Insulin And Blood Sugar Control
The main fuel delivered to cells by the blood is glucose, a type of sugar.
If blood glucose levels drop to low (a condition known as hypoglycaemia) you can
feel flat and fatigued, perhaps anxious or even depressed. Too high and you can
feel wired and restless.
The body controls blood glucose levels with a set of hormones, and the most
significant of these is insulin. Insulin instructs the cells of the body to open
their doors to glucose - thus lowering blood levels.
If the body can't produce enough insulin, the cells are starved of glucose and so
can't produce enough energy to meet their needs. This can happen in diabetes.
Diabetes type 2, or adult-onset diabetes, has a precursor phase called insulin
resistance, also known as metabolic syndrome. In insulin resistance, cells don't
respond to insulin as they should, making it harder for the body to control
blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance is marked by a constellation of symptoms,
including fatigue, craving sugary foods, difficulty losing weight, high blood
pressure and high cholesterol.
Several factors can contribute to the development of insulin resistance over a
period of years, including poor diet (especially high levels of refined
carbohydrates and sugars), stress, being overweight and
systemic inflammation.