering blood pressure and preventing heart attacks. Read more "Proteins, Fats and Carbohydrates in the Diabetes Diet".

How insulin works

Insulin is a means to deliver glucose - fuel - from the blood into the cells. Insulin activates the action of “glucose transporters” in cells. These are special proteins that move from the inside to the outer semi-permeable membrane of cells, capture glucose molecules, and then move them to internal “power plants” for burning.

In the cells of the liver and muscles, glucose enters under the action of insulin, as well as in all other tissues of the body, except for the brain. But there it is not burned immediately, but is deposited in reserve in the form of glycogen. It is a substance similar to starch. If there is no insulin, then the glucose transporters work very poorly, and the cells absorb it insufficiently to maintain their vital functions. This applies to all tissues, except for the brain, which consumes glucose without the participation of insulin.

Another effect of insulin in the body is that under its influence, fat cells take glucose from the blood and turn it into saturated fats, which they accumulate. Insulin is the main hormone that stimulates obesity and prevents weight loss. The conversion of glucose into fat is one of the mechanisms by which insulin lowers blood sugar levels.

What is gluconeogenesis

If the blood sugar level drops below normal and the reserves of carbohydrates (glycogen) have already been exhausted, then the process of converting proteins into glucose starts in the cells of the liver, kidneys and intestines. This process is called "gluconeogenesis" and is very slow and inefficient. At the same time, the human body is not able to convert glucose back into proteins. We also don't know how to convert fat into glucose.

In healthy people, and even in most people with type 2 diabetes, the pancreas in the “fasting” state all the time produces small portions of insulin. Thus, at least a little insulin is constantly present in the body. This is called "basal", i.e., "basic" concentration of insulin in the blood. It signals to the liver, kidneys, and intestines that it is not now necessary to convert proteins into glucose in order to raise blood sugar levels. The basal concentration of insulin in the blood "inhibits" gluconeogenesis, i.e. prevents it.

Blood sugar norms - official and real

In healthy people without diabetes, the concentration of glucose in the blood is carefully maintained in a very narrow range - from 3.9 to 5.3 mmol / l. If you take a blood test at a random time, regardless of meals, from a healthy person, then his blood sugar will be about 4.7 mmol / l. We need to strive for this figure in diabetes, that is, blood sugar after eating is not higher than 5.3 mmol / l.

Traditional blood sugar levels are too high. They lead to the development of diabetes complications over the course of years. Even in healthy people, after a meal saturated with fast-absorbing carbohydrates, blood sugar can jump up to 8-9 mmol / l. But if there is no diabetes, then after eating it will drop to normal within a few minutes, and nothing will be needed to do this. In diabetes, “joking” with the body by feeding it refined carbohydrates is strongly discouraged.

In medical and non-fiction books on diabetes, "normal" blood sugar values ​​are considered to be 3.3 - 6.6 mmol/L and even up to 7.8 mmol/L. In healthy people without diabetes, blood sugar never jumps to 7.8 mmol / l, unless if you eat a lot of carbohydrates, and in such situations it drops very quickly. Official medical standards for blood sugar are used so that the "average" doctor does not get too stressed out when diagnosing and treating diabetes.

If a patient's blood sugar after eating jumps to 7.8 mmol / l, then this is not yet officially considered diabetes. Such a patient is likely to be sent home without any treatment, with instructions to try to lose weight on a low-calorie diet and eat healthy food, i.e. eat more fruits. However, complications of diabetes develop even in people whose post-meal sugar does not exceed 6.6 mmol/l. Of course, it doesn't happen that fast. But over the course of years, it is realistic to acquire kidney failure or vision problems. Read more also "Norms of sugar in the blood".

How is blood sugar regulated in a healthy person

Let's look at how insulin regulates blood sugar in a healthy person without diabetes. Suppose this person eats a disciplined breakfast, and for breakfast he has mashed potatoes with a cutlet - a mixture of carbohydrates with proteins. Throughout the night, his basal insulin concentration in his blood inhibited gluconeogenesis (read above for what this means) and maintained a stable blood sugar concentration.

As soon as food with a high content of carbohydrates enters the mouth, salivary enzymes immediately begin to decompose “complex” carbohydrates into simple glucose molecules, and this glucose is absorbed through the mucous membrane into the blood instantly. From carbohydrates, the blood sugar level rises instantly, although the person has not had time to swallow anything yet! This is a signal for the pancreas that it is time to urgently throw it into the blood. a large number of insulin granules. This powerful dose of insulin has been pre-produced and stored to be used when you need to cover up your post-meal sugar surge, in addition to your basal blood levels.

The sudden release of stored insulin into the bloodstream is called the “first phase of the insulin response”. It quickly lowers the initial spike in blood sugar caused by eating carbohydrates to normal and can prevent it from rising again. The stock of stored insulin in the pancreas is depleted. If necessary, she produces additional insulin, but this takes time. The insulin that slowly enters the blood in the next stage is called the “second phase of the insulin response”. This insulin helps to absorb glucose, which appeared later, after a few hours, during the digestion of protein foods.

As the meal is digested, glucose continues to enter the bloodstream, and the pancreas produces additional insulin to “neutralize” it. Part of the glucose is converted into glycogen, a starchy substance that is stored in muscle and liver cells. After some time, all the “capacities” for storing glycogen are filled. If there is still excess glucose in the bloodstream, then under the action of insulin it is converted into saturated fats, which are deposited in adipose tissue cells.

Later, our hero's blood sugar levels may start to drop. In this case, the alpha cells of the pancreas will begin to produce another hormone - glucagon. It acts as an insulin antagonist and signals to muscle and liver cells to convert glycogen back into glucose. With the help of this glucose, it is possible to maintain blood sugar stably in the norm. During the next meal, glycogen stores will be replenished again.

The described mechanism of glucose uptake with the help of insulin works great in healthy people, helping to keep blood sugar stable at normal levels - from 3.9 to 5.3 mmol / l. Cells get enough glucose to perform their functions and everything functions as intended. Let's look at why and how this circuit is disrupted in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

What happens in type 1 diabetes

Let's imagine that in the place of our hero is a person with type 1 diabetes. Suppose he received an injection of “extended” insulin at night before going to bed and because of this he woke up with normal blood sugar. But if you do not take action, then after a while his blood sugar will begin to rise, even if he does not eat anything. This is due to the fact that the liver all the time gradually takes insulin from the blood and breaks it down. At the same time, for some reason, in the morning, the liver “utilizes” insulin especially intensively.

Extended insulin, which was pricked in the evening, is released smoothly and stably. But the speed of its release is not enough to cover the increased “appetite” of the liver in the morning. Because of this, blood sugar can rise in the morning even if a person with type 1 diabetes is not eating anything. This is called the “dawn phenomenon”. The pancreas of a healthy person easily produces enough insulin so that this phenomenon does not affect blood sugar. But with type 1 diabetes, attention must be paid to “neutralize” it. Read here how to do it.

Human saliva contains powerful enzymes that quickly break down complex carbohydrates into glucose, and it is instantly absorbed into the bloodstream. In a diabetic, the activity of these enzymes is the same as in a healthy person. Therefore, dietary carbohydrates cause a sharp jump in blood sugar. In type 1 diabetes, pancreatic beta cells make little or no insulin. Therefore, there is no insulin to organize the first phase of the insulin response.

If there was no injection of “short” insulin before meals, then blood sugar will rise very high. Glucose will not be converted into either glycogen or fat. Eventually, at best, excess glucose will be filtered out by the kidneys and excreted in the urine. While this happens, elevated blood sugar levels will cause tremendous damage to all organs and blood vessels. At the same time, the cells continue to “starve” without receiving nutrition. Therefore, without insulin injections, a type 1 diabetic patient dies within a few days or weeks.

Treatment of type 1 diabetes with insulin

What is a low-carbohydrate diet for diabetes? Why limit yourself to food choices? Why not just inject enough insulin to absorb all the carbs you eat? Because insulin injections don't properly "cover up" the rise in blood sugar that carbohydrate-rich foods cause.

Let's look at what problems usually occur in patients with type 1 diabetes and how to properly control the disease in order to avoid complications. This is vital information! Today, it will be the “discovery of America” for domestic endocrinologists and, moreover, for diabetics. Without false modesty, you are very lucky to have landed on our site.

Insulin given through a syringe, or even through an insulin pump, works differently than insulin, which is normally produced by the pancreas. Human insulin in the first phase of the insulin response immediately enters the bloodstream and immediately begins to lower sugar levels. In diabetes, insulin injections are usually given under the skin. adipose tissue. Some patients who love risk and excitement master intramuscular injections of insulin (no need to do this!). In any case, no one injects themselves with insulin intravenously.

As a result, even the fastest insulin begins to act only after 20 minutes. And its full effect is manifested within 1-2 hours. Until then, blood sugar levels remain significantly elevated. You can easily verify this by measuring your blood sugar with a glucometer every 15 minutes after eating. This situation causes damage to the nerves, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, etc. Complications of diabetes develop at full speed, despite the best intentions of the doctor and the patient.

Why the standard treatment of type 1 diabetes with insulin is not effective is detailed in the link "Insulin and carbohydrates: the truth you need to know". If you follow a traditional “balanced” diet with type 1 diabetes, then the sad ending - death or disability - is inevitable, and it comes much faster than we would like. We emphasize once again that even if you switch to an insulin pump, it still will not help. Because she also injects insulin into the subcutaneous tissue.

What to do? The answer is to switch to a low-carbohydrate diet to control diabetes. On this diet, the body partially converts food proteins into glucose, and thus, blood sugar still rises. But this happens very slowly, and an injection of insulin allows you to gently “cover” the increase. As a result, it is possible to ensure that after a meal in a diabetic patient, blood sugar will not at any time exceed 5.3 mmol / l, that is, it will be absolutely like in healthy people.

Low-carbohydrate diet for type 1 diabetes

The fewer carbohydrates a diabetic eats, the less insulin he needs. On a low-carbohydrate diet, insulin doses immediately drop several times. And this is despite the fact that when calculating the dose of insulin before meals, we take into account how much it will be needed to cover the proteins eaten. Although in traditional diabetes therapy, proteins are not taken into account at all.

The less insulin a diabetic needs to inject, the lower the likelihood of the following problems:

• hypoglycemia - critically low blood sugar;
• fluid retention in the body and swelling;
• development of insulin resistance.

Let's imagine that our hero, a type 1 diabetic, switched to eating low-carbohydrate foods from the list of allowed ones. As a result, his blood sugar will not jump to “cosmic” heights at all, as it used to be when he ate a “balanced” diet rich in carbohydrates. Gluconeogenesis is the conversion of proteins into glucose. This process raises blood sugar, but slowly and insignificantly, and it is easy to "cover" it with a small dose of insulin shot before meals.

On a low-carbohydrate diabetic diet, pre-meal insulin injections can be seen as successfully mimicking the second phase of the insulin response, and are sufficient to maintain a stable normal blood sugar. We also remember that dietary fats do not directly affect blood sugar levels. And natural fats are not harmful, but beneficial for the cardiovascular system. They increase the level of cholesterol in the blood, but only the “good” cholesterol, which protects against a heart attack. You can learn more about this in the article "Proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the diet for diabetes".

How does the body of a person with type 2 diabetes work?

Our next hero is a type 2 diabetic, weighing 112 kg at a rate of 78 kg. Most of his excess fat is on his stomach and around his waist. His pancreas is still producing insulin. But since obesity has caused severe insulin resistance (reduced sensitivity of tissues to insulin), this insulin is not enough to maintain normal blood sugar.

If the patient manages to lose weight, then insulin resistance will disappear and blood sugar will normalize so that the diagnosis of diabetes can be removed. On the other hand, if our hero does not urgently change his lifestyle, then the beta cells of his pancreas will “burn out” completely, and he will develop irreversible type 1 diabetes. True, few people live to see this - usually patients with type 2 diabetes are killed earlier by a heart attack, kidney failure or gangrene in the legs.

Insulin resistance is caused in part genetic reasons, but mostly it occurs due to the wrong lifestyle. Sedentary work and excessive consumption of carbohydrates lead to the accumulation of adipose tissue. And the more body fat in relation to muscle mass, the higher insulin resistance. The pancreas has been working with an increased load for many years. Because of this, she is exhausted, and the insulin she produces is no longer enough to maintain normal blood sugar. In particular, the pancreas of a type 2 diabetic does not store any stores of insulin. Because of this, the first phase of the insulin response is disrupted.

Interestingly, usually overweight patients with type 2 diabetes produce no less insulin, but on the contrary - 2-3 times more than their slender peers. In such a situation, endocrinologists often prescribe pills - sulfonylurea derivatives - which stimulate the pancreas to produce even more insulin. This leads to "burnout" of the pancreas, due to which type 2 diabetes turns into insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes.

Blood sugar after eating in type 2 diabetes

Consider how breakfast from mashed potatoes with a cutlet, i.e. a mixture of carbohydrates and proteins. Usually, in the early stages of type 2 diabetes, blood sugar levels in the morning on an empty stomach are normal. I wonder how it will change after eating? Consider that our hero boasts an excellent appetite. He eats 2-3 times more food than slender people of the same height.

How carbohydrates are digested, absorbed in the mouth and instantly raise blood sugar - we have already discussed before. In a type 2 diabetic, carbohydrates are absorbed in the same way in the mouth and cause a sharp jump in blood sugar. In response, the pancreas releases insulin into the blood, trying to immediately extinguish this jump. But since there are no ready stocks, an extremely small amount of insulin is released. This is called an impaired first phase of the insulin response.

Our hero's pancreas is trying its best to produce enough insulin to lower blood sugar. Sooner or later, she will succeed, if type 2 diabetes has not gone too far and the second phase of insulin secretion has not been affected. But within a few hours, blood sugar will remain elevated, and during this time complications of diabetes develop.

Because of insulin resistance, the typical type 2 diabetic needs 2-3 times more insulin to absorb the same amount of carbohydrates than their lean counterpart. This phenomenon has two consequences. First, insulin is the main hormone that stimulates the accumulation of fat in adipose tissue. Under the influence of an excess amount of insulin, the patient becomes even fatter, and his insulin resistance increases. This is a vicious circle. Secondly, the pancreas works with an increased load, which is why its beta cells “burn out” more and more. Thus, type 2 diabetes becomes type 1 diabetes.

Insulin resistance causes cells to be unable to use the glucose that a diabetic receives from food. Because of this, he continues to feel hungry, even when he eats an already significant amount of food. Usually, a type 2 diabetic eats too much, until the stomach feels full, and this further exacerbates his problems. How to treat insulin resistance, read here. This is a real way to improve health in type 2 diabetes.

Diagnosis and complications of type 2 diabetes

To confirm or refute the diagnosis of diabetes, illiterate doctors often prescribe a blood test for fasting sugar. Recall that in type 2 diabetes, fasting blood sugar levels remain normal for a long time, even if the disease progresses and complications of diabetes develop in full swing. Therefore, a blood test for sugar on an empty stomach is categorically not suitable! Get a glycated hemoglobin blood test or a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test, preferably at an independent private laboratory.

Suppose a person's blood sugar after eating jumps to 7.8 mmol / l. Many doctors in such a situation do not write a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, so as not to register the patient and not engage in treatment. They justify their decision by saying that the diabetic still produces enough insulin, and sooner or later his blood sugar drops to normal after eating. However, you must immediately switch to healthy lifestyle life even when your post-meal blood sugar is 6.6 mmol/l, and even more so if it's higher. We strive to provide an effective and most importantly realistic type 1 and type 2 diabetes treatment plan that can be followed by people who have a significant workload.

The main problem with type 2 diabetes is that the body gradually breaks down over decades, and this usually doesn't cause painful symptoms until it's too late. On the other hand, a person with type 2 diabetes has many advantages over someone with type 1 diabetes. His blood sugar will never rise as high as a type 1 diabetic if he misses an insulin shot. If the second phase of the insulin response is not too affected, then blood sugar can, without the active participation of the patient, drop to normal on its own a few hours after eating. A patient with type 1 diabetes should not expect such a “freebie”.

How to effectively treat type 2 diabetes

In type 2 diabetes, intensive therapeutic measures will lead to the fact that the load on the pancreas will decrease, the process of “burning out” of its beta cells will slow down.

What do we have to do:

• Read more about insulin resistance. It also describes how to treat it.
• Make sure you have an accurate glucometer (how to do this), and measure your blood sugar several times a day.
• Pay special attention to measuring blood sugar after meals, but also on an empty stomach.
• Switch to a low-carbohydrate diet.
• Enjoy exercise. Physical activity is vital.
• If diet and physical education is not enough and sugar is still elevated, also take Siofor or Glucofage tablets.
• If all together - diet, physical education and Siofor - do not help enough, then add insulin injections. Read the article "Treatment of diabetes mellitus with insulin". First, extended insulin is prescribed at night and / or in the morning, and if necessary, also short insulin before meals.
• If insulin injections are needed, draw up an insulin therapy regimen together with an endocrinologist. At the same time, do not give up on a low-carbohydrate diet, no matter what the doctor says.
• In most cases, insulin has to be injected only for those patients with type 2 diabetes who are too lazy to exercise.

As a result of losing weight and exercising with pleasure, insulin resistance will decrease. If treatment is started on time, it will be possible to lower blood sugar to normal without insulin injections. If insulin injections are still required, then the doses will be small. The end result is healthy happy life without complications of diabetes, to a ripe old age, to the envy of “healthy” peers.

Elevated blood insulin can talk about vitamin deficiency, excessive love for sweets and fatty foods, which causes the pancreas to produce insulin in large quantities, serious physical exertion, in which the body needs glucose and insulin to enter cells.

The hormone necessary for the body is always on guard of glucose levels, helping to synthesize it from proteins and fats, making “strategic reserves”, converting excess glucose into glycogens so that, if necessary, the body can again receive the energy needed by the cells.

At a high concentration in the blood, the same hormone inhibits metabolic processes, promotes the accumulation of fats, and can cause hypoglycemia with all the unpleasant consequences.

Long lasting and persistent an increase leads to disruption of the work of almost all organs, including the brain, heart muscle.

About diabetes mellitus, in which patients need to inject insulin to save life, everyone heard. But with an increase in the content of this hormone in the blood, they are not encountered so often, because an analysis to detect deviations is prescribed only for serious symptoms that indicate a violation of the pancreas, obesity, hypertension, high glucose levels if type II diabetes is suspected.

Insulin present always in the blood, it is constantly produced in small amounts by the pancreas. However, after a hearty meal, insulin begins to be produced in large quantities in order to break down the ingested fats and proteins, carbohydrates. In lovers of fatty, fried, sweet, the pancreas is forced to work in constant tension, giving out high amount of hormone to process all the incoming glucose. Gradually, the receptors lose their sensitivity and begin to constantly work in an enhanced mode, regardless of whether glucose is needed or not.

Eventually changes begin in the body sometimes irreversible.

• Glucose does not reach the cells, turning into fats
• The production of lipase, the enzyme responsible for the breakdown of fats, is slowed down.
• Fatty acids rush into the sebaceous glands of the skin, causing inflammation.
• The brain, which has not received glucose, gives a signal of hunger, a person eats without feeling full. Obesity is one of the problems of people with type II diabetes, as well as those whose insulin is constantly high for other reasons.
• The blood pressure rises.
• Elevated insulin provokes the growth of tumors, increases the risk of cancer.

Often elevated hormone causes strokes, inflammation respiratory tract, the formation of trophic ulcers, necrosis.

Causes of an increase in hormone levels

There are many reasons for the increase in insulin levels in the blood. It can cause stress, physical overload, hormonal failure, and then the level of insulin quickly returns to normal, the increase is temporary.

High levels are often found in humans overweight, and then weight loss will also help normalize insulin. However, in this case, the process is often interdependent, it is the increased insulin that causes the accumulation of fat, hallmark is that it accumulates mainly on the stomach and sides, and the feeling of hunger caused by glucose deficiency makes the process of losing weight painful. Therefore, you have to fight not only overweight but also hormonal imbalances.

High insulin can be a sign of serious problems already in place. Primary hyperinsulinism is caused:

• pancreatic diseases: proliferation of the islets of Langerhans, clusters of pancreatic cells that produce insulin and its antagonist glycogan;
• pancreatic tumors that function as the islets of Langerhans, producing insulin in large quantities - insulinomas. Most often they are benign;
• decreased glycogan production.

Secondary hyperinsulinism may be due to:

• resection of the stomach, which caused an acceleration of the absorption of carbohydrates in the small intestine;
• liver diseases;
• neoplasms abdominal cavity, adrenal glands, both benign and malignant;
• failure of the pituitary gland.

high insulin with normal sugar helps in time to diagnose insulinomas, polycystic ovaries, as well as Itsenko-Cushing's disease and such a rare disease as acromegaly, popularly called gigantism.

One of the most important reasons for increasing insulin levels in any woman's life become pregnant. This is the only case when a high level of this hormone is a physiological norm.

The reasons can be various, among them, unfortunately, there are often diabetes and cancer Therefore, you should definitely consult a doctor if high insulin levels are detected.

baby's insulin levels

Normal insulin in the blood of an adult is in the range from 3 to 25 mcU / ml, in children it is lower - from 3 to 20. And an increased content of the hormone in the child's blood- a serious symptom, since it speaks of the same problems as in adults, but during the formation of the body, irreversible consequences can occur much earlier.

That's why urgent referral to an endocrinologist and the examination should be the first step towards the normalization of indicators and the treatment of diseases that caused deviations in the production of hormones.

What treatment is needed?

Reason for applying The following symptoms can become an endocrinologist: irritability, memory impairment, inability to concentrate, constant feeling of fatigue, rapid weight gain, hypertension. If at the same time the wounds do not heal for a long time, more and more acne appears, the skin has become oily, insomnia has appeared, you should immediately contact the doctors, do a blood test for glucose, check insulin.

Moreover, you need to hurry if at least once a person has experienced hypoglycemia - a sharp drop in glucose levels which can lead to coma and death. Seizure symptoms: increased sweating, hunger, tingling in the fingertips, on the lips, frequent heartbeat, tremor of the hands and feet, pallor, fainting. In addition, hallucinations, a severe headache, a person's behavior is inappropriate, as if he is drunk. The crisis can be stopped by eating, preferably fast carbohydrates, or intravenous infusion of glucose.

But an elevated level in itself is not a diagnosis, it is necessary need to find out the reason and start treatment from there. Insulin itself is reduced by special drugs that are taken only as directed by a doctor. It also requires a change in lifestyle.

First, correct food, without sugar and products containing carbohydrates. Nutritionists will help you choose low-calorie sweets as an alternative to chocolate and cakes. You will need to significantly reduce the consumption of salt, foods containing sodium. It is quite possible to do without nuts and crackers, canned fish, when it comes to it's about life. Low-fat dairy products, meat and fish can be included in the diet along with whole grains. Chicken egg no more than 2 times a week. Any vegetables are allowed in raw or boiled form, from fruits - apples, watermelons, from berries - raspberries, cherries, strawberries.

Secondly, you need increase physical activity, but do not make them excessive. Morning jogging, exercise, walking help lower insulin. Set aside at least 1 hour a day for sports, you can break this time into a morning run and an evening walk, you can include a warm-up in the middle of the day.

Rosehip decoctions, infusions of chamomile and mint, yarrow will help bring the body back to normal, unload the liver and pancreas.

After discussing the diet with an endocrinologist and starting to eat right, calculating physical activity, following the course of treatment, you can make insulin work normally, helping, not killing the body.

If insulin is elevated, what does it mean? In such cases, specialist advice is required.

Insulin is actively involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, facilitating the flow of sugar from the CS into the tissues of various organs.

Elevated insulin levels should alert the patient. With this phenomenon, there are no visible health problems, but this can lead to serious consequences.

The metabolic processes occurring in the body depend on the level of the indicator under consideration. With the help of the hormone, the nutrients that enter the body with food are broken down.

If the functionality of the pancreas is disturbed, energy failures occur.

The norm of insulin in the blood is 25 units. In children, this figure is 15 units.

If a lot of insulin is detected, experts diagnose hypoglycemia. With this deviation, the following symptoms appear:

• permanent depressed state of the patient;
• oppression;
• memory problems;
• lack of concentration at work;
• fast weight gain;
• fatigue.

Excess insulin in the body indicates poor blood vessel function, which can trigger the symptoms of hypertension.

This factor is taken into account by doctors before reducing the level of the hormone.

If therapy is not carried out, then more serious symptoms of a high level of change, i.e. a strong increase in the concentration of the hormone, may appear:

• insomnia;
• secretion of sebum;
• problems in the work of the kidneys;
• gangrene of the lower extremities.

Women are more likely to pay attention to the above symptoms. They worry about oily skin.

An objective measurement of insulin with normal sugar should be carried out 1 time in 3 hours.

Particular attention is paid to the value obtained in the morning and evening.

What affects the value of the indicator?

Increased insulin production is observed in patients who abuse sweets, sugar and carbohydrates.

Proper nutrition with elevated insulin prevents the development of complications characteristic of hyperglycemia. Medical nutrition is made by a doctor for each patient individually.

The causes of increased insulin in the blood are associated with overwork due to excessive physical exertion. Other reasons include neurosis, constant stress, anxiety.

If glucose is below normal, and doctors have detected an increased level of insulin in the blood of women or men, then the diagnosis is “primary hyperinsulinism”.

With this phenomenon, high is associated with a disturbed process of glucagon production.

If glucose is normal, and insulin is elevated, the development of a pancreatic tumor is allowed. With a normal value of the sugar index, secondary hyperinsulinism may occur.

With this diagnosis, the work of the central nervous system is disrupted, the hormones of corticotropin increase.

Factors contributing to the development of this condition are failure of carbohydrate metabolism, impaired liver function, peritoneal tumor, pathologies in the brain.

How to determine the value of the hormone?

The permissible value of the indicator in women and men is 3 - 20 mcU / ml.

To find out the meaning is assigned. Manipulation is carried out on an empty stomach.

This is explained by the fact that after eating there is an active production of the hormone. This phenomenon contributes to the distortion of diagnostic results.

In children, this feature is absent, so the study is carried out regardless of the meal.

The value depends on this factor in adolescence as the body matures.

Low insulin with normal sugar can indicate severe overwork. The phenomenon under consideration may be temporary.

Then it could be diabetes. In this case, frequent heartbeat, anxiety, sweating are added to the symptoms of the underlying ailment.

You can determine the value of the hormone by passing. For this, a solution is prepared from water with glucose.

It is drunk on an empty stomach, and after 2 hours the patient's blood is taken for examination. To get an accurate result, a three-day diet is followed before the study.

You can find out the value of the hormone using a glucometer device. Measurements are taken on an empty stomach. Before the procedure, it is recommended to wash your hands and warm up your finger (for better blood circulation).

To reduce pain, a puncture on the finger is performed from the side. The first drops of blood are wiped off with cotton wool, and the next drops are applied to the test strip.

Therapeutic procedures

Before lowering the level of insulin, diagnostics are prescribed. The doctor finds out the reason for the increase in the value of the hormone.

Based on the diagnostic data, drugs are prescribed that reduce the level of the hormone. In parallel, therapy helps to avoid complications of hyperglycemia.

To lower your insulin levels, you need to be physically active. The patient should perform the exercises in consultation with the attending physician.

A diet with elevated insulin is to eat healthy foods. Sweets are excluded from the diet. They are replaced with natural sweeteners.

In parallel, it is necessary to monitor the amount of carbohydrates consumed. Increased insulin with normal sugar requires the rejection of salt.

Foods that contain a large amount of sodium (crackers, canned food) are excluded from the diet. Do not drink drinks containing alcohol. Drink at least 2.5 liters of fluid per day:

• unsweetened compote;
• fruit drink;
• green tea without sugar.

The diet allows the consumption of low-fat dairy products. From cereals, bran and brown rice are used. Eggs can be eaten no more than 3 times a week.

The therapeutic diet includes lean meat. If the level of the hormone drops, this is not a reason to abandon the diet. It is recommended to eat citrus fruits and berries.

If the patient recovers, in the future he should eat right, do gymnastics, and avoid stress.

To lower insulin in the blood, medications are prescribed. Their names and list depend on the characteristics of the course of the disease.

Drugs to lower the concentration of insulin are taken under the supervision of a doctor. In severe cases, an operation is indicated.

Surgical treatment carried out if the hormone is actively produced. If a malignant process is detected, chemotherapy is performed.

After it, the patient needs rehabilitation. The program for the restoration of the body is selected on an individual basis.

The above methods prevent recurrence. Medical treatment can be supplemented with folk remedies, but only after consultation with an endocrinologist.

Patients with the disease in question must constantly donate blood (to monitor the work of the pancreas), undergo other diagnostic procedures.

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Insulin

Insulin is a protein hormone produced in the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. This substance affects almost all metabolic processes in the body. The primary task of insulin is to lower the concentration of glucose in the blood. In addition, insulin enhances the synthesis of fats and proteins, inhibits the breakdown of glycogen and fats. The normal concentration of immunoreactive insulin in the blood on an empty stomach is from 6 to 12.5 mcU / ml. Lack of insulin production (congenital or acquired) leads to diabetes mellitus.

Elevated insulin in the blood is observed with insulin resistance of tissues and underlies the development of the metabolic syndrome. Insulin preparations are used as medicines for diabetes mellitus.

What do we know about insulin? If the body suddenly stops producing it, the person is doomed to lifelong injections. Indeed, artificial insulin in diabetes instead of its own, which has ceased to be produced, is a salvation for the sick. Modern pharmaceuticals offers high-quality drugs that can completely replace the natural production of insulin, and provide a high quality of life for the patient. Gone are the usual syringes and large bottles of drugs that are so difficult to get the right dose. Today, the introduction of insulin is not difficult, because the medicine is available in convenient syringe pens with a dispenser, and sometimes a special pump is even installed for patients, due to which portions of the medicine are automatically measured and then released into the bloodstream.

Why is insulin so important? It regulates the level of glucose in human blood, and it is glucose that is the main source of energy for the body. The action of insulin is very multifaceted and well studied by modern science.

The hormone insulin

Human insulin is produced by special cells (beta cells) of the pancreas, most of which are located in its tail. A collection of hormone-producing beta cells is called the islets of Langerhans. As we have already said, first of all, insulin is responsible for regulating blood glucose levels. How does this happen?

• With the help of insulin, the permeability of the cell membrane improves, and glucose easily passes through it;
• Insulin is involved in the transition of glucose into glycogen stores in the muscles and liver;
• Insulin in the blood promotes the breakdown of glucose;
• The hormone provides a decrease in the activity of enzymes that break down glycogen and fat.

A decrease in insulin production by the body's own cells leads to the fact that a person begins type 1 diabetes. In this case, the beta cells themselves are irreversibly destroyed, where insulin should be produced during normal carbohydrate metabolism. A person with this type of diabetes requires constant administration of artificially synthesized insulin. If the hormone is produced in the right amount, but the cell receptors become insensitive to it, this indicates the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Insulin is not used for its treatment in the early stages, but with the progression of the disease, the endocrinologist may prescribe his injections to reduce the load on the pancreas.

Until recently, in the treatment of patients, a drug made on the basis of animal hormones, or modified animal insulin, in which one amino acid was replaced, was used. The development of the pharmaceutical industry has made it possible to obtain high-quality drugs using genetic engineering. Insulins synthesized in this way do not cause allergic reactions. In addition, smaller doses are required for successful correction of glucose levels.

Insulin production

Insulin production is a complex and multi-step process. First, an inactive substance is synthesized in the body, which precedes full-fledged insulin (preproinsulin), which then acquires active form. The structure of preproinsulin is written on a specific human chromosome. Simultaneously with its synthesis, a special L-peptide is formed, with the help of which preproinsulin passes through the cell membrane, turns into proinsulin and remains to mature in a special cellular structure (Golgi complex).

Maturation is the longest stage in the insulin production chain. During this period, proinsulin decomposes into insulin and C-peptide. Then the hormone attaches to zinc, which is in the body in ionic form.

The release of insulin from beta cells occurs when blood glucose levels rise. In addition, the secretion and release of insulin into the blood depends on the presence of certain hormones, fatty acids and amino acids, calcium and potassium ions in the plasma. Its production decreases in response to the release of another hormone - glucagon, which is also synthesized in the pancreas, namely in its alpha cells.

The human autonomic nervous system also influences the secretion of insulin:

• The parasympathetic part affects the increase in the synthesis of the hormone insulin;
• Under the influence of the symptomatic part, the synthesis of the substance is inhibited.

One of the most important tasks of insulin is the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. This function is carried out by increasing the permeability of cell membranes for glucose, which allows it to quickly enter the cell. Insulin in the body affects insulin-dependent tissues - muscle and fat. Together, these tissues make up 2/3 of the cell mass and are responsible for the most important vital functions (respiration, blood circulation).

The action of insulin is based on the work of a receptor protein located in the cell membrane. The hormone binds to the receptor and is recognized by it, starting the work of a whole chain of enzymes. As a result of biochemical changes, the protein kinase C is activated, which affects intracellular metabolism.

Human insulin affects a number of enzymes, but the main function of reducing the amount of blood glucose is realized through:

• Increase the ability of cells to absorb glucose;
• Activation of enzymes for the utilization of glucose;
• Acceleration of the formation of glucose reserves in the form of glycogen in liver cells;
• Decrease in the intensity of glucose formation in the liver.

In addition, the action of insulin is that it:

• Increases the absorption of amino acids by cells;
• Improves the flow of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium ions into the cell;
• Increases the production of fatty acids;
• Promotes the conversion of glucose into triglycerides in the liver and adipose tissue;
• Improves DNA replication (reproduction);
• Reduces the flow of fatty acids into the bloodstream;
• Inhibits the breakdown of proteins.

sugar and insulin

Insulin in the blood directly affects the utilization of glucose. How does this happen in a healthy person? Normally, with a long break in food, the level of glucose in the blood remains unchanged due to the fact that the pancreas produces small portions of insulin. As soon as food rich in carbohydrates enters the mouth, saliva decomposes them into simple glucose molecules, which are instantly absorbed into the blood through the mucous membrane of the oral cavity.

The pancreas receives information that a large amount of insulin is needed to utilize the incoming glucose, and it is taken from the reserves accumulated by the gland during the break in eating. The release of insulin in this case is called the first phase of the insulin response.

As a result of the release of insulin, blood sugar decreases to normal, and the stock of the hormone in the pancreas is depleted. The gland begins to synthesize additional insulin, which slowly enters the bloodstream, which is called the second phase of the insulin response. Normally, insulin continues to be produced and released into the bloodstream as food is digested. Some of the glucose is stored in the body as glycogen in the muscles and liver. If glycogen has nowhere else to go, and unutilized carbohydrates remain in the blood, insulin causes them to turn into fats and be deposited in adipose tissue. As the amount of glucose in the blood begins to fall over time, the alpha cells of the pancreas will begin to produce glucagon, a hormone that is the opposite of insulin in its action. It is glucagon that tells the muscles and liver that it is time to convert glycogen stores into glucose, which helps maintain normal blood sugar levels. Depleted glycogen stores will be replenished by the body during the next meal.

It turns out that maintaining a normal level of glucose in the blood is the result of hormonal regulation of the body, and there are two groups of hormones that affect the amount of glucose in different ways:

• Insulin has a hypoglycemic effect - it reduces the amount of sugar in the blood by storing glucose in the form of glycogen in the liver and muscles. When the glucose level rises above a certain figure, the body begins to produce insulin to utilize sugar;
• Glucagon is a hyperglycemic hormone produced in the alpha cells of the pancreas that converts liver and muscle glycogen stores into glucose.

Insulin: the norm in women

The normal level of insulin in a woman's blood indicates that the body is coping with the processing of glucose. A good indicator of fasting glucose is from 3.3 to 5.5 mmol / l, the norm of insulin in the blood is from 3 to 26 μU / ml. The standards for older and pregnant women are slightly different:

• In the elderly - 6-35 mcU / ml;
• In pregnant women - 6-28 mcU / ml.

The norm of insulin must be taken into account in the diagnosis of diabetes: along with the determination of glucose in the blood, an insulin test allows you to understand whether there is a disease. At the same time, both an increase and a decrease in the indicator relative to normal numbers are important. So, elevated insulin suggests that the pancreas is idle, giving out extra doses of the hormone that are not absorbed by the cells of the body. A decrease in the amount of insulin means that the beta cells of the pancreas are not able to produce the right amount of the hormone.

Interestingly, in pregnant women, the norm of insulin, the norm of glucose are somewhat different. This is due to the fact that the placenta produces hormones that increase the amount of glucose in the blood, and it provokes the release of insulin. As a result, the sugar level rises, it penetrates through the placenta to the child, forcing his pancreas to work in an enhanced mode and synthesize a lot of insulin. Glucose is absorbed and stored in the form of fat, the weight of the fetus increases, which is dangerous for the course and outcome of future births - a large baby can simply get stuck in the birth canal. To avoid this, women who have an increase in the amount of insulin and glucose during pregnancy should be observed by a doctor and follow his prescriptions.

Insulin: the norm in men

The norm of insulin is the same for men and women, and is 3-26 mcU / ml. The reason for the decrease in hormone secretion is the destruction of pancreatic cells. This usually happens at a young age, against the background of an acute viral infection(flu) - the disease begins acutely, often patients are admitted to the hospital in a state of hypo- or hyperglycemic coma. The disease is autoimmune in nature (cells are destroyed under the influence of their own killer cells, which are formed due to failures in the immune system), and is called type 1 diabetes. Only lifelong administration of insulin and a special diet can help here.

When a man has an elevated level of insulin, one can suspect the presence of tumors of the pancreas, diseases of the liver and adrenal glands. If, according to the results of the examination, nothing was revealed, and an increase in insulin levels is accompanied by an increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood, one can suspect type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this case, cell receptors lose their sensitivity to insulin. Despite the fact that the pancreas produces it in large quantities, glucose cannot enter the cells through the cell membrane. Type 2 diabetes mellitus in the stronger sex appears with age, obesity, unhealthy lifestyle, and bad habits contribute to it.

What troubles does a violation of the production and absorption of insulin in men entail? A specific male diabetic problem is impotence. Due to the fact that glucose is not properly utilized, its elevated level is observed in the blood, and this has a bad effect on blood vessels, impairs their patency and disrupts erection. In addition, nerve damage develops (diabetic neuropathy), the sensitivity of nerve endings decreases.

To avoid this delicate issue, diabetic men need to be observed by an endocrinologist, fulfill all his appointments, regularly check the level of glucose and insulin in the blood.

The norm of insulin in a child is from 3 to 20 mcU / ml. In some diseases, both its increase and decrease can be observed:

• Type 1 diabetes is characterized by low insulin levels.

This type of disease is the main one in children. Most often the first Clinical signs arise in early age. This disease is characterized by rapid onset and severe course. Beta cells die and stop producing insulin, so only injections of the hormone can save a sick child. The cause of the disease lies in congenital autoimmune disorders, any childhood infection can become a trigger. The disease begins with a sharp weight loss, nausea, vomiting. Sometimes children are admitted to the hospital already in a state of coma (when the body is unable to cope with a sharp decrease or increase in insulin and blood glucose levels). In adolescents, the onset of the disease can be blurred, the latent period lasts up to 6 months, and at this time the child complains of a headache, fatigue, an indomitable desire to eat something sweet. Pustular rashes may appear on the skin. The treatment for type 1 childhood diabetes is to give insulin injections to make up for the lack of your own hormones.

• In type 2 diabetes, hyperplasia of the islets of Langerhans, insulinoma, the level of insulin in the blood rises.

Insulinoma and hyperplasia are rare, and type 2 diabetes is very common. It differs in that with increased insulin, blood sugar is not utilized, and remains high due to a violation of the sensitivity of cell receptors. Treatment of the disease is to restore sensitivity through special medications, diet and exercise.

Elevated insulin

High insulin levels in adults

In a healthy body, everything should be in balance. This also applies to carbohydrate metabolism, part of which is the production and utilization of insulin. Sometimes people mistakenly believe that increased insulin is even good: the body will not suffer from high blood glucose numbers. In fact, it's not like that. Exceeding the level of insulin in the blood is just as harmful as reducing its concentration.

Why does such a violation occur? The reason may be a change in the structure and structure of the pancreas itself (tumors, hyperplasia), as well as diseases of other organs, due to which carbohydrate metabolism is disturbed (damage to the kidneys, liver, adrenal glands, etc.). However, most often high insulin becomes due to type 2 diabetes, when the pancreas is working normally, and the cells of the islets of Langerhans continue to synthesize the hormone normally. The reason for the increase in insulin is insulin resistance - a decrease in the sensitivity of cells to it. As a result, sugar from the blood cannot penetrate the cell membrane, and the body, trying to still deliver glucose to the cell, secretes more and more insulin, which is why its concentration is always high. At the same time, a violation of carbohydrate metabolism is only part of the problems: almost all type 2 diabetics have a metabolic syndrome, when, in addition to high sugar, a person has high blood cholesterol, hypertension, heart disease. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes can be indicated by:

• Abdominal obesity, in which fat is deposited in the waist area.
• Increased blood pressure.
• An increase in the amount of "bad" cholesterol in comparison with the norm.

Researchers believe that the reason for the development of insulin resistance is genetics: it is assumed that resistance is a way for the body to survive in conditions of hunger, because a violation of the sensitivity of insulin receptors allows you to stock up on fat in well-fed prosperous times. However, the evolutionary advantage in the current conditions has turned into a problem: the body stores fat even when it is not needed - modern developed society has long forgotten about hunger, but people continue to eat with a reserve, which is then “deposited” on their sides.

Elevated insulin levels (hyperinsulinism) can be diagnosed using a blood test taken on an empty stomach - the normal value of the hormone in the blood plasma is from 3 to 28 mcU / ml. Blood is taken strictly on an empty stomach, because after eating the amount of insulin changes dramatically.

What to do if the analysis showed a high level of insulin? First of all, you need to deal with the cause - the tactics of further treatment depends on this: for example, if the violation is associated with the presence of insulinoma, the patient is offered surgical removal of the tumor. When the amount of the hormone rises due to diseases of the adrenal glands and their cortex, liver, pituitary tumors, you need to fight these diseases - their remission will lead to a decrease in insulin levels. Well, if the cause of the disease is a violation of carbohydrate metabolism and diabetes, a special low-carbohydrate diet and drugs aimed at improving the sensitivity of cells to insulin will help.

Elevated insulin levels are common during pregnancy - in this case, they talk about the development of gestational diabetes. What is the danger of such diabetes for mother and baby? The child can be very large, with overdeveloped shoulders, and this is dangerous for future births - the baby can get stuck in the birth canal. High insulin levels often cause fetal hypoxia. Mothers may subsequently develop normal diabetes mellitus, not associated with pregnancy.

The risk of developing gestational diabetes increases if you have:

• Diabetes in past pregnancies;
• overweight;
• polycystic ovaries;
• Hereditary burden.

Why is there an increased level of insulin and a violation of carbohydrate metabolism during pregnancy?

Under normal conditions, the amount of glucose in the blood is controlled by insulin, which is produced in the pancreas. Under its influence, glucose is absorbed by the cells, and its level in the blood decreases. During pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones that cause sugar levels to rise. Glucose through the placenta enters the baby's bloodstream, and his pancreas, trying to correct the situation, produces more and more insulin. In turn, the excess secreted hormone contributes to the rapid absorption of glucose and its transformation into body fat. As a result, the weight of the unborn baby is growing at a rapid pace - fetal macrosomia occurs.

How does gestational diabetes manifest itself in a woman?

As a rule, it does not bother the expectant mother in any way, and is detected by chance during routine tests, and especially the glucose tolerance test, which is performed at 26-28 weeks of pregnancy. Sometimes the disease manifests itself more clearly: bouts of severe hunger, constant thirst and copious urination.

You can suspect gestational diabetes by ultrasound of the fetus - an advance in size and weight may indicate the development of the disease.

The normal value of the level of insulin in the blood plasma during pregnancy is 6-28 mcU / ml, glucose - up to 5.1 mmol / l. Sometimes, in addition to these tests, a study of “glycated hemoglobin” is prescribed - it shows how long a woman has developed diabetes. Glycated hemoglobin is hemoglobin glued to glucose. It is formed when blood sugar levels are elevated for a long time (up to 3 months).

How to treat gestational diabetes?

First of all, a woman is prescribed a low-carbohydrate diet and self-monitoring of blood glucose levels with portable meters on an empty stomach and after eating. Most of the violations can be corrected by a reasonable diet with the exclusion of "fast carbohydrates", uniform meals and feasible physical activity (walking, swimming). Physical education is very important - after all, exercise provides the body with oxygen, improves metabolism, utilizes excess glucose and helps to normalize the amount of insulin in the blood. But if these methods did not help, the expectant mother is waiting for insulin injections, which are allowed during pregnancy. As a rule, "short" insulins are prescribed before meals, and "long" ones - at bedtime and in the morning. Medicines are used until the end of pregnancy, in most cases after childbirth, gestational diabetes resolves on its own, and further treatment is not required.

High insulin levels are a problem that also occurs in childhood. Why can insulin be elevated in a child? More and more children suffer from obesity, the cause of which is malnutrition, and sometimes parents do not think about how dangerous it is for the body. Of course, there are cases when an increase in insulin levels is associated with other circumstances: in children, as in adults, there may be tumors and diseases of the pituitary gland, adrenal glands and their cortex, insulinomas. But more often, a violation of carbohydrate metabolism is hereditary, which is superimposed by malnutrition, lack of physical activity, and stress.

As a result, the child develops type 2 diabetes mellitus, in which, despite the active work of the pancreas and the secretion of insulin, the cells lose their sensitivity to it. Unfortunately, doctors say that type 2 diabetes has become “younger” in our time - more and more children suffer from overweight, metabolic syndrome and carbohydrate metabolism disorders.

What should I do if my child's blood tests show high insulin levels? First, it is necessary to exclude diseases that increase the production of the hormone (insulinoma, hyperplasia of the islets of Langerhans, damage to the liver, pituitary gland and adrenal glands). If these diseases are not detected after the examination, and there are signs of type 2 diabetes, the treatment consists in restoring the sensitivity of cell receptors to insulin and reducing the load on the pancreas so that it does not become depleted from excessive hormone synthesis. This can be achieved with the help of special medications, a low-carbohydrate diet and physical education. Violation of carbohydrate metabolism and obesity in a child is a reason to reconsider the menu and lifestyle of the whole family: yes - to sports and proper nutrition, no - fast food and weekends on the couch.

Causes of High Insulin Levels

High levels of insulin in a person can be different reasons. In medicine, excess hormone secretion is called "hyperinsulinism". Depending on what caused it, there are primary and secondary forms of the disease:

The primary form is associated with a lack of glucagon secretion and an excess of insulin production by beta cells of the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas. This happens when:

• The pancreas is affected by a tumor that increases the production of insulin. As a rule, such tumors are benign and are called insulinomas;
• The islets of Langerhans in the gland proliferate, causing an increased secretion of human insulin;
• Glucagon secretion decreases in alpha cells.

The secondary form of the violation is not associated with problems of the pancreas, and is due to abnormalities in the functioning nervous system and impaired secretion of other hormones that affect carbohydrate metabolism. In addition, the cause of secondary (extrapancreatic) hyperinsulinism may be a change in the sensitivity of receptors susceptible to insulin. What disorders in the body can contribute to the development of hyperinsulinism?

• Diseases of the pituitary gland;
• Diseases (including benign and malignant tumors) of the adrenal glands, diseases of the adrenal cortex;
• Liver damage;
• Violation in the metabolism of carbohydrates. In this case, with increased insulin, blood sugar still remains high;
• Operations on the gastrointestinal tract (in particular, gastric resection) can lead to the fact that carbohydrates are too quickly evacuated into small intestine and are actively absorbed there, causing a sharp increase in the amount of sugar in the blood and the release of insulin.

The most common cause hyperinsulinism today is a violation of the sensitivity to insulin of cellular receptors. Cells cease to perceive this hormone, and the body "does not understand" this and increases the production of insulin, which, however, does not reduce blood glucose - this is how type 2 diabetes is formed. As a rule, it is typical for middle-aged and older people, and accounts for more than 90% of all cases of diabetes. And if we can say about type 1 diabetes that a person was unlucky to be born with a defective gene responsible for the development of the disease, then type 2 diabetes is completely the “merit” of the person himself: it develops in those who abuse fatty and sweet, lead a sedentary life and has bad habits.

Decreased insulin level

A low level of insulin, as a rule, indicates the development of diabetes - due to a lack of the hormone, glucose is not utilized, but remains in the blood. A decrease in insulin levels in diabetes leads to unpleasant symptoms:

• Increased urination, increased amount of urine (especially at night). This is due to the fact that excess glucose from the blood is excreted into the urine, and glucose "takes" water with it, increasing the volume of urination;
• Feeling constant thirst(in this way the body tries to make up for the loss of fluid in the urine);
• Hyperglycemia - an increase in the amount of glucose: a low level of insulin in the blood or the complete absence of its production leads to the fact that glucose does not enter the cells, and they experience its deficiency.

You can compensate for the lack of insulin by constant injections of insulin analogues.

Causes of low insulin levels

The level of insulin in the blood can decrease due to many circumstances. To find out exactly why this happens, you need to contact an endocrinologist. The main reasons for the decrease in insulin production by the gland are:

• Unhealthy diet: the content in the diet of a large amount of high-calorie foods and animal fats, "fast" carbohydrates (sugar, flour). All this leads to the fact that the insulin produced by the pancreas is chronically not enough to utilize the incoming carbohydrates, and the body tries to increase its production by depleting beta cells;
• Non-compliance with the diet (overeating);
• Reduced immunity due to infections and chronic diseases;
• Lack of sleep, anxiety, stress help reduce the amount of insulin produced by the body;
• Lack of active physical activity - because of them, the amount of sugar in the blood increases and at the same time the level of insulin decreases.

insulin for diabetes

Type 1 diabetes occurs in young people. This is an incurable disease in which only regular insulin injections that mimic its natural production will help the patient.

Scientists believe that the cause of diabetes is a hereditary predisposition to an autoimmune disorder, and the trigger may be an injury or a cold, due to which the process of destruction of beta cells by their own killer cells begins. Thus, insulin in type 1 diabetes either ceases to be synthesized at all, or it is not enough to utilize glucose.

How does the disease begin? The patient complains that he quickly weakens and gets tired, became irritable, urinates often and is very thirsty, loses weight. Sometimes nausea and vomiting are added to the symptoms.

In the absence of insulin treatment, a person can die from hyper- and hypoglycemia. In addition, excessive blood sugar levels have a toxic effect on the body: blood vessels (especially the kidneys and eyes) are damaged, blood circulation in the feet is disturbed and gangrene can occur, nerves are affected, and fungal diseases appear on the skin.

The only way to treat is to choose doses of insulin that will replace the natural synthesis of the hormone by the body. An interesting fact is that with the started therapy, the so-called “honeymoon” begins, when the insulin level normalizes to such an extent that the patient can do without injections. Unfortunately, this period does not last long (largely because people stop dieting and do not take prescribed injections). If you approach the treatment wisely, you can try to save as many of your own beta cells as possible, which will continue to synthesize insulin, and get by with a small number of injections.

Type 2 diabetes

What is type 2 diabetes? With this diabetes, insulin does not cease to be produced by the body, but the sensitivity of receptors to it changes - insulin resistance occurs. As a rule, the disease develops slowly in people aged 35-40 years and above who are overweight. The cause of diabetes is:

• Hereditary predisposition to the development of metabolic syndrome and disorders of carbohydrate metabolism;
• Unhealthy diet with a lot of "fast" carbohydrates;
• Lack of physical activity.

At the initial stage, insulin in diabetes is produced by the pancreas in a normal amount, but the tissues do not respond to it. The body increases the secretion of the hormone, and over time, the beta cells of the pancreas are depleted, and the person needs insulin injections, as in the first type of diabetes.

The disease usually has no pronounced symptoms. Patients complain only of itching, the presence of fungal infections, and they turn to the doctor when diabetes is complicated by retino-, neuropathy and kidney problems.

At the beginning of the disease, the patient can be helped by diet and exercise. As a rule, weight loss leads to the fact that the receptors regain sensitivity to insulin. Despite the fact that the second type of diabetes is called non-insulin dependent, the patient may subsequently need the introduction of human insulin - this happens when beta cells are depleted from excessive synthesis of the hormone.

Treatment with insulin

Types of insulin preparations

Insulin treatment is the main therapy for diabetics. Depending on how the drug is synthesized, there are:

• Bovine insulin - it can give strong allergic reactions, since the protein composition is significantly different from the human;
• Preparations derived from porcine pancreas. They can also be allergenic, although they differ from human insulin in just one amino acid;
• Analogues of the human hormone insulin - they are obtained by replacing the amino acid in porcine insulin;
• Genetically modified drugs - the hormone is "extracted" by the synthesis of Escherichia coli.

Analogues and genetically modified drugs - the best choice for insulin treatment, because they do not cause allergies and give a stable healing effect. You can see the composition of the drug on the package: MS - monocomponent, NM - analogue or genetically modified. Marking with numbers shows how many units of the hormone are contained in 1 ml of the drug.

In 2016, the results of the work of scientists from the Endocrinological Research Center of the Ministry of Health of Russia in Moscow were published. The aim of the study was to retrospectively compare the effectiveness of glycemic control and the incidence of microvascular complications (nephropathy and retinopathy) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus treated for 10 years with genetically engineered human insulins (HIH) or human insulin analogs (AHI). As a result, it was found that patients treated with AHI were less likely to develop diabetic nephropathy compared to patients treated with GIH.

Insulins differ not only in origin, but also in duration of action:

• "Fast", or ultra-short - begin to work immediately after the introduction.

The maximum effect is observed after 1-1.5 hours, the duration of action is 3-4 hours. They are administered either before meals or immediately after. The ultra-short type of insulin includes Novorapid and Insulin Humalog.

• "Short" - effective half an hour after administration, peak activity - after 2-3 hours, in total they act up to 6 hours.

Such drugs are administered 10-20 minutes before meals. At the time of the peak of activity, you need to plan an additional snack. An example of a "short" insulin is Insulin Actrapid, Insuman Rapid.

• "Medium" - act within 12-16 hours, begin to work 2-3 hours after administration, peak - after 6-8 hours.

Such drugs are administered 2-3 times a day. An example of drugs is Protafan, Insulin Humulin NPH.

• "Long" - has a prolonged action and is an analogue of basal (background) insulin production.

It is administered 1-2 times a day. Some drugs are called "peakless" because they do not have a pronounced peak of activity and completely mimic the production of the hormone in healthy people. Peakless insulins include Levemir and Lantus.

• Combined or mixed.

In such a preparation, doses of long-acting and short-acting insulin are already mixed in one syringe, so the patient needs to do fewer injections. Medications differ in the proportions in which two types of insulin are mixed. The specific type of drug, depending on the proportion, should be selected by the endocrinologist. An example of a combined type of insulin is Novomix.

Insulin injections are an integral part of the life of a patient with type 1 diabetes. How well a person makes them depends on his well-being and the degree of compensation for the disease. It is customary to inject the drug into the subcutaneous fat - this ensures its uniform absorption into the blood. Most convenient places for injections - the abdomen (except for the navel), buttocks, the front surface of the thigh and the outer surface of the shoulder. At each part of the body, insulin enters the blood at a different speed: the slowest - if it is injected into the front of the thigh, the fastest - from the abdomen. In this regard, “short” preparations should be injected into the abdomen and upper arm, and long-acting insulin doses into the upper lateral part of the buttock or thigh. If the drug Novorapid or Lantus is used, injections can be made in any of the listed sites.

Do not give insulin injections in the same place and at a distance of less than 2 cm from the previous injection. Otherwise, fatty seals may appear, due to which the medicine is worse absorbed into the blood. The injection procedure consists of several stages:

• You need to wash your hands with soap;
• Wipe the skin with an alcohol wipe (if you do not take a daily shower);
• The syringe with insulin must be turned over several times, but not shaken - for better mixing;
• Then you should dial the desired dose of insulin by scrolling the dial in a circle to the left to the desired number;
• Do skin fold and insert the needle at an angle of 45-90º, press on the plunger and wait 15 seconds;
• Slowly and carefully withdraw the needle to prevent leakage of the drug from the puncture.

To ensure the optimal level of insulin in the blood, the dose of drugs and the number of injections must be selected together with the endocrinologist. As a rule, the following schemes are used:

• Three injections (breakfast, lunch, dinner) of "short", and one or two (morning and evening) - "long" insulin. This treatment best mimics the body's natural production of insulin, but requires frequent glucose measurements to determine the correct dose of medication.
• Two injections ("short" and "long" insulin) before breakfast and dinner. In this case, strict adherence to a diet and meals by the hour is required.

If the patient is ill with ARVI or influenza, frequent administration of "short" insulin may be necessary, since hormone production is inhibited during a viral infection.

Rules for administering insulin

The introduction of insulin must be carried out in accordance with certain rules:

• Medicine syringes should be stored at room temperature. If prolonged-acting insulin is used, it must be mixed by turning the pen.
• The choice of injection site depends on what type of insulin is being injected (“short” should be injected into places where it is absorbed quickly, “long” - where it is slowly).
• You can not make injections at the same point - this leads to the formation of seals in the subcutaneous fat and impairs the absorption of the drug.
• After removing the cap, you need to attach the needle to the syringe pen in accordance with the instructions. It is advisable to use a new needle with each new injection.
• If there is a large air bubble in the syringe, tap the body with the needle pointing up to make the bubble float, and then release a few units of the medicine into the air. Small bubbles do not need to be removed.
• The dose of the drug is set by turning the syringe regulator in accordance with the instructions.
• For the correct administration of insulin, you need to make a skin fold in the desired area, and then insert the needle at an angle of 45 to 90 degrees. After that, you should smoothly and slowly press the syringe button, count to 20, and carefully pull it out, after releasing the skin fold.

Insulin treatment is the main way to ensure a normal life for a diabetic patient. In order for the therapy to bring the desired effect, it must be prescribed by an endocrinologist. Self-selection of drugs and dosages can threaten health!

The goal of insulin treatment is to completely replace the lost own production of the hormone with the artificial administration of drugs. To do this, the doctor selects drugs that will best act on the patient's body. The patient, in turn, must be responsible for the treatment: follow a diet, diet and insulin administration.

Fortunately, the current level of development of medicine allows the patient to lead a full life: combined and long-acting drugs are produced, pumps can be used. At the same time, the idea has taken root in the minds of many: if you start insulin injections, it means admitting that you are disabled. In fact, proper insulin therapy is a guarantee that a person will not develop serious complications of diabetes that lead to disability. Adequate treatment makes it possible to "unload" the remaining beta cells and save them from the harmful effects of chronically elevated blood glucose. Over time, the patient may need smaller doses of insulin.

Diet for low insulin levels

A low level of insulin in the human body is characteristic of diabetes mellitus. Treatment of diabetes requires the appointment of a low-carbohydrate diet (table number 9 according to Pevzner). What are the basic rules of nutrition?

• The diet should be balanced, and its calorie content should be reduced.
• With a lack of insulin, sugar does not have time to be utilized in the blood, so you need to limit the amount of quickly digestible carbohydrates, and some of them should be completely excluded: semolina, potatoes, white rice, sugar and honey will not benefit a diabetic.
• As prescribed by a doctor, xylitol, sorbitol, fructose and other sweeteners can be used instead of sugar. As a rule, they are absorbed more slowly than glucose, and allow better control of blood sugar.
• Meals should be fractional and frequent, and portions should be small. The optimal number of meals is at least five times, while each time you should try to eat approximately the same amount of carbohydrates.
• It is necessary to include a large amount of fiber in the diet, which gives a feeling of fullness and promotes better utilization of fats and carbohydrates. Fiber is found mainly in raw vegetables: cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes, zucchini.
• Since a violation of the production and absorption of the hormone insulin is usually accompanied by disorders of fat metabolism, the menu should contain products that have a lipotropic (fat-splitting) effect: cottage cheese, lean fish, beef, oatmeal.
• It is necessary to refuse dishes with a high content of animal fat, fried, rich broths.

Diet for high insulin levels

Elevated levels of insulin in the blood indicate that the pancreas produces it in excess. At the same time, the sensitivity of cell receptors to it can be impaired - this happens with the metabolic syndrome, when a person has diabetes mellitus, obesity, lipid metabolism disorders, heart and vascular diseases, and hypertension at the same time. The body produces insulin in vain, unnecessarily stimulating the pancreas. How to correct such a violation? Doctors usually prescribe medication, exercise, and diet. The basic principles of the diet are:

• Restriction of "fast" carbohydrates, which cause increased production of insulin in the body. It is best to completely eliminate them, preferring "slow" carbohydrates: brown rice, durum wheat pasta, buckwheat, whole grain bread;
• Control portion sizes - the amount of food at one meal should be small, you need to eat often (4-6 times a day);
• If possible, instead of sugar, it is better to use sweeteners;
• Give up alcohol;
• Drink plenty of ordinary water, completely quench your thirst;
• Reduce the amount of salt eaten (both in dishes and in its pure form);
• Refuse foods high in sodium (salted nuts, sausage, canned food).

What foods should be in the diet of a person who has high insulin?

• Lean meat (preferably beef);
• Low-fat dairy and sour-milk products, cottage cheese;
• Eggs in a small amount;
• Whole grains and cereals;
• Vegetables that do not contain starch: cabbage, pumpkin, broccoli, tomatoes, etc.;
• Greens;
• Fruits with a low glycemic index.

If insulin is produced in the body in an insufficient or, conversely, excessive amount, this leads to a change in the level of glucose in the blood. And although high and low sugar have different symptoms, the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism requires compliance with certain rules:

• If you suffer from a violation of the production and absorption of insulin, get a bracelet or put a note in your wallet so that others can quickly respond and provide assistance;
• Regularly see an endocrinologist and follow the prescribed treatment;
• Do not drink alcohol, as it causes a sharp change in blood sugar levels;
• Try to lead a calm, measured lifestyle - after all, as you know, the production of the hormone insulin is suppressed during stress. In addition, people under stress can disregard their own health according to the principle “it won’t get worse anyway”, causing great damage;
• Regularly check blood sugar with portable devices (glucometers) - this way you can assess whether the body is coping with the load, or if you need to change the current dose of medication. Glucose control will help avoid life-threatening conditions such as hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic coma;
• Be smart about physical activity. You should not set sports records, because insulin production does not change at the time of exercise, but glucose utilization accelerates, and blood sugar levels can drop to an unacceptably low value. You can fight this by eating a small amount of carbohydrate food before you start exercising, or by injecting less insulin with meals (if you are prescribed insulin therapy);
• Do not neglect preventive vaccinations, the purpose of which is to protect the body from influenza and pneumococcal infection, because during the illness, hormones are produced that block the production and absorption of insulin in the body, and this is bad for health and aggravates the course of diabetes.

Produced by the pancreas, insulin is perhaps the most popular hormone. Literally every student knows that with low insulin, blood sugar increases, and type 1 diabetes occurs. An increase in insulin levels can also be initial sign diabetes, when the pancreas takes poor absorption of the hormone by tissues for its absolute lack, and begins to produce it even in excess - this is how type 2 diabetes appears.

Treatment of diseases associated with a lack or excess of insulin is different, and depends on the specific cause:

• With a lack of a hormone, insulin therapy is prescribed;
• With excessive secretion of insulin and the lack of tissue sensitivity to it, drugs are used that reduce insulin resistance.

It is important to remember: a violation of insulin production in itself is not a sentence, but a reason to turn to an endocrinologist for qualified help and change your habits to healthier ones. It is unacceptable to self-medicate and experiment with dosages and drugs - all therapy should be prescribed by a doctor, depending on the medical history and characteristics of the state of health.

Used sources

1. Shestakova M. V., Efremova N. V., Bolotskaya L. L. et al. // Comparative analysis of the effectiveness of glycemic control and the incidence of microangiopathies in patients with type 1 diabetes receiving therapy with genetically engineered human insulins or human insulin analogs: data 10-year retrospective follow-up // Diabetes mellitus // 2016 // No. 19.
2. Balabolkin M.I. // Diabetology // M.: Medicine, 2000.
3. Dedov I.I., Shestakova M.V., Maksimova M.A. // Federal target program "Diabetes mellitus": Method. recommendations // M., 2002.
4. Starostina E.G.// Insulin and insulin therapy: "dark forest" or a harmonious system? // In the world of medicines // 1998 // №2.
5. Koledova E.A. // Contemporary Issues insulin therapy // Diabetes mellitus // 2001 // No. 12.

The hormone insulin is one of the most important hormones in the human body. Without it, the normal functioning of numerous systems is impossible. First of all, it helps to determine the level of sugar in a person’s blood and, if necessary, adjust it.

But sometimes even with normal sugar, insulin is significantly elevated. The reasons why this happens, as evidenced by a high level of sugar or insulin in the blood, than it threatens, are lower.

Insulin and its importance

As it was said, without insulin, not a single process in the human body proceeds normally. It is actively involved in the breakdown of proteins and fats. But, of course, the main function is to control blood glucose levels. If the sugar level is disturbed, energy metabolism will not proceed in the body in a normal ratio.

Insulin in a healthy, normally functioning body is contained in such quantities:

• In children - from 3.0 to 20 mcU / ml;
• In adults - from 3.0 to 25 mcU / ml.

In the elderly, whose age has exceeded 60-65 years, insulin can be contained in amounts up to 35 mcU / ml. All this - normal performance. If the upper marks are exceeded, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible - he will establish the reasons and explain why insulin is abnormally elevated.

Of particular concern should be the situation when the hormone is elevated, and sugar remains normal. For the convenience of monitoring the level of insulin and glucose at home, a glucometer must always be at hand.

It is necessary to measure sugar several times a day - preferably at least 5 in order to get the clearest possible picture.

But if this is not possible, then sugar should be checked at least twice a day: in the morning after waking up, and in the evening, before going to bed.

Why insulin is high - reasons

If insulin is elevated, this always indicates serious malfunctions in the body, something is wrong with health. First of all, we can talk about the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus - it is with this form of the disease that such indicators are characteristic.

Often elevated hormone levels indicate the so-called Cushing's disease. With acromegaly, there is a parallel high level of growth hormone in the blood. At the same time, sugar remains normal.

- one of the signs of serious liver problems. Often, a similar symptom signals the presence of insulinoma - a tumor that actively produces this hormone.

Myotonia dystrophica, a serious, neuromuscular disease, is another possible reason increasing levels of the hormone insulin. You can also suspect the initial stage of obesity and a decrease in the sensitivity of tissue cells to the hormone and carbohydrates derived from it.

Whatever the reasons for the sudden rise in insulin, a thorough, comprehensive examination of the patient is essential.

Important: often the pancreatic hormone is increased in women during the period of bearing a child. It is believed that since the body is moving into a new physiological state, such changes are completely normal. But, nevertheless, it is recommended to monitor your well-being, nutrition and weight.

It is impossible to ignore the fact that the change in the level of hormones in female body often associated with various neoplasms - in particular, polycystic ovaries or ovaries may develop. characteristic symptom in this case, there is an increased and sharp deposition of fat in the crease on the abdomen.

All of the above diseases begin to develop against the background of an increase in insulin levels in the body. But there are pathologies that are caused, on the contrary, by a decrease or degradation of insulin or blood sugar. What should be feared in this case?

Why is low insulin dangerous?

If there is a sharp decrease in insulin, measures should be taken immediately, as this may be a signal of such phenomena and pathologies:

• Type 1 diabetes;
• juvenile diabetes;
• Hypopituitarism is a disease associated with dysfunction of the pituitary gland.

If the patient has been exposed to severe physical activity, active sports, insulin levels can also drop significantly. Naturally, in any case, it is always necessary Special attention pay attention to the condition of the pancreas and sugar levels - they can be higher than normal with low insulin.

Determining the level of insulin plays a big role for those patients who have been diagnosed quite recently, have not yet accurately established the type of disease and have not chosen treatment tactics. The chosen program, which the diabetic will have to adhere to for the rest of his life, will depend on the indicators obtained.

How to determine the level of the hormone by well-being

It is very important to control the level of insulin and sugar on your own. Doing this is not as difficult as it might seem, even in the absence of a glucometer and the ability to pass laboratory tests- it is enough to carefully follow the signs that the body itself sends.

Even slight fluctuations in the ratio of the hormone immediately affect the amount of glucose. All this inevitably affects the patient's well-being.

If the insulin indicator has deviated from the permissible mark, increased or decreased, this can be determined by the following signs:

1. Feeling of thirst, which is very difficult to quench;
2. Itchy skin;
3. Increased urge to urinate;
4. lethargy;
5. Fast fatiguability.

If the hormone level remains elevated for a long time, there is a long-term healing of even the most minor injuries, scratches and bruises. That is why for all diabetics any injuries and operations are highly undesirable.

The process of tissue regeneration will be very slow and painful, wounds are prone to inflammation and suppuration. For the same reason varicose veins veins, trophic ulcers often lead to gangrene. In advanced cases, this threatens with amputation of the limb.

If the insulin ratio increases sharply, blood sugar usually drops rapidly immediately. This is indicated by the following symptoms:

1. Sudden attacks of hunger.
2. Tachycardia, rapid pulse.
3. Violent trembling all over the body.
4. Increased sweating.
5. A state close to fainting is also sudden.

All these manifestations indicate that the patient needs urgent health care, you can't slow down

What threatens the increase in the ratio of insulin

An increase in the ratio of insulin in the blood is dangerous not only for those who suffer from type 2 diabetes, but for every healthy person. This phenomenon inevitably leads to severe disease of various internal organs and disruption of their functioning.

First of all, a large amount of insulin in the body affects the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels and arteries. And this threatens the development of dangerous hypertension. Accordingly, if the patency of the vessels worsens, the risk of various disorders of the cardiovascular system increases.

Suffering and carotid artery including - its cells and walls begin to thicken and thicken, and this leads to a deterioration in the blood supply to the brain. In older patients, this phenomenon is manifested by a deterioration in memory and clarity of thinking, slow reactions, and other functional disorders.

The worst thing that an increased ratio of insulin can lead to is the formation of type 1 diabetes. This form of the disease is pathological changes almost all human systems and organs. In addition, without regular injections of insulin, the patient will no longer be able to do a single day.

The sooner measures are taken, if the deviations are confirmed, the more likely it is to avoid serious complications. The slightest change should not be ignored, they must be examined in time and mandatory treatment carried out.

These measures are very important in cases where changes in insulin levels are very significant, while sugar remains at a normal level. This phenomenon is very dangerous, the patient's condition cannot be considered stable, he needs medical help.

As a conclusion, we can say that controlling the level of insulin in the body is just as important as controlling the level of sugar. Subject to all the above rules and recommendations, it is possible to maintain the functioning of vital organs at a high level and timely prevent the formation of their pathological diseases.