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High insulin levels hammer your heart whether you’re thirteen or thirty

Posted by Dr Sandy on in Insulin | 917 Views | 1 Response

insulin blocking glucose from getting too the heartCarrying extra pounds means you’re increasing the chances of dying of a heart attack – someday.

For many of us, “someday” is far away, so although the risk is acknowledged, it doesn’t feel very real and so it hard to feel motivated to change our behaviour.

But “someday” may not be when you’re old and grey. If you’re carrying those extra pounds as a teenager – your heart may already be taking strain.

Fat teens fail a heart check up

Washington University researchers investigated the cardiac function of a selection of 77 teenagers (mean age 13.9 years). The teens that were part of the study had one thing in common – they were overweight, but did not have any other health problems.

The barrage of tests performed on the teens included :

  • an ECG (echocardiography) to check on how their heart was pumping
  • a lipid profile test, to see if they had high cholesterol
  • fasting plasma insulin levels
  • body mass index (BMI)

Lots of study participants failed the heart stress test.

Fat teen score card – mixed results

On the surface, cardiovascular health looked okay in all the teens. The ECG results showed pumping under normal circumstances was okay and cholesterol levels were normal in all participants.

So what is the fuss ?

When the teenagers’ hearts were pushed a little, many hearts started to splutter. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain, longitudinal systolic strain rate, and early diastolic strain rate were all significantly decreased in some of the teens.

Who failed the heart test ?

The level of fatness (BMI) was not what determined if the heart got  a passing or failing grade on the heart test.

Failing the heart test was related to insulin levels. The higher the fasting insulin level, the more trouble the heart was in, when it was stressed.

Insulin resistance not so good for a heart under pressure

When the heart is stressed, it has to work extra hard. To work that little bit extra needs additional energy. The easiest way to boost the cell’s energy supply is to burn glucose (sugar).

Heart cells that are insulin resistant, run into trouble because they cannot get the sugar inside. No sugar means an energy crisis within the cell.

The energy crisis makes it hard for the heart to function normally.

Insulin resistance is a common problem

A diet high in carbohydrates pushes up insulin levels. Continuously high insulin levels often causes the cells to stop “listening” to the insulin, which leads to insulin resistance.

Most of us are insulin resistant to some degree. A blood test will tell you your status – a fasting level below 10 ulU/mL is normal, anything above this is considered to be a problem.

As a rule, if you’re overweight with a big tummy – you’re insulin resistant.

Rein in insulin for a happier heart

It’s never too early to start – if you’re thirteen or thirty, insulin resistance ups the pressure on your heart and contributes to blood vessel blockages. Take the load off – rein insulin in.

Insulin resistance is a determinant of cardiac dysfunction in obese children.  ASE 2011; Abstract P1-72  Singh G, et al

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Further reading

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How to juice up the heart battery so it pumps in a crisis  Beware the insulin boomerang sets off diabetes  Brushing your teeth is good for your heart

The 7 Big Spoons™…. are master switches that turn health on.

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Balance Eicosanoids Rein in insulin Dial down stress Sleep ! Increase Vit D Culivate microflora Think champion

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Posted in Insulin | Tagged BMI, cholesterol, energy crisis, fat teens, get the sugar inside, heart attack, high insulin levels, insulin, insulin resistance, keynote, lipid profile, obese teenagers, overweight, speaker, sugar

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It’s not Tai Chi... 🥋 It’s the TyG Index that brings balance to your metabolism. 🐾 If you’re wondering whether insulin resistance might be behind your sugar crashes, stubborn weight, or low energy—there’s a number that can help. 🧪 It’s based on ordinary blood work. 📊 It’s called the TyG Index. 💻 And you can calculate it yourself using my Metabolic Check tool—available now for FREE in the Next Level Life Bundle. But hurry... ⏳ The bundle closes tomorrow at midnight (March 27)! 🔗 Link in bio #TyGIndex #MetabolicCheck #InsulinResistance #NextLevelLifeBundle #BloodSugarBalance #FreeHealthTool #MetabolicHealth #KnowYourNumbers #BetterBodyChemistry #ScienceBasedHealth #EnergyFix #HealthTools #BundleCountdown
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🕛 Bundle closes Thursday at midnight (March 27).
🔗 Link in bio!
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🩸 Did your metabolism ace the test? There’s a surprising number hiding in your standard blood work… It’s called the TyG Index, and it could be your first clue that insulin resistance is quietly messing with your energy, weight, or sugar levels. 🎯 Want to know your number? Metabolic Check is my contribution to the [Next Level Life Bundle]—and right now, you can grab it for FREE (along with 100+ other personal growth resources). But don’t wait— 🕛 Bundle closes Thursday at midnight (March 27). 🔗 Link in bio!
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🚨 It’s LIVE!
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🚨 It’s LIVE! The Next Level Life Bundle just dropped—and it’s bursting with 100+ free resources to help you feel better, think clearer, and actually make progress on the things that matter. 🧠 My contribution? Metabolic Check A quick, science-backed tool to help you figure out if insulin resistance might be messing with your energy, weight, or sugar levels. No fluff. No guessing. Just numbers you can use. ✨ And that’s just ONE of the incredible resources inside. The bundle is only available until March 27—and yes, it’s completely free. 📥 Grab your copy now — link in bio. #NextLevelLifeBundle #MetabolicCheck #InsulinResistance #BloodSugarBalance #FreebieAlert #BetterBodyChemistry #FreeResources #HealthGoals #ScienceBased #BundleLaunch #WomenInScience #MindBodyHealth #EnergySupport #Type2Diabetes #MetabolicHealth
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🧪 Insulin resistance is behind rising rates of heart disease, diabetes, and stubborn weight gain… but most people have no idea they have it.

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📊 That’s exactly what you’ll learn in Metabolic Check, my contribution to the Next Level Life Bundle.
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🧪 Insulin resistance is behind rising rates of heart disease, diabetes, and stubborn weight gain… but most people have no idea they have it. Why? Because no one’s measuring it. But it can be measured—if you know how. 📊 That’s exactly what you’ll learn in Metabolic Check, my contribution to the Next Level Life Bundle. It helps you uncover hidden risks using the blood work you already have. 💥 The bundle goes live soon—with tons of resources to help you smash your goals and take control of your health. 🎁 And yes, it's completely FREE (for a few days only). 🔗 Get on the waitlist—link in bio! #NextLevelLifeBundle #MetabolicCheck #InsulinResistance #KnowYourNumbers #BetterBodyChemistry #HeartHealth #MetabolicHealth #HealthTools #ScienceBased #BloodSugarBalance #FreeBundle #YouCanMeasureIt
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