Has anyone heard that high levels of insulin in the blood can lead to heart problems?

[ADHDiabetic Mom]

Someone (who is supposed to be in a position to know what he's talking about, but I'm not so sure about this...) told me yesterday that eating "what you want" and simply compensating with a corresponding amount of insulin is not necessarily a good thing. He said that studies show that high amounts of insulin cause plaque build-up in the arteries that can lead to heart disease.

He went on to say that diabetics of both types should eat a complex-carb, whole-foods, high-fiber, and low-fat diet (in short, eat healthy) because such a diet requires less insulin and thus decreases the chances of long-term cardiac complications.

:confused:

What?! I've never heard anything like this is a whole year of researching T1D. When you take a certain amount insulin for a certain number of carbs, doesn't the body use it up in processing those carbs? Do insulin levels "build up" in the blood? This just doesn't make sense to me.

I'm all for healthy eating, of course. And I agree that ANYONE will be healthier if they eat this type of diet. But insulin levels causing heart disease?? It seems to me that buildup of plaque in the arteries would have far more to do with the diet itself than of the levels of insulin necessary to process it.

Anyone know anything about this?

[Lee]

Older, animal based insulins where harder on the body - so alot of old timers think that to much insulin is bad. I have never seen or heard of a study that says this with todays insulins.

[lilituc]

I heard that this was endogenous insulin levels being high - as in, insulin resistance causing your body to make a lot of insulin. Also, I think it was just associated, not clearcut cause and effect.

I haven't seen any evidence that it's the same for injected insulin.

[deafmack]

That is news to me too unless the person is talking about Insulin Resistance in which the body does not use the insulin and it is stored as fat. The body then spits out more insulin to make up for the insulin to make up for the unused insulin. The pancreas then starts to wear out and produce less insulin. But I never heard of too much insulin in the blood thing.

[StillMamamia]

I've never heard of this either re injected insulin, but maybe the person you spoke to was referring to this article:

http://health.yahoo.com/obesity-overview/metabolic-syndrome/mayoclinic--798C9801-F667-4D98-96977EC9575499AE.html

Just a question, and please do not get me wrong in asking...is this the same person who suggested the 'Diabetes Miracle...' book (forgot the whole title, sorry)?

[Twinklet]

I heard that this was endogenous insulin levels being high - as in, insulin resistance causing your body to make a lot of insulin. Also, I think it was just associated, not clearcut cause and effect.

I haven't seen any evidence that it's the same for injected insulin.


Yes. We got this in one of our D classes, but they are referring to all the extra insulin a person with T2's pancreas will initially excrete when they are insulin resistant. It is NOT related to injected insulin for people with T1D. The insulin we inject is actually utilized. However, an obese person with Type 1 can become insulin resistant, so I suppose in some cases this could apply.

People with T2D often have high levels of circulating insulin AND glucose. The insulin is trying to escort the glucose into the cells, but the receptor sites are malformed. In an effort to compensate, the pancreas puts out more insulin in an attempt to correct the hyperglycemia.

Hyperinsulinemia combined with hyperglycemia causes small vessel wall irritation.

I hope I explained that right. I'm in a hurry and need to go but I'll look for my class notes.

[ADHDiabetic Mom]

Just a question, and please do not get me wrong in asking...is this the same person who suggested the 'Diabetes Miracle...' book (forgot the whole title, sorry)?

Different person -- same type of thinking, though.