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Insulin

As we age and other hormone levels decline and cause negative symptoms, insulin levels circulating in the blood actually increase.  That occurs because those tissues (liver, muscle, and fat cells) that lower blood sugar in response to insulin become resistant to it.  This causes the pancreas to discharge more and more insulin trying to keep the blood sugar level normal.  Physicians call the phenomenon 'pseudo-diabetes of aging.'

The higher level of circulating insulin gives motion to a torrent of damaging effects:

•    Cells lining the arteries generate higher levels of clotting factors and increase your risk of a heart attack.

•    Fat accumulates, especially in the abdomen, making the tissues even more insulin resistant.

•    Higher blood sugar levels raise the build-up of 'advanced glycation end products' (what happens when sugars and proteins affect one another in the body). These can stiffen connective tissue.

•    High insulin levels are also linked to a higher occurrence of certain cancers

If sugar levels remain high enough for a long enough period of time, they can kill the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas and cause actual diabetes.
 
Therefore, one key to successful aging is preserving sufficient insulin sensitivity to keep your insulin levels and normal blood sugar counts low.  How? You should achieve and maintain high lean muscle percentage and low body fat, particularly around your waist.  Exercise and weight loss are the foundation. Eating the kinds of carbohydrates that absorb into your blood stream slowly also helps to prevent an insulin surge after each meal.  Understand and treat low estrogen and testosterone levels because they decrease insulin sensitivity, while high cortisol levels do the same.  Therapy to replace estradiol and testosterone, and stress management to reduce cortisol, are prevailing strategies to sustain insulin sensitivity.
 
The best age management programs have a major focus on keeping insulin levels within the low end of the normal range. Our programs use these “best practices.”


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