Importance of Insulin Sensitivity

Unfortunately, our fast paced lifestyles and highly-processed food diets cause most of us to consume more calories and particularly, more carbohydrates than our bodies can handle. After years of being told by insulin to take in more glucose than they can use, eventually the receptors stop responding properly to insulin's signal. They become desensitized. (6) This is the beginning of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance itself is a potential killer. One of insulin's functions is to control the release of free fatty acids from bodily tissues into the bloodstream. When the body doesn't respond properly to insulin, plasma levels of free fatty acids rise higher. (7) High levels of free fatty acids keep blood vessels constricted by interfering with the action of nitric oxide, the molecule that helps your blood vessels to relax. (8) As a result, high blood levels of free fatty acids cause insulin resistant people to have high blood pressure.

Insulin sensitivity appears to be a crucial factor in achieving what we all desire: a very favorable body composition resulting in an aesthetically pleasing shape. For strength training athletes, it is key in the sense that it promotes and facilitates the uptake of vital, precious nutrients from the bloodstream to repair damaged muscle fibers. Also, it makes insulin's job a lot easier and this promotes a very wide array of health benefits for anyone. It is the antithesis of insulin resistance. When blood glucose remains high, the pancreas responds in frustration by pumping out even more insulin in an attempt to compensate for the resistance. This works for awhile, although the process becomes less and less efficient with time. After a meal, a "yo yo" effect takes place.

Regarding weight training athletes in particular, the skeletal muscles may not obey insulin and uptake the nutrients they desperately need to grow. In response, insulin is overproduced AGAIN and forces blood sugar to drop too low. When that happens, the liver starts over producing glucose to get blood sugar levels back up. Then, the pancreas overcompensates by overproducing more insulin due to high sugar levels, AGAIN. This results in high fasting blood sugar and insulin levels 24/7, even in a fasted state due to the aforementioned process.

The Problem - Insulin Resistance

What happens to these nutrients without a home? They remain in the bloodstream for prolonged periods of time. They wind up in places they do not belong. This causes huge problems over time. The most glaring is the accumulation of bodyfat in the visceral region for men and the hips and buttocks for the ladies. This occurs because glucose, fats and other nutrients are refusing to be cleared from the bloodstream. Of the liver, skeletal muscle and adipose cells, the fat cells are the last to become resistant. They become the dumping ground for excess blood fats (triglycerides) and glucose.

High levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream for prolonged periods results in the accumulation of arterial plaque. Insulin resistance facilitates the oxidation of LDL and VLDL (the bad kind) cholesterol. This sets the stage for atherosclerosis. (5) The narrowing of the inside of arterial walls surrounding the heart due to the buildup sticky, fatty atherosclerotic plaque flourishes in the insulin resistant, hyperglycemic human body.

So, you have here a situation where incoming calories are primarily stored as bodyfat. Energy demands placed on the body derive the necessary calories to be burned for fuel mainly from skeletal muscle (stored glycogen and amino acids). The reason for the latter is the fact that fat cannot be used for fuel in the presence of high blood insulin levels, whether in the fed or fasting state.

Does this sound like a bodybuilder's nightmare? You bet it does.

Solutions to the Problem

The good news is there are solutions. What I've tried to focus on in this article is one supplement which can help throw this problem in reverse, combined with a positive change in eating habits and exercise. The second point I've tried to accomplish is to uncover the truth about commercially sold "alpha lipoic acid" supplements. We need to choose the ALA supplement with care to be sure that we are not counteracting the benefit from the natural entainomer we need to build a better body for our health and well being...

Note: Regarding insulin sensitivity, I have found two publications to be profoundly accurate in content for the hardcore bodybuilder. I regularly read and reread "Chemical Muscle Enhancement" and "Building The Perfect Beast" by Author L Rea. Every time I re-read one of his books or articles, I discover a fresh nugget of truth which brings some form of new progress. His cutting edge approach to what works in the real world has changed my life and improved my health. I highly recommend his work and products.