Why Insulin Matters The Most

Your insulin level probably matters much more to your overall health than your cholesterol level does. Whereas high levels of certain types of cholesterol have been linked with heart disease, high insulin levels have been linked with nearly every health-related cause of death. High insulin levels have been associated with obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and overall aging. A low-carbohydrate diet drives down insulin whereas a high carbohydrate diet raises it.

Here’s how high insulin levels can increase your risk for a number of diseases.

Heart disease. High insulin levels trigger the liver to produce triglycerides, raising your risk for heart disease. In the 22-year Helsinki Finnish Policeman study of 970 men, the men with the highest insulin levels were most likely to suffer a heart attack over the course of the study. Other studies have yielded similar results.

Reduced life span. Researchers have long known that people who reduce their insulin levels either through exercise or calorie restriction tend to live longer than people with higher insulin levels. For example, studies show that centenarians tend to have lower insulin levels than people who died earlier, and their cells tend to be more sensitive to the hormone’s effects. High insulin levels have been shown to speed the aging rate of cells and tissues throughout the body. When insulin levels remain low, cells more easily fight off age-related diseases such as cancer, dementia and stroke.

High blood pressure. If your cells are resistant to insulin and consequently insulin levels rise, this causes the body to excrete magnesium. Cells need magnesium to relax. When levels are low, blood vessels constrict and blood pressure rises.

Weak bones. Insulin affects other hormones such as growth hormone, testosterone, and progesterone. When cells become resistant to insulin and levels rise, bone-building hormonal signals get distorted, causing the body to excrete calcium and weaken bones.

What raises insulin? In a word: excess carbohydrates, especially from sugar and refined grains. When you consume grains and starches, the pancreas must produce insulin with high-glycemic faster-digesting carbs creating a greater and more rapid response than lower-glycemic carbs. Individually, fat and fiber do not trigger a response.