Insulin and metabolism have a complicated relationship. For instance, I’ve explained that insulin and weight gain might be related. In that article, I mentioned that insulin treatment could cause weight gain.
Plus, insulin resistance can lead to undesired weight loss. That paints a fairly clear picture: insulin makes you gain weight. But, it’s not as simple. There’s a reason why insulin is one of the crucial weight loss hormones.
The carbohydrate-insulin model tries to explain this phenomenon. Yet, it’s a controversial subject. Perhaps we should look at insulin sensitivity instead of insulin volume.
But, what does the model propose?
Are insulin and metabolism a new way to look at obesity?
In this article, researchers propose a new look at obesity. According to it, it’s not about an energy imbalance. In other words, it has little to do with eating more calories than we expend.
Instead, it’s about a dysregulation in the metabolic response to carbs.
Thus, people don’t get fat due to eating too many calories. They do so because they eat too much carbohydrates. It creates a hormonal environment that promotes fat accumulation. That’s because insulin may store excess energy as fat.
What’s the thesis of the carbohydrate-insulin model?
That paves the way for [the carbohydrate-insulin model](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6082688/#:~:text=According to the Carbohydrate-Insulin,hunger and lower energy expenditure.). Essentially, insulin decreases metabolic fuel concentration. It:
- Stimulates glucose uptake.
- Suppresses fatty acid release.
- Inhibits ketone production.
- Promotes fat and glycogen deposition.
That’s why increased insulin action often leads to weight gain. A high-carb diet produces hyperinsulinemia. It turns calories into fat cells, predisposing people to gain weight.
According to the model, overeating is a consequence of additional insulin and metabolism. Basically, it’s not the cause of weight gain. Thus, restricting calories would treat the symptoms instead of the root.
As such, diets low in calories or fat could worsen the metabolic issue behind weight gain. It triggers a starvation response, leading to overeating.
The problem with the proposed model
It may sound reasonable. But, the link between insulin and metabolism isn’t perfect. PrecisionNutrition has a fantastic breakdown of the issue. In it, they review studies debating the legitimacy of the carbohydrate-insulin model.
Let’s summarize it.
Low-carb diets tend to outperform other types of diets. Yet, studies lack the level of control necessary to ensure carbs are the reason. Many other variables may influence why people lose more weight.
Moreover, the article also dives into a study comparing two diets. One was low-carb, high-fat, and the other was high-carb, low-fat. In the end, both diets offered roughly the same weight and fat loss.
Thus, the answer might not be merely restricting carbs or calories. There are many other hormones influencing weight and metabolism. Thus, we can’t simplify things like the carbohydrate-insulin model proposes.
How can you regulate insulin and metabolism?
The main problem is releasing too much insulin. That’s why insulin therapy in diabetic patients leads to weight gain. That’s because of the amount of insulin necessary to treat the condition. Thus, it relates directly to insulin sensitivity.
That means that increasing insulin sensitivity could limit its associated weight gain. Both diet and exercise can improve insulin sensitivity. Pharmacotherapy is also an option.
Therefore, insulin sensitivity improvements regulate its weight implications.
The holistic takeaway
Insulin and metabolism don’t have a simple answer. Insulin can lead to weight gain. And, that’s often the case in diabetic patients. That’s because it promotes fat cell growth.
But, we can avoid these problems effectively by treating insulin sensitivity. It would reduce the amount of insulin needed. And, that means lowering its weight-related effects.
That leads to my recommendation, HB5. It’s a weight loss supplement that focuses on the most important hormones. And, it improves insulin’s action.
To learn more about it, check out my review!
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