Insulin Resistance
Cells ignore insulin, so the pancreas floods the system, and the excess turns blood sugar into stored fat.
Definition
A condition where cells “ignore” insulin’s knock on the door, so the pancreas pumps out massive amounts of insulin, hoping to eventually break the door down. All this excess insulin then works overtime, turning blood sugar into stored fat.
Why it matters
Fasting glucose and A1C can read normal for years while this is happening. That is why the book pushes fasting insulin and HOMA-IR onto the lab request, not just the standard panel.
None of this is medical advice. It is educational material drawn from FAT BITCH: Killing the Willpower Myth by Cat Clark, and it does not replace your prescriber, your pharmacist, or your actual doctor. If something here does not match what your care team told you, go with your care team and bring this along to the conversation.