Unless you happen to be a medical professional, you'll likely associate insulin (a vital hormone produced by the pancreas to help regulate our blood sugar levels) with discussions about diabetes. The chronic disease emerges when there's a lack of this all-important hormone (Type 1) or the body can't use it effectively (Type 2).
Having high insulin levels is often a response to high blood sugar, as the body struggles to lower the levels on its own. Dr Amir Khan, woman&home's own resident doctor, warns that insulin can be high "for years" before insulin resistance and diabetes develop.
Speaking on Instagram, the GP and diabetes specialist, says: "You don't have to have diabetes to have high insulin. In fact, insulin can be high for years before insulin resistance and diabetes develop."
From feeling tired all the time to skin issues, high insulin "can quietly drive loads of common health problems," he says. "It isn't just about diabetes, it's about your skin, your liver, your weight, and even your joints and your heart."
Signs of high insulin
1. Acne
"When your blood sugar spikes, your body releases insulin and that increases something called insulin-like growth factor," says Dr Khan. "That hormone tells your oil glands to go into overdrive and also speeds up how quickly your skin cells turn over, so you end up with more oil and more dead skin cells, and they can clog pores more easily."
Typically, this is when people find they develop acne. "That's why high-sugar diets are sometimes (not always) linked to worse acne," he says.
2. Fatty liver disease
"When you consume excess sugar, the liver converts it into fat. Insulin tells your body to store that fat and prevents it from being broken down," the doctor days.
"Over time, that fat builds inside your liver cells, leading to non-alcoholic liver disease, which is sometimes known as metabolic liver disease."
3. Weight gain
If you're experiencing unexpected weight gain, especially around your middle, then it could be a sign that your insulin levels are high.
"Insulin is basically your body's storage hormone. When it's high, your body is being told to store energy, particularly as fat, and to stop burning it (even when you're not eating huge amounts," he says.
"If your insulin levels are constantly high, your body is stuck in storage mode, which makes weight loss much harder, especially around that tummy."
4. Skin tags
The idea that skin tags could be related to high insulin levels "always surprises people", says Dr Khan, but they are "strongly linked".
"High insulin stimulates growth pathways in the skin, which can lead to these small, benign growths, especially around the neck, armpits, and groin," he says. "So, they can actually be a visible sign that insulin levels are running high."
How to lower high insulin levels
The key to lowering high insulin levels is to "keep your blood sugar steady", the doctor says. This means eating balanced meals with lots of high-fibre and high-protein foods, getting plenty of sleep (at least seven to eight hours), and doing regular exercise.
"It can make a huge difference," says the doctor.
