Insulin Resistance - Symptoms, Causes, and Diagnosis
Laura Schneider
2026-03-25
9 min. read
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Insulin resistance is a phenomenon that is increasingly observed in people living in developed countries, characterized by a decrease in tissue sensitivity to the hormone insulin. It is associated with many diseases, such as hormonal disorders, metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and may even be their cause. What is insulin resistance and how is it treated?
Insulin and its role in the body
Insulin is a peptide hormone that is produced by the beta cells of the Langerhans islets of the pancreas. It is released into the bloodstream when the levels of glucose, free fatty acids, and amino acids in the blood rise. It promotes the absorption of glucose from the blood and the synthesis of fatty acids and glycogen (a form of glucose storage) in the liver. Insulin works as a typical hormone through cellular receptors that are present on most cells of the body. The largest number of receptors for insulin is found in fat cells, the liver, and striated muscles. Insulin is responsible for the proper distribution and utilization of energy-rich compounds. The transport of glucose into the cell is ensured by glucose transporters - GLUT, whose number on the cell depends on the level of insulin.
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