While many people associate both “insulin resistance” and “diabetes”, these two conditions are NOT identical. Although they are very related to each other, one condition almost always develops long before the other. Knowing which of the two occurs first will allow you to take early action that will ultimately support your overall long-term health (and well-being).

In the simplest of terms, let’s see.

What Is Insulin Resistance?

When you have high levels of sugar in your blood and are unable to get those sugars inside your cells using less and less insulin, you develop a condition called insulin resistance. It means that when you take the insulin, your cells do not respond to the insulin as well as they should.

In order to overcome this problem, your pancreas will make more insulin than ever before. The amount of extra insulin that you need to produce can be so great that you might still appear to have normal blood sugar levels. That’s why you can live with insulin resistance for such a long time without even knowing about it.

However, while your glucose levels look like they’re fine on the outside, your body has become overworked. Some of the most common signs of insulin resistance can include:

Feeling tired after meals
Hunger or craving sweets more frequently
Weight gain, particularly around your midsection
Difficulty losing weight and/or improving insulin resistance
Brain fog, or lack of energy

The above can occur many years before type 2 diabetes develops.

The Moment Diabetes Enters Your Life

Diabetes begins once you are unable to control how much glucose is in the bloodstream.

For most people who have type 2 diabetes, their bodies will be resistant to insulin before they develop diabetes. As a result of that insulin resistance, the pancreas has a hard time producing enough insulin to meet that resistance. At some point, the pancreas can’t produce enough insulin, and as a result, your blood glucose levels are too high all of the time, which is when you are diagnosed with diabetes.

In contrast, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, and therefore, it cannot be attributed to insulin resistance since it occurs at a younger age than type 2 diabetes.

When we compare insulin resistance and diabetes in adults, we are generally talking about how type 2 diabetes progresses through the body.

What Changes First?

Typically, the first change that occurs in the body isn’t diabetes itself. The very first change is usually an insulin resistance. Here is a step-by-step explanation of how this progression normally works:

The cells become resistant to insulin (meaning they don’t respond as well).
The body begins producing higher amounts of insulin to help make up for the lower response rate from the cells.
As time progresses, high levels of insulin are produced for many years, even when the cells are still not responding as they should.
During these years of high insulin production, weight gain and other metabolic changes will likely occur.
Eventually, glucose levels will start to rise into the bloodstream.
At some point after the glucose has started to rise, signs of diabetes will begin to emerge and a diagnosis will follow.

This entire process can take many years; which is one reason why it is so critical to have awareness of your body at an early stage.

Signs of Diabetes vs. Early Insulin Resistance

Recognizing the differences can help you identify what is going on with your body early on.

Symptoms of early insulin resistance can be as follows:

Weight loss is difficult
Your energy crashes
You have cravings
A small increase in your fasting blood sugar levels
Diabetes symptoms can be very apparent, as follows:
Increased thirst
Frequent urination
Blurry vision
Poorly healing wounds
Unexplainable fatigue

As you can see, many times people will first experience symptoms of insulin resistance that are not so noticeable (before they exhibit symptoms of full-blown diabetes).

Can Insulin Resistance Be Reversed?

Short answer: YES! The good news about insulin resistance is that it is possible to improve insulin sensitivity through a correct method of treatment. Most insulin resistant individuals find that the first steps toward improving their insulin sensitivity involve lifestyle modifications such as:

A nutritionally balanced meal plan that helps regulate blood glucose levels.
Regular strength training and physical activity.
Obtaining quality sleep each night.
Practicing stress-reducing techniques.
Working with medical professionals for guidance.

When small, consistent changes are implemented to daily habits, these actions can result in significant positive improvement in insulin function over time.

Supporting Your Body Before Blood Sugar Rises

Understanding the differences between insulin resistance and diabetes is an important way to protect your future health. By recognizing early changes in your body’s ability to process glucose and metabolic processes, you provide your body with the chance to correct itself and be more responsive in the future.

At Ideal Metabolic Health and Body in Fort Collins, we want you to be able to make sense of your insulin resistance and/or diabetes. We are here to guide you on your journey toward a better understanding of your body and promote your metabolic health, as well as provide you with tools to proactively address issues that may potentially develop from small imbalances before they become larger issues.