Blood test for insulin interpretation in adults. What is the normal insulin level in women and what are the dangers of deviations? Insulin and diabetes

Question to an endocrinologist: Why does insulin resistance need to be treated?

ENDOCRINOLOGIST Maria Beletskaya, doctor_beleckaya: Why is insulin resistance (IR) dangerous?

⛔ IR will lead to type 2 diabetes and obesity.
⛔ IR reduces the reproductive capabilities of men and women.
⛔ IR can lead to benign and malignant neoplasms.

The most important thing in treating IR is consistency. This should become a way of life. If you have the “Plyushkin genetic code” or have habits that led to IR, there is only one option - changing your lifestyle.

What exactly needs to be changed and why?

IR is a condition that cannot be treated once, like a bad tooth; you need to work on it constantly, develop good habits, eradicate harmful ones. And for others, take medications.

1⃣ The most main point- this, of course, is nutrition. There should be 3 meals! And not 5 or 6. Why? Because for every meal, if it is not water, the pancreas secretes insulin. With IR, there is already a lot of insulin, but it does not work properly.

There is NO NEED to create conditions for it to be produced even more! It is necessary to achieve a reduction in insulin surges quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitatively - preferably no more than 3 meals. Qualitatively - remove simple carbohydrates from the diet (sweets, baked goods, sugar, honey, juices, sweet carbonated drinks, etc. - foods with high glycemic index), remove products with trans fats. And also increase the amount of protein in your diet.

2⃣ Regular physical activity. Why? Physical activity increases the number of insulin receptors in muscle tissue 👉 insulin works better and better 👉 the pancreas breathes a sigh of relief and does not work in 2 shifts 👉 the level of insulin in the blood decreases.

3⃣ Weight normalization (reducing fat tissue and increasing muscle tissue) - how separate item. Why? Adipose tissue is essentially endocrine organ, it itself secretes biologically active substances, affecting the level and ratio of sex hormones and tissue sensitivity to insulin.

4⃣ Very important point- normalization of sleep! Irregular sleep and small amounts of sleep reduce insulin sensitivity.

5⃣ From medicines- metformin. It acts specifically on tissue sensitivity to insulin. Prescribed by a doctor.

6⃣ Normalization of vitamin D levels. Affects the quality of insulin at various stages.

7⃣ Increase in diet sea ​​fish or taking omega-3 PUFA supplements. Improves insulin sensitivity.

❓What else improves insulin sensitivity❓

8⃣ Eating food, rich in magnesium(greens, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, nuts) or taking magnesium supplements. Magnesium is also needed for insulin to function properly.

9⃣ Use of spices in cooking - cinnamon, turmeric, shambhala.

🔟 Eating ginger.

1⃣1⃣ Add spirulina to food.

1⃣2⃣ Drinking green tea.

Look at how many points of influence there are. We need to make the most of everything!

What is insulin? Why do people worry so much about insulin levels? And what does reduced or increased level insulin?
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Why is insulin so important?

Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the body of humans and mammals. Insulin is produced by the pancreas, which has special cells for these purposes - the so-called islets of Langerhans. Insulin is not just important for each of us. Without insulin, protein metabolism will not occur in the human body, new protein compounds will not be formed. In addition, fats will also not be deposited in the required quantities (and a certain amount of fat deposits is necessary for the body to normal operation). But the most main function Insulin in the body is a carbohydrate metabolism. If you consume with food sufficient quantity glucose, then under the influence of insulin a so-called glycogen depot is created in the liver, in which excess carbohydrates are stored for a rainy day. If you eat poor food and the amount of glucose in it is not enough, under the influence of insulin, the body finds other ways to synthesize glucose. That is, we can say that insulin regulates energy metabolism in the body.

When does pancreatic insulin production decrease?

Sometimes a situation occurs that the islets of Langerhans stop producing required amount insulin or produce it of poor quality. The functioning of these cells may be affected the immune system organism, which suddenly “decides” that these are foreign cells and begins to suppress them. If more than twenty percent of the cells from the islets of Langerhans remain in the pancreas, then the body copes, and you may not even notice a decrease in the level of insulin in the blood. But if less than twenty percent of the cells from the magic islets remain, then type 1 diabetes develops.

It is also possible that insulin is produced normal amount, but the tissues stop responding to it adequately. Cells develop insulin resistance. This is already type 2 diabetes.

How much insulin should there be in the blood of a healthy person?

If the analysis of the amount of insulin in the blood showed from 3 to 20 µUml, then you can consider yourself a healthy person. The amount of insulin in the blood of young children does not change, but with the onset of puberty, the body's cells become less sensitive to insulin and its level in the blood becomes dependent on food. That is, as soon as glucose (any carbohydrate-containing food) enters the body, the level of insulin in the blood jumps sharply. Therefore, all tests for insulin levels in the blood are carried out only on an empty stomach. This analysis does not provide objective results in those patients who use insulin by injection. After all, a blood test shows both own insulin, and entered.

When are insulin levels elevated?

The level of insulin in the blood can be not only low, as in diabetes mellitus, but also high. This picture is typical for specific pancreatic tumors. At the same time, the tissue that produces insulin becomes larger and, accordingly, it also produces more insulin.

What does a test for insulin levels in the blood show?

Analysis of the level of insulin in the blood not only allows you to detect any disturbances in the functioning of the pancreas, but even accurately determine the type of diabetes mellitus or other disease. Therefore, this analysis is very important in diagnosis.
It is known that diabetes directly related to body weight. Increased body weight is the main factor that reduces the sensitivity of body tissues to insulin. Therefore, it is very important to monitor body weight, especially for those people whose parents suffer from diabetes. To normalize body weight, take special dietary supplements (biologically active additives), containing fiber.

Insulin is a hormone that is of exceptional importance for the smooth flow of vital processes in the body of every person. Without it the cells will stop protein metabolism, fats will also not accumulate in the required quantities. In addition, it plays a decisive role in carbohydrate metabolism. That's why normal insulin in the blood is so important for humans.

The normal level of insulin in the blood is 3-20 µU/ml. This normal indicator, which indicates that the person is healthy. However, it can change significantly with age. As a rule, the concentration of the hormone in children preschool age practically does not fluctuate. But during the period of further puberty, its amount increasingly depends on the food consumed and on many other factors. That is, if you eat food, rich in carbohydrates, then insulin after meals is normal (6 - 27 µU/ml) will almost certainly not be maintained. That's why lab tests It is not recommended to take it after a meal: such an analysis will only show the temporary content of the hormone in blood cells. It is recommended to take all tests on an empty stomach. After all, an analysis done on an empty stomach will help to accurately determine the level of the hormone in the body and draw conclusions about the presence of type 1 or type 2 diabetes. A decrease in insulin levels in the blood may be due to the fact that the body does not produce the required amount on its own. This deviation is called type 1 diabetes. However, there are also cases when it is produced in exactly the required quantity, but the body's cells do not respond to it, as a result of which the blood sugar level does not decrease. Then we are dealing with type 2 diabetes. Also, in addition to the shortage in the body, there may be cases when the concentration of insulin exceeds the norm. This is also a fairly common pathology.

For normal functioning human body It is very important to constantly maintain normal levels of insulin in the blood. If this hormone is almost completely absent or its quantity decreases sharply, then the person’s health significantly deteriorates: the heartbeat quickens, nausea, weakness appear, and fainting is possible. If you are working on an empty stomach and have not eaten for a long time, then the body has nowhere to get required quantity glucose for energy production. But after eating, the insulin level jumps sharply, which is also fraught unpleasant consequences. This is why irregular eating can cause the most serious illnesses, including diabetes.

You also need to remember one more thing important detail- The production period of this hormone is three hours. This means that in order to maintain normal insulin hormone levels, you need to eat regularly. If you don’t have time to eat due to your busy and intense life schedule, then keep a candy or chocolate bar in your bag and eat it when you have a free minute. remember, that proper food is a guarantor of ensuring normal levels of the hormone in the blood.

If, after taking a fasting insulin test, the norm, which is 3-20 µU/ml, was exceeded and you were diagnosed with insulin dependent diabetes, then from now on you will have to constantly artificially adjust your insulin levels to ensure productive life. In such cases, the patient is usually prescribed special injections, which are carried out before or after meals or according to a schedule drawn up by the doctor.

Be healthy and maintain optimal insulin levels in your body! This way you will be as active as possible and constantly in good shape!

Reviews and comments

Margarita Pavlovna- 25 Feb 2019, 01:04

I have type 2 diabetes - non-insulin dependent. A friend advised me to lower my blood sugar levels with DiabeNot. I ordered it online. Started the appointment. I follow a relaxed diet and started walking 2-3 kilometers every morning. Within two last weeks I notice a gradual decrease in sugar on the glucometer in the morning before breakfast from 9.3 to 7.1, and yesterday even to 6.1! I continue the preventive course. I'll write about my successes.

Olga Shpak- 26 Feb 2019, 00:49

Margarita Pavlovna, I’m also on Diabenot now. DM 2. I really don’t have time for a diet and walks, but I don’t abuse sweets and carbohydrates, I think XE, but due to age, sugar is still elevated. The results are not as good as yours, but sugar hasn’t gone beyond 7.0 for a week now. What glucometer do you use to measure your sugar? Does it show you using plasma or whole blood? I would like to compare the results of taking the drug.

Insulin is a special human hormone that is produced by the pancreas. Its function is to supply sugar, potassium, amino acids and fats to every cell of the body. In addition, it is also necessary for normal maintenance blood glucose levels and regulating adequate carbohydrate balance.

Every time blood sugar levels begin to rise and cross the 100 mg/deciliter mark, the pancreas begins to produce insulin in both children and women and men.

The hormone begins to bind excess sugar and puts it away for “storage” in the muscles and adipose tissue body. All that glucose that got into muscle tissue, there it is converted into energy, and in fat cells it is processed into fat and accumulated.

If speak about normal conditions, then insulin is one of the essential elements human body. It has a beneficial effect on it and regulates the following processes:

• helps build up muscle mass. This occurs due to the activation of ribosomes, which are responsible for the synthesis of protein - the main material for muscles;
• prevents the destruction of muscle fibers. In addition, the anti-catabolic properties of the hormone are extremely important for their renewal;
• insulin supplies the cells with amino acids necessary for their adequate functioning;
• increases the activity of those enzymes that are responsible for the formation of glycogen. This is the main way sugar is stored in the cells of the human body.

When glucose breaks down, energy is released, which is important for the functioning of all organs and systems.

A man and a woman will be considered healthy in cases where their insulin does not go beyond recognized medicine norms. In opposite situations, this can become a threat of obesity, type 2 diabetes and problems with the cardiovascular system.

Insulin levels and how are they detected?

U healthy person The analysis and insulin level from 3 to 20 µU/ml are considered normal, and minor fluctuations in this level are also allowed. Do not forget that the analysis of the level of this substance in the blood is carried out exclusively on an empty stomach. This is necessary in order to diagnose problems in the body as accurately as possible. After eating, the pancreas begins to actively produce insulin and therefore its content in the blood will be much higher than usual.

If we talk about children, especially small age, then this rule does not apply to children. It is only at the onset of puberty that their insulin becomes dependent on food intake.

If your insulin level is higher than normal

There are cases when analysis shows that the level of insulin in a person’s blood is constantly significantly higher than the normal level. Similar conditions may be the cause of the development irreversible pathologies. These changes affect absolutely everything vitally. important systems the body of both adults and children.

The following situations can cause an increase in insulin in the blood:

• regular and quite intense physical exercise on the body, especially in women;
• constant stressful situations;
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus always leads to an increase in the level of insulin in the blood;
• excess growth hormone (acromegaly);
• obesity of various stages;
• polycystic ovary syndrome in women;
• Cushing's syndrome;
• dystrophic myotonia (neuromuscular disease);
• impaired perception of insulin and consumed carbohydrates;
• this tumor will appear quite clearly;
• serious diseases of the pancreas, for example, various neoplasms or organ cancer;
• dysfunction of the pituitary gland.

If the test shows that insulin levels are causing sharp fall the amount of glucose in the blood on an empty stomach, then in such situations the following begins: sweating, trembling of the limbs, rapid heartbeat, fainting states, attacks of nausea, as well as unexpected and irresistible hunger.

The reason for this is also a possible insulin overdose. That is why all those who use this hormone for treatment are obliged to treat its administration with the utmost care, clearly calculating the dosage required for each specific injection, and promptly get tested for this hormone.

If insulin levels are low

In situations where the analysis shows that insulin is low and is below the lower limit of the norm, we have to talk about the following prerequisites:

• presence of type 1 diabetes mellitus;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• disruption of the normal functioning of the pituitary gland;
• diabetic coma;
• nervous exhaustion of the body;
• infectious diseases chronic form their currents;
• excessive consumption of net carbohydrates;
• excessive and prolonged physical activity, especially on an empty stomach.

Low insulin can block the entry of sugar into cells, leading to excessive concentration. The consequence of this process is seizures extreme thirst, anxiety, strong desire to eat, excessive irritability, frequent urination.

Similar symptoms may also occur in the presence of other ailments and therefore it is necessary to undergo special medical examinations, check. what is it?

How to find out your insulin level?

To obtain a high-quality result, it is necessary to undergo diagnostics, in particular, donate blood from ulnar vein for analysis on an empty stomach. This happens before eating, because after eating the pancreas will begin to actively work and show incorrect data.

We must also not forget that approximately a day before the intended blood donation, it is highly not recommended to take any medications, but this point can be disputed, because there are cases when the disease does not provide for such a refusal without negative impact on the patient's body.

The most accurate data can be obtained by combining 2 types of blood tests to determine the level of insulin in it. It's about about donating blood before meals, on an empty stomach, and then repeating the same procedure, but 2 hours after drinking a glucose solution of a certain concentration. Based on the results obtained, we can draw conclusions about the state of insulin in the human bloodstream. Only by fence venous blood Using this scheme, it is possible to clarify the whole picture of the functioning of the pancreas.

Insulin is considered an essential polypeptide hormone that provides normal functioning cells. It is produced by the pancreas and delivers glucose, potassium, amino acids to cells, regulates carbohydrate balance and is responsible for metabolic processes. The mechanism of action is to open cell membranes, due to which the body is supplied with glucose. The most important indicator functioning of the system is the norm of insulin in the blood on an empty stomach, the value of which ranges from 3-27 µU/ml, and after meals – 6-35 µU/ml.

The effect of insulin on the body

1. Normal value insulin levels are considered to be 5.5-10 µU/ml. The maximum permissible upper limit is 11.5 units, but doctors say that this condition, called intolerance, indicates initial stage diabetes diseases. If the amount of hormones is not normal, then the cells lose sensitivity to secretion. Depending on the results of the analysis, the type of diabetes is determined and a treatment regimen is prescribed.

With a constant glucose level of 20 µU/m and above, a person is at risk fatal outcome. Sharp fluctuations in insulin in the blood cause a malfunction of the brain, which is manifested by the following symptoms:

• headache,
• drowsiness,
• strong thirst
• diuretic effect,
• dysfunction of the cardiovascular system,
• constipation,
• overweight,
• the occurrence of pain in the gastrointestinal tract.

High insulin causes blockage of the enzyme (lipase) that breaks down fats in the body, which causes dandruff, trophic ulcers, impotence, seborrhea, increased greasiness of hair, excess fat accumulation. Changes in lipid metabolism cause the formation cholesterol plaques, development of atherosclerosis and increased blood pressure. Scientists suggest that work depends on its level nervous system and kidneys, as well as the proliferation of malignant cells.

Excessive levels of polypeptide hormones are observed in the following cases:

• pathological condition of the liver,
• obesity,
• hereditary fructose intolerance,
• muscular dystrophy,
• for diabetes mellitus (type 2),
• for inflammation and various forms pancreatic neoplasms,
• in case of pregnancy.

If the level of insulin in the blood on an empty stomach is too low, then this is indicated by such signs as:

• numbness of fingers, mouth and nasal cavity,
• panic state
• nausea and dizziness,
• anxiety, tearfulness, bad mood;
• the appearance of muscle and stomach pain,
• irretention;
• tachycardia, weakness during physical effort, shortness of breath.

The indicator drops to lower limit connected:

• with excessive physical activity,
• with the development of diabetes mellitus (type 1),
• with some diseases.

Ways to lower insulin

The production of pancreatic secretion is influenced by sex hormones, carbohydrates from food, and lifestyle.

Sports and dietary food facilitate the transport of glucose into muscles, promote weight loss and activation metabolic processes, blocking the rejection of insulin, called insulin resistance.