Click to listen to the audio…

Transcript of “Why your body is inflamed if you are insulin resistant”

Low grade inflammation, is responsible for the metabolic upheavals of insulin resistance. Putting the fire out, should be our body’s priority, but it’s not….

You’re overweight/obese, when you have too many FAT CELLS.

But, too many FAT cells is relative.

There are people with excess fat cells, that are enormous and perfectly healthy.   And, there are people, not so well endowed, who are beset with metabolic troubles.

It is not the sheer number of fat cells that is the worry, it is the health of those fat cells.

Trouble arises, when the fat cells in your belly are ON FIRE (inflamed).

Fat cells on fire

At this stage, it is unclear, what lights the flame.

But, we know inflammation underpins insulin resistance. And insulin resistance is to blame for metabolic syndrome, which causes

• High blood pressure
• High sugar levels
• High “cholesterol”
• High triglycerides and
• A big bellies.

It is this low grade inflammation, which is responsible for the metabolic upheavals.

Putting the fire out, should be our body’s priority.

Call on the fire brigade

Survival depends on getting the level of inflammation “just right”.   Too little, allows for invading bugs, to rise up and WIN. Too much, leaves our own body damaged by friendly fire.

We do have specialized cells that control how “hot” things get.

The T regs, are the division of our armed forces, tasked with keeping the immune system in order. They balance the immune response by controlling the release of specific cytokines. The principle way, they promote immune-tolerance, is through the production of interleukin-10. A potent, fire-fighting weapon………

What’s wrong with the fire chief ?

Why is he not using interleukin 10 to stop this inflammation ?   This is the question a group of researchers from the University of British Columbia recently asked. Using obese mice, the team were able to demonstrate the T regs, buried within the visceral fat tissue, this that fat, where fat cells that are ON FIRE, are located, were misbehaving. Instead of turning inflammation down, by producing interleukin-10, the cells were actively promoting, more inflammation, by secreting a pro-inflammatory cytokine, known as interferon gamma.

Insulin has got the fire chief on speed dial

When the team probed a little further, they found the reason the fire chief was fanning the flames of the fire, was that insulin was telling the T reg cells, NOT to release interleukin-10.

Since in the insulin resistant……………. there is lots of insulin, this is a PROBLEM.

Remember, when cells are insulin resistant, they’re not listening to insulin. In a desperate attempt to get some kind of response, the pancreas pumps out more and more insulin. So someone who is insulin resistant, isn’t actually short of insulin, they’re swimming in the stuff. The official term for this condition is hyperinsulinemia.

The BIG BOYS, like the liver and fat cells, aren’t listening, but the T regs aren’t big boys.

They’re law enforcement, they obey. So, when the fire chief picks up the insulin call, he responds, appropriately, STOPPING interleukin-10 production.

The fire chief is not seeing the big picture

Keeping the fire burning…………….. would be the right thing to do, if there really was an invader or a famine, the traditional reasons for bodies to become INSULIN RESISTANT. The fire chief doesn’t know, a smouldering fire is what is causing the trouble. But you do……….

Fire fighting…

At this stage, scientists are still trying to figure out, what causes the fire. All sorts of things have been implicated, including

• Excess calories – either because we’re eating too much and/or exercising too little
• Lack of sleep
• Exposure to pollutants, natural and man-made
• Alterations in gut microflora
• ? ? ? ?

The debate continues……………. For what it is worth, it’s probably not ONE THING, but a combination.   A genetic pre-disposition, combined with one or more triggers, lights the flame. Unfortunately, once the fire gets going, it keeps going, because insulin is a bossy hormone and around in excess.   new one

And T reg cells listen !

To dampen the flames, you need to…..

Rein in the insulin

You can do this, by making lifestyle changes……adopting a lower carb diet, is one of the easiest ways to rein in insulin. Another is getting enough sleep.

For more tips and ideas, download our free report.

Further reading

Interested in learning more about the chemistry behind metabolic syndrome ?

NOTE : Privacy & spam policy. Spoonful of Science will not rent, trade or sell the e-mail list to anyone. You can unsubscribe at any time by following the unsubscribe link.