Insulin resistance linked to 31 diseases and early death in women: study

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Insulin resistance, which has now been linked to 31 different diseases, is also associated with a higher risk of early death in women, according to a new study.

The causes of insulin resistance are not yet fully understood, but it is assumed that obesity and lack of exercise are the main factors.

To find out more, Jing Wu from the Department of Endocrinology at Shandong Provincial Hospital in China and his colleagues analyzed data from the UK Biobank, which contains genetic, medical and lifestyle information on more than 500,000 people in the UK.

Based on blood sugar and fat levels, including cholesterol, each participant's TyG index – a measure of insulin resistance – was calculated.

The TyG index values ​​ranged from 5.87 to 12.46 units, with an average value of 8.71 units.

Participants with higher TyG levels and thus greater insulin resistance at the start of the study tended to be men, older, less active, smokers and overweight people, according to the study published in the journal Diabetologia.

By monitoring the health of the participants over an average period of 13 years, the researchers were able to link insulin resistance to 31 diseases.

Insulin resistance was associated with a higher risk of developing 26 of these diseases, including sleep disorders, bacterial infections and pancreatitis, with higher levels of insulin resistance associated with a higher likelihood of the disease.

In women, each one-unit increase in insulin resistance was associated with an 11 percent higher risk of death during the study period.

This showed that insulin resistance is associated with overall mortality in women. No association was found in men.

Specifically, the study said that each one-unit increase in insulin resistance was associated with an 18 percent higher risk of sleep disorders, an 8 percent higher risk of bacterial infections, and a 31 percent higher risk of pancreatitis.

“We have shown that by assessing the level of insulin resistance, it is possible to identify people at risk for obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, gout, sciatica and some other diseases,” Wu said.

Indo-Asian Intelligence Service