Insulin and Body Weight – Any Connection?

Does insulin affect body weight? Studies have been conducted to discover if insulin has something to do with the person gaining or losing body weight, especially insulin coming from sources other than the body.

Insulin may have effects on body weight. Studies conducted in the Children’s Hospital in Boston, USA with young adults aged 18 to 35 years old, found out that those who have high levels of insulin in their body lost less weight than those with low insulin levels. The subjects were place on a low-fat diet. When placed in a low-carbohydrate diet, the reverse results were opposite.

That means, a blood test used to determine insulin levels can help obese and overweight people determine what weight loss procedure should work best for them.

Impaired insulin receptor sensitivity

Dr. Mercola on his website Mercola.com explained that insulin is at the center of the weight loss equation. This is why about 200 million Americans are either obese or overweight because they have impaired insulin receptor sensitivity. How does it affect body weight?

He said that if a person has an impaired insulin receptor sensitivity, their body tend to hyper-secrete insulin. If insulin is released by the body, the latter starts to inhibit the hormone-sensitive lipase. Lipase is responsible for releasing fat to the bloodstream so the fat can be used as fuel. Once inhibited, the body cannot burn fat and resort to utilize carbohydrates and amino acids from your muscle for fuel. This causes an abnormal feeling of hunger and thus feeding this bad cycle.

The point is have the insulin levels become low, so the body produces enough amounts of lipase and normally burn fat so this low amount of insulin can result to a body weight that is lesser and the appearance is slim and thin. Dr. Mercola said that over-eating (especially refined carbohydrates and processed foods) and lack of exercise cause impaired insulin receptor sensitivity.

Vinegar

Fortunately, a very simple and common item in the kitchen is said to help reduce the rise of blood sugar, usually after every meal – vinegar. With proper diet and exercise, taking an apple cider vinegar tonic with your meals can result to weight loss.

Insulin’s effect on weight loss

However, studies still have to prove more that insulin affects weight loss. Though some experts blame more insulin for obesity, no scientific data can support it. True that insulin has its role in metabolism, but diet gurus do not have ideas of the effects of insulin on the body weight. It is far better and easier to lower and control intake of calories, than controlling insulin.