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HISSing that insulin is coming

You know it takes a squirt of insulin to efficiently remove the sugar from the blood.

And…………….. this is your challenge.

You’re not producing a big enough squirt, quick enough – so sugar levels spike. This postprandial spike is TROUBLE with a capital T.

You need a “better” squirt.

Why is your squirt not “good” enough ?

Odds are you’re insulin resistant.

This means, you need to dispatch more insulin, to get the job done.

The problem with MORE INSULIN…………

It’s got to be made by the pancreas, which requires bright eyed and bushy tailed beta cells. And, being bright eyed and bushy tailed when you’re “working” like a dog, is challenging.

In addition to producing more, there is also the question of delivery………. the pancreas can be churning the stuff out, but if it doesn’t get to the muscle cells etc. NOTHING is going to happen.

Delivery challenges are frequently an issue too.

But, what if when the delivery is made, there is no one on hand to receive it ?

Ringing the doorbell

Glucose gates are not standing tall, ready to receive glucose – cells need to arrange for them to move from inside of the cell, to the periphery. Centred in the membrane, they are then ready to accept glucose deliveries. The glucose they receive is tossed into the mitochondrial furnaces, to provide the energy cells need to go about their business.

Hungry cells i.e. cells in the fasted state, don’t need any encouragement to assemble the gates. They’re HUNRY, they’re ready and waiting………..

But, cells that are not so hungry, need to be “encouraged” to prepare for a delivery.

This requires more than insulin release……

HISSing about insulin’s arrival

The liver alerts all and sundry to the imminent arrival of the insulin/sugar delivery, by sending out “something” which scientists refer to as HISS (hepatic insulin sensitizing substance).

“Something” ?

They know it exists………….. but they’re still not 100 % sure about what it is.

They’re not clueless.

They know it’s release depends on a few things…..

Stimulating the HISS

First things first – HISS release depends on nerve stimulation, specifically stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system.   The parasympathetic nervous system, is part of the nervous system that runs you behind the scenes, known as the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

It’s “automatic” – you don’t have to think about it, it just happens.

What happens depends on what’s going on.

The parasympathetic side of the ANS, is in charge – when life is running smoothly. It is sometimes referred to as the “LIVE & LET LIVE” response. When life is not running smoothly, you’re firing off the sympathetic side of the ANS, otherwise known as the “FLIGHT & FIGHT” response.

You’re typically in one situation or the other. It’s hard to be both simultaneously.

Either your digesting dinner or you’re doing what you must to avoid being “digested”.

In by gone days, you risked being digested by a big woolly mammoth, in modern times, you’re more likely to be “digested” by your boss or succumb to the traffic.

A quiet HISS

So the response to insulin release is best, when life is GOOD.

That means if you’re chomping down that low-fat twinkie on the run, you’re going to find, HISSing a tad more challenging.

Nerves plus

So what does the nervous signal do ?

It causes a squirt of the gasomitter, nitric oxide , deep inside the liver.

And this, combines with the anti-oxidant, glutathione, deep inside the liver, HISSing out the news, insulin is coming.

It’s time for the skeletal muscle cells to roll out the welcome mat for insulin.

The welcome mat

As the skeletal muscles around the body, respond to the news, GLUT4 gates are moved from the periphery to front and centre.  With the gates in place, the cells are ready and able, to take the glucose on board……..

They’re INSULIN SENSITIVE.

And so…………

The sugar gets inside

When insulin finally arrives, there is no problem with delivery. Insulin pops into the lock, turns the key and….. the gates swing open.

The sugar rushes in…..

The process is quick and seamless, in a jiffy, enormous amounts of sugar are moved out of the blood and into the muscle – either to be used immediately or saved for later, in the form of glycogen.

Sugar levels drop.

The potentially dangerous sugar spike, has been averted.

When they’re insulin sensitive………

No HISS equals insulin resistance

When HISS is circulating, up to 55 % of the available glucose is taken up by skeletal muscle, quick quick. When HISS is not circulating, sugar uptake is low and protracted.

These high sugar levels cause damage.

This creates oxidative stress, which depletes the glutathione levels, which impairs HISS release.

And so it begins……………..

High sugar levels. High insulin levels. More damage. Less glutathione.

HISS about insulin’s arrival

Help your liver get the message out.

• Slow down to eat. Stimulate that parasympathetic nervous system so the brain can signal for nitric oxide to be released and boost your liver’s glutathione levels,
• By eating foods rich in “anti-oxidants”, this switches on glutathione production
• Supplying glycine, glutamate and cysteine, the three amino acids which are the raw ingredients of glutathione

Alternatively, make sure your cells are HUNGRY by nixing the nibbling or pre-dinner snacking

Further reading

 

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