The body is a complex symphony of different bodily systems. If one system is being affected, it can often affect another system that may seem unrelated. In this case, we’ll be talking about how insulin resistance can cause a weakened immune system.
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, and it plays a major role in regulating blood sugar levels. It allows cells to take up glucose from the bloodstream, providing them with the energy they need to function. However, when cells become resistant to the effects of insulin, they fail to respond properly, leading to elevated blood sugar levels, and a decrease in uptake into the cells. This is when insulin resistance starts to occur. Let’s imagine that insulin is like a nagging parent. When a parent is nagging too much, eventually you can block them out, and essentially ignore what they are saying to you. The body works similarly to that when too much of a hormone has been released chronically. The receptors start to either become resistant to that hormone or the body starts to decrease the number of receptors on the cell.
Insulin resistance often arises due to various factors, including genetics, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and poor dietary choices. Oftentimes, our modern standards of eating, and the quality of foods we’re eating are the main contributors to insulin resistance. This is because insulin levels aren’t able to go back to baseline for a decent period of time by the time snacking occurs. Generally, people are eating 3 main meals, with snacks in between. It typically takes insulin 2 hours (University of Rochester) to go back to baseline. So if you’re eating breakfast at 8 am, then snacking at 10 am, and eating lunch at 12 pm and so on, your insulin is not at baseline for very long before it starts to spike again. This makes the ‘area under the curve’ higher than would be typical for non-insulin-resistant individuals.
If this condition is not addressed, it can eventually become type 2 diabetes, which is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels. This disease affects a number of different body systems including, your cardiovascular system, eyes (diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to vision loss and blindness), your kidneys, liver, etc.
The immune system defends our body from harmful invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. It is made up of a network that works together to identify and eliminate threats. A balanced immune response is extremely important for optimal health, and both an underactive and overactive system can lead to various diseases.
Insulin resistance can be a large reason for chronic low-grade inflammation in the body, characterized by an increased level of inflammatory molecules known as cytokines. This inflammation can disrupt the immune system by altering the behaviour of the immune cells such as macrophages and T cells. These cells are important in recognizing and eliminating pathogens, and if they are compromised, their ability to perform this function is hampered. Insulin resistance can also lead to immune response imbalance, by producing pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibiting anti-inflammatory responses. Inflammation has been linked to cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders, meaning that insulin resistance contributes to these as well.
Lastly the microbiota. Our gastrointestinal tract contains 60-80% of our immune system. This means that the microbiome influences our immune system, as well as many different systems in our body - including insulin resistance and our immune function. Our gut microbiome can influence how well our body responds to the food we are eating, and if we are able to eliminate the waste produced from our food. They also protect us from pathological microbes, acting as a barrier to prevent pathological microbes from finding a home in our intestines.
The body is interconnected, and the different bodily systems communicate and influence each other in ways we are just beginning to comprehend. Having a healthy insulin-glucose balance helps to regulate our immune system, energy, hormonal health, gut health, and more. Ways that insulin resistance affects our immune system by creating chronic low-grade inflammation that influences the way our white blood cells function, as well as influences the components of the microbiome. The microbiome is protective against pathological microbes and influences how our body metabolizes various compounds. So one way you can help to keep a strong immune system is by addressing insulin resistance if you have it.
If you want to work on balancing your glucose levels and addressing insulin resistance, book an appointment with Dr. Charmagne.