You may not have heard of insulin resistance, yet it is one of the most important factors influencing our long-term health.
It often develops silently, many years before blood sugar levels become abnormal, and is thought to play a central role in the development of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease and, increasingly, conditions such as Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) and some aspects of menopause-related weight gain.
The encouraging news is that insulin resistance can often be improved—and in many cases prevented—through lifestyle changes.
What is Insulin?
Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas. Its job is to move glucose (sugar) from your bloodstream into your body's cells, where it is used for energy or stored for later use.
When your body responds well to insulin, blood glucose levels remain within a healthy range.
So what is insulin resistance?
With insulin resistance, your muscles, liver and fat cells become less responsive to insulin. They become insulin resistant.
To compensate, your pancreas produces more insulin to keep blood sugar levels normal. This is hyperinsulinaemia. This means that your insulin levels may be raised for many years before your glucose or HbA1c become abnormal.
Eventually the pancreas can no longer keep up with demand. Blood glucose begins to rise, and you develop prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
This is why insulin resistance is often described as a silent condition—it develops gradually and frequently goes unnoticed.
Could you have insulin resistance?
Many people with insulin resistance feel completely well.
Others may notice:
Increasing weight around the abdomen
Difficulty losing weight despite healthy habits
Cravings for sugary foods
Feeling tired after meals
Energy dips during the afternoon
Raised triglycerides or low HDL cholesterol (checked in your lipid test)
High blood pressure
A family history of type 2 diabetes
Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS)
These features don't confirm insulin resistance, but they can prompt a closer assessment.
Why don't routine blood tests detect it?
Most NHS diabetes screening uses HbA1c or fasting glucose.
These tests are excellent for diagnosing diabetes and prediabetes, but they do not directly measure how hard your body is working to maintain normal blood sugar levels.
By the time glucose starts to rise, insulin resistance may already have been present for many years.
Measuring fasting insulin alongside fasting glucose can provide additional insight into metabolic health and may help identify insulin resistance earlier.
Why does insulin resistance matter?
Insulin resistance is associated with an increased risk of:
Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes
Cardiovascular disease
Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease
High blood pressure
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Weight gain, particularly around the waist
It is one reason why Lifestyle Medicine focuses on improving metabolic health rather than simply treating disease once it develops.
Can insulin resistance be improved?
For many people, yes.
Research consistently shows that lifestyle changes can improve insulin sensitivity.
The most effective strategies include:
Regular physical activity, particularly resistance training combined with aerobic exercise
Maintaining or achieving a healthy weight where appropriate
Eating a diet rich in minimally processed foods and adequate protein
Prioritising good-quality sleep
Managing chronic stress
Reducing prolonged periods of sitting throughout the day
Small, consistent changes often have a greater long-term impact than drastic diets or short-lived exercise
The bottom line
Insulin resistance is common, often silent and closely linked to many of the chronic diseases we see today.
The good news is that it is also one of the areas of health where lifestyle changes can make a meaningful difference.
Understanding your metabolic health early gives you the opportunity to act before disease develops, rather than simply reacting once it has.
At Windsor Wellness Clinic, we take a preventative, evidence-based approach to health. Where appropriate, we look beyond standard screening tests to build a more complete picture of your metabolic health and work with you to develop practical, sustainable strategies that support long-term wellbeing.
If you have concerns about your health or wish to discuss this with us further, please contact the clinic to make an appointment. This could be the start of your journey to better health.
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