Insulin Resistance: The Silent Disruption Behind Many Modern Ailments
More and more people are experiencing problems with their blood sugar, a large number of whom unknowingly have type 2 diabetes. This is a condition that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, and other metabolic complications. Insulin resistance is the underlying factor that usually precedes this and often remains underexposed.
The figures show the scale of this problem. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), approximately 66 million adults in Europe currently live with diabetes. It is estimated that about 36% of them have not yet received an official diagnosis and are therefore unaware of the condition. This means that millions of people are walking around with chronically elevated blood sugar levels without knowing it (1).
In this blog, we explain what insulin resistance is, how it develops, what signs you can recognize, and what you can do at a lifestyle level to support your insulin sensitivity.
What is insulin and what does it do?
Insulin is a hormone produced in the beta cells of the pancreas. It plays a central role in regulating blood sugar levels. When you eat carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose during digestion. This glucose enters the bloodstream, causing blood sugar levels to rise. In response, the pancreas produces insulin.
Insulin acts as a kind of 'key' that allows glucose to enter cells from the blood, for example in the liver, muscles, and fat tissue. There, glucose is used as a direct energy source or stored for later use. As soon as blood sugar levels return to a normal level, insulin production also decreases. This is how the body keeps blood sugar within healthy limits. Problems with insulin can disrupt this process.
What is insulin resistance?
Insulin resistance is not a disease in itself, but a disruption in how the body handles glucose and insulin. It usually develops gradually and can be present for years before clear symptoms arise.
In insulin resistance, cells respond less effectively to insulin. The body then has to produce more and more insulin to process the same amount of glucose from the blood.
Insulin resistance is associated in the literature with metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, but also with hormonal imbalances such as PCOS and certain inflammatory processes (2,3).
Signals to take seriously
Not everyone with insulin resistance has clear symptoms. However, there are signs that may indicate reduced insulin sensitivity, i.e., insulin resistance (4):
- Hunger again within 1–2 hours after a meal
- Afternoon slumps
- Strong craving for sweets
- Quickly tired after carbohydrate-rich meals
- Difficulty losing weight despite effort
- More fat storage, especially around the abdomen
In case of doubt, it may be useful to have fasting insulin determined in addition to fasting glucose, in consultation with a doctor.
How does insulin resistance develop?
Insulin resistance usually does not arise from a single cause, but from a combination of factors (5):
- Many eating moments spread throughout the day
- A diet high in refined carbohydrates and highly processed products
- Smoking
- Chronic stress and sleep problems
- Low muscle mass
- Little exercise and a lot of sitting
- Overweight (especially a lot of belly fat)
- Hormonal disorders such as PCOS
When the body has few moments when blood sugar levels remain low, the system gets insufficient rest. This can reduce insulin sensitivity in the long term.
Initially, the body tries to compensate by producing more insulin. Blood sugar often remains within normal limits, but insulin levels are elevated. If this situation persists for a long time, the beta cells in the pancreas can become overloaded. Insulin production then becomes relatively insufficient, causing blood sugar to start rising. This stage is called prediabetes. Without lifestyle adjustments, this process can further develop into type 2 diabetes, where both insulin sensitivity and insulin production are structurally disrupted.
What can you do to support your insulin sensitivity?
The good news is that insulin sensitivity is strongly influenced by lifestyle. Small, consistent adjustments make the biggest difference in the long term.
1. Limit the number of eating moments
Every meal activates insulin. If you keep eating throughout the day, the body gets little rest. Three complete meals a day, without snacking in between, helps to keep your blood sugar more stable and support your insulin sensitivity.
2. Build your meals strategically
Not only how often you eat is important, but also how you compose your meals.
Choose meals rich in:
- Proteins (±30–40 grams per meal)
- Healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, eggs, fatty fish, nuts)
- Complex carbohydrates (seasonal vegetables)
Proteins and fats slow down glucose absorption, while complex carbohydrates help limit blood sugar spikes. The order of eating also plays a role. By eating vegetables and proteins first, and then carbohydrates, the glucose peak can be lower.
3. Build muscle mass and stay active
Muscles are an important storage place for glucose. The more muscle mass, the better your body can process glucose. Strength training (2–3 times a week) forms the basis. In addition, regular cardio, such as brisk walking, cycling, or interval training, helps to further support glucose processing.
4. Exercise after meals
A short 10-minute walk after eating can help lower the blood sugar response.
5. Optimize sleep
Sleep deprivation reduces insulin sensitivity within a few days. Ensure a consistent rhythm, sufficient daylight during the day, and limit blue light in the evening (see blog "5 ways to improve your sleep").
6. Stress regulation
Chronic stress increases cortisol, which can disrupt blood sugar regulation and strengthen insulin resistance.
Practical ways to regulate stress include:
- Daily walks in nature
- Breathing exercises (such as calm nasal breathing or 4-6 breath rhythm)
- Yoga or gentle mobility
- Conscious screen breaks and stimulus reduction in the evening
Start with the basics
Insulin resistance usually develops gradually. Restoring insulin sensitivity therefore requires a structured and consistent approach. No extreme diets. No quick fixes. But rhythm, muscle mass, recovery, and nutritious meals. The body is adaptive. When you give it the right stimuli, it often recovers surprisingly effectively.
References
- International Diabetes Federation. (2023). IDF Diabetes Atlas (11th ed.). Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation. https://diabetesatlas.org
- Roden, M., & Shulman, G. I. (2019). The integrative biology of type 2 diabetes. Nature, 576(7785), 51–60. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1797-8
- Khichar, A., Gupta, S., Mishra, S., & Meena, M. (2021). Assessment of Inflammatory Markers in Women with PCOS and their Correlation with Insulin Resistance. Clinical Laboratory, 67(11/2021). https://doi.org/10.7754/clin.lab.2021.210310
- Michalska, M., Stec, A., Lubaszka, Z., Żurek, U., Fiega, J., Szewczyk, D., Gil, A., Sikorski, P., & Sikorska, E. (2023). Insulin resistance, does it exist? The current state of knowledge. Journal of Education Health and Sport, 33(1), 33–44. https://doi.org/10.12775/jehs.2023.33.01.004
- Risk factors for type 2 diabetes. (2018, August 1). PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33651531/
