Insulin resistance
Also called Impaired insulin sensitivity
Insulin resistance is a condition in which the cells of your muscles, fat and liver do not respond to insulin as they should. Insulin is the hormone, made by the pancreas, that helps glucose (sugar) move out of the blood and into cells to be used for energy.
When cells resist insulin, the pancreas makes more of it to compensate, a state called hyperinsulinemia. As long as it can keep up, blood sugar stays in the usual range. If it cannot, blood sugar rises, first to prediabetes and in some people to type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance itself usually causes no symptoms, and clinicians often do not test for it directly; the formal test is used mainly in research.
Why it matters after 45
The risk of insulin resistance rises with age, with overweight or a large waist, and with a family history of diabetes. It is linked with high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol and triglycerides, and fatty liver disease. It is also linked with lower SHBG, which can change how testosterone and estrogen results read, so the term turns up on hormone pages as well as metabolic ones.
Where it comes up
References
- NIDDK. Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes. National Institutes of Health. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance
- Cleveland Clinic. Insulin Resistance. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22206-insulin-resistance
- MedlinePlus. SHBG Blood Test. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/shbg-blood-test/
Definitions here are educational and are not medical advice. They explain what a term means; the pages linked above cover what it means for you, and a clinician reviews your own results. Editorial & medical review policy · All glossary terms