Insulin Resistance 
Index

Insulin resistance happens when your body stops responding properly to insulin, a hormone that helps your cells absorb sugar from your blood to use as energy. When this happens, your muscles and fat need more and more insulin to get the job done. To compensate, your pancreas works overtime to produce extra insulin, but eventually, your blood sugar starts to go up, both when you're fasting and after you eat. Doctors use something called a HOMA score, which is based on your fasting blood sugar and insulin levels, to measure how resistant your body is to insulin.

If insulin resistance isn’t addressed, it can lead to diabetes, which will require medical treatment. It’s also a key part of Metabolic Syndrome, which comes with other health issues like belly fat, high bad cholesterol (LDL), high triglycerides, low good cholesterol (HDL), and high blood pressure.

​

Conditions Associated with Insulin Resistance

• Obesity

• Pre-diabetes

• Cardiovascular disease

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol

• Hypertriglyceridaemia (high fat levels in the blood)

​

Symptoms of Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance often doesn’t have obvious symptoms in the early stages, but some signs may include:

1. Increased hunger – Despite eating, your cells aren't getting enough energy, leading to constant hunger.

2. Fatigue – Low energy levels can occur because your cells aren’t efficiently using glucose for fuel.

3. Weight gain, especially around the abdomen – Fat tends to accumulate around the belly in people with insulin resistance.

4. Dark patches of skin (acanthosis nigricans) – These often appear on the back of the neck, armpits, or groin.

5. High blood sugar – Though not always noticeable at first, blood sugar levels may rise gradually.

6. Difficulty concentrating ("brain fog") – Some people experience mental sluggishness or trouble focusing.

7. High blood pressure – This can develop as part of Metabolic Syndrome, which is closely linked to insulin resistance.

8. Elevated triglycerides and cholesterol – Blood tests may show high levels of triglycerides and "bad" cholesterol (LDL).

If insulin resistance progresses without treatment, it can lead to pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

​

Risk factors

A strong family history of diabetes is a major risk factor for high levels of insulin resistance, along with high GI carbohydrates intake including excessive alcohol consumption; lack of regular exercise; stress and nutritional deficiencies such as chromium, vanadium and magnesium.

​

​

​​​

To book your consultation, click here.