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Improve insulin health and prevent diabetes, perform better on brain tests, be leaner, have less chance of developing heart or periodontal disease, and have better sexual health! There’s a wealth of fascinating new evidence that the more insulin you produce the faster you age, and this accelerated aging will directly lower brain function and ultimately cause neurodegeneration such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers have been busy understanding the how poor insulin health causes cardiovascular disease and is linked to a higher mortality rate. Chronic inflammation—a primary effect of poor insulin health—is the source of a lot of our insulin-related problems. The upside is there’s also new evidence that indicates how to improve your body’s sensitivity to insulin and prevent developing diabetes. This article is the first in a new series that will provide research updates to some of my most popular article topics. For background on insulin health and diabetes prevention, read Part 1 and Part 2 in my Insulin Sensitivity, Body Composition, and Weight Training Series.

 
1)    Insulin Resistance Will Age Your Brain and Impair Cognitive Function
Insulin resistance will rapidly age your body and brain, significantly decreasing cognitive function and ultimately leading to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Remember, insulin is secreted by the pancreas in order to facilitate the entrance of glucose from food into your cells for energy. If your cells are resistant to insulin, glucose won’t be effectively used for energy and will be converted to fat, while the elevated insulin levels will cause inflammation and elevated cortisol—the stress hormone. This is why insulin resistance causes so many physical problems, and many people are surprised to hear that the brain is a primary target for the ill effects of insulin. In fact, there is evidence of serious cognitive impairment and brain atrophy in individuals with Type 2 diabetes compared to those with a healthy insulin status.

A new study in the journal Diabetes Care found that individuals with diabetes had significant brain atrophy and higher rates of depression than non-diabetics. More atrophy in all lobes of the brain correlated with worse cognitive function in diabetics and was likely caused by chronic inflammation in the brain from poor insulin sensitivity. Brain atrophy occurs when there is a loss of neurons and the connections between them and literally means that the brain has shrunk. When the brain atrophies, your ability for conscious thought and the performance of voluntary processes are both impaired, meaning neuromuscular function will be negatively affected also.

Interestingly, there’s evidence that it’s possible to improve insulin sensitivity in the brain by performing spatial memory tasks—just like resistance training improves glucose uptake into cells, so does giving your brain a workout. Conversely, the more sensitive your brain is to insulin, the better you will perform on brain tests, meaning that insulin contributes to optimal memory function,. Insulin modulates neurotransmitter levels of acetylcholine and norephinephrine, which directly support brain activity.

A new review in Diabetic Medicine on how insulin resistance impairs brain function shows that as the brain neurons become insensitive to insulin, the secretion of other brain chemicals are modified, leading to impaired learning ability and a proven rapid progression to Alzheimer’s disease. Further studies suggest there is a 65 percent increased risk of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in Type 2 diabetics. Conversely, individuals with diagnosed Alzheimer’s have a 35 percent risk of having diabetes over people without cognitive impairment.

The subtle but essential point that you need to take away from this research is that the connection between an inflamed brain and poor insulin health is not exclusive to diabetics or even pre-diabetics. Suboptimal insulin sensitivity, which almost everyone suffers from at different times due to diet, excess stress, or inactivity, will lead to poor brain function and subpar memory skills. It will impair your learning ability, overall cognition, and even lower your training drive. If you have kids, less than perfect insulin health will affect their learning and performance at school, and their skills on the sports field.

2)    Insulin Resistance Will Hurt Your Heart: Greater Risk of Death
In the research world it’s well known that Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance is a cause of heart disease, but there’s new evidence presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association that provides more support for the link between insulin resistance, risk of heart attack, and death from cardiac arrest.

One study presented at the meeting and published in the journal Circulation compared mortality rates from cardiac arrest in diabetic and non-diabetics and tested a variety of intervention therapies. Over the 10-year study period, “all three therapeutic regimens resulted in high rates of cardiac deaths among patients with diabetes compared with non diabetes patients,” indicating that even when being treated for chronic inflammation and related cardiovascular complications, diabetes increases heart disease death rates substantially. 

A second study from the AMA meeting followed 2641 men who had elevated fasting glucose levels over 17 years to identify rates of cardiac arrest death. All participants had some degree of insulin insensitivity and some were considered diabetic.  Those with greater insulin resistance or diabetes had a much greater risk of sudden cardiac death. Researchers suggest the fasting glucose level ( a measure of insulin resistance) can be used as a predictor of sudden death from a heart attack.

The source of all this death and misery is chronic inflammation caused by elevated insulin levels due to cells being unreceptive. Inflammation really is a “silent killer” as an article in Time magazine noted in 2002. A third study from the AMA meeting shows how chronic inflammation builds up in diabetics, causing heart disease and death. This study looked at levels of calcium buildup in the arteries, which is a result of oxidative stress that leads to inflammation and heart disease, in Type 2 diabetics.  Overall, 15 percent of the participants died during the 7-year study period. The more inflammation the participants had in the form of calcium buildup in the arteries, the greater the risk of death.  The degree of inflammation was concluded to be an ideal predictor of mortality in diabetics, indicating the critical need to minimize it.

3)    Take Care of Your Teeth to Improve Insulin Sensitivity and Prevent Diabetes
Take care of your teeth and improve insulin sensitivity and prevent diabetes. Gum disease and diabetes are closely linked in a two-way relationship, according to emerging evidence. Easily one of the simplest things you can do to  improve insulin health is to frequently brush, floss, and go to the dentist. It all goes back to inflammation because an unhealthy mouth leads to an inflammatory buildup throughout the body.

A new study in the Journal of Periodontology looked at the effect of periodontal disease on insulin sensitivity in non-diabetics. The study used rats and induced periodontal disease in half of them. The group with gum disease showed decreased insulin sensitivity and an increase in oxidative stress compared to the control group. Researchers say it is essential to protect your gums and prevent such inflammatory diseases (10 to 15 percent of adults suffer from severe periodontal disease) in order to prevent the greater spread of Type 2 diabetes in the population.

A second study in Diabetologia found that diabetes is a major risk factor for developing gum disease—diabetics are three times as likely to have unhealthy gums as those with better insulin health. Inflammatory biomarkers lead to inflamed gums, negatively affecting glycemic control. Additionally, there is evidence of a link between diabetes, gum disease, and the development of liver, kidney, and heart disease.

Don’t worry! It’s possible to avoid the ills of gum inflammation with daily brushing and flossing, and frequent dental cleanings. Research shows that in individuals who get their teeth cleaned more frequently there is a significant decrease in periodontal disease and the related health problems such as heart attack.

4)    Do Something Daily and Be More Active: Sitting Time Linked to Insulin Resistance
Improve insulin health by being more active. Research shows the amount of time spent sitting each day will result in greater insulin resistance, worse body composition, and set you on the road to inflammation hell. Take note that if you sit most of the day at a desk job, even if you train hard and heavy in regular workouts you are still susceptible to developing insulin resistance.

We aren’t meant to be a sedentary population, and when we are inactive it affects the body’s sensitivity to insulin. A study in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise showed that as little as three days of physical inactivity can result in “robust changes” in post-meal glucose uptake. In young, recreationally active individuals, glucose uptake decreased two-fold with three days of inactivity. Participants had a greater production of inflammatory markers than before the study, which is thought to be the reason for the drop in glucose uptake.

Researchers suggest that maintaining short-term glucose uptake is directly related to the interaction between physical activity levels and intensity of activity, rather than the connection between energy availability from brief periodic meals. They point to long periods of sitting or reduced limb movements—from injury or chronic pain for example—as lowering glucose uptake. They do acknowledge that although daily physical activity is key for insulin health, mixed meals that include protein, lipids, and fiber will result in greater insulin sensitivity.

A second study in the Journal of Applied Physiology looked at how inactivity experienced by individuals with desk jobs affects insulin health. Young healthy individuals who regularly took more than 10,000 steps a day were made to transition to an inactive lifestyle of about 1,500 steps a day for a 14-day period. The inactivity led to much reduced insulin sensitivity and participants gained visceral belly fat.

Other studies support this and researchers stress that diabetes will not only be in store for immobilized individuals (due to bed rest or injury), but also for those who take less than 10,000 steps a day, even with the addition of a regular exercise program.

Take note that even though insulin resistance is a product of long periods of inactivity in people who do exercise (aerobic, anaerobic, and resistance training), performing that exercise will create better insulin health and greater glucose uptake than not training. And aside from regular brisk walks around the block or running up five flights of stairs every hour, strength and anaerobic training are one solution to improve insulin health. Another is supplementation to minimize oxidative stress, prevent chronic inflammation, and improve insulin health.

5)    Solutions: Resistance Training, Supplementation, and Indian Spices, Testosterone
There’s a wealth of evidence that resistance training improves insulin sensitivity in all populations:  healthy non-diabetics, people with pre-diabetes, and diabetics. It will also improve quality of life in individuals who are at risk of developing diabetes and metabolic syndrome. When matched in terms of volume and frequency, resistance training has shown to be substantially more effective at improving insulin sensitivity than aerobic training. In one study that compared the two exercise modes, resistance training was also found to be more enjoyable than the aerobic training program, which researchers speculate is because it is much less monotonous.

Take note that, insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake will improve the most according to a dose response relationship of exercise in that a greater volume and intensity of training will provide the greatest improvements. A new study in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise  found that there is no proof of a threshold of maximal dose-response effect, indicating that heavier and harder you train, the more muscle glycogen your body uses. Also muscle contractions have a positive effect on the protein mechanism that gets glucose into cells, supporting insulin sensitivity.

Indian Spices
A recent report in Current Cardiology Reviews highlights how traditional Indian spices can improve insulin health, fight diabetes, and have anti-inflammatory effects. In general spices are rich in antioxidants and are potent inhibitors of tissue damage and inflammation caused by high levels of blood sugar from insulin resistance. They are inexpensive and easily added to the diet in cooking, and supplementation.

Ginger, black pepper, coriander, curcumin (from turmeric), and cinnamon all provide a robust amount of antioxidants that are effective at lowering oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals. Cinnamon activates an endocrine pathway that improves insulin resistances and supports glucose uptake. Researchers suggest that consuming the mentioned spices in larger quantities can have a positive influence on diabetes prevention and supplementing with plant extracts from cinnamon, curcumin, and black pepper is suggested.

 

Uber Curcumin 2.0 - black pepper, curcumin

Insulin Plex - cinnamon

Probiotics
Take probiotics and improve gastrointestinal health to prevent diabetes. Evidence abounds about the essential need for a healthy gut to minimize inflammation and have optimal insulin health.

A new study in the Journal of Dairy Science found that eating a yogurt probiotic improved cholesterol, blood lipid profile (blood lipid levels influence glucose uptake just as consumption of refined carbs does), and lowered insulin resistance in a diabetic population. A review in Environmental Health Perspectives found that high toxicity levels in the body affect insulin health. Researchers found that the more toxic you are, the poorer your gut health will be, and the greater chance you have of getting fat and becoming diabetic. In contrast, probiotic supplementation can help detoxify the body of dangerous toxins and microbes, improve health in the gut, and support glucose uptake.

 

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References:
Lima, E., Rahmi, R., et al. Impact of Diabetes on Ten-Year Outcomes of Patients with Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease in the MASS II Trial. Circulation. November 2011. 124, A12078.

Mikus, C., Oberlin, D., Libla, J., Taylor, A., Booth, F., Thyfault, J. Lowering Physical Activity Impairs Glycemic Control in Healthy Volunteers. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. June 2011. Published Ahead of Print.

Thyfault J., Booth, F., Lack of Regular Physical Exercise or too Much Inactivity. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care. July 2011. 14(4), 374-378.

Dandona, P., Dhindsa, S. Update: Hypogonadotraopic Hypogonadism in Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. September 2011. 96(9).

Vasanthi, H., Parameswari, R. Indian Spices for Healthy Heart—An Overview. Current Cardiology Reviews. 2010. 6, 274-279.

Snedecker, S., Hay, A., et al. Do Interactions Between Gut Ecology and Environmental Chemicals Contribute to Obesity and Diabetes? Environmental Health Perspectives. 2011. Published Ahead of Print.

 
Ejtahed, H., Mohtadi, J., et al. Effect of Probiotic Yogurt Containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium Lactis on Lipid Profile in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of Dairy Science. July 2011. 94(7), 3288-3294.

Dube, J., Fleishman, K., Exercise Dose and Insulin Sensitivity: Relevance for Diabetes Prevention. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. November 2011. Published Ahead of Print.

Thyfault, J., Booth, F. Lack of Regular Physical Exercise or Too Much Inactivity. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutritional and Metabolic Care. July 2011. 14(4), 374-378.

Colombo, N., Shirakashi, D., et al. Periodontal Disease Decreases Insulin Sensitivity and Insulin Signaling. Journal of Periodontology. November 2011. Published Ahead of Print.

Aharwal., S., Herrington, D., et al. The Association of Vascular Calcification and All-Cause Mortality in Diabetes: Diabetes Heart Study. Circulation. November 2011.

Cholerton, B., Baker, L., et al. Insulin Resistance and Pathological Brain Ageing. Diabetic Medicine. November 2011. Published Ahead of Print.
Novak, V., Zhao, P., et al. Adhesion Molecules, Altered Vasoreactivity and Brain Atrophy in Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care. November 2011. 34, 2438-2444.