Is There A Possibility Of Insulin Resistence Even After Having Normal Insulin Serum?

Posted on Thu, 22 Jan 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 22 Jan 2015 Answered on

Thu, 19 Feb 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : If my A1C is 4.2 & my insulin serum is normal & random glucose is normal could i still be insulin resistant or have blood sugar issues?

Answered by Dr. Ajish TP (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
please upload your reports

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,

Welcome to HCM. Thanks for posting the question

Please upload your fasting sugar and insulin values.

If fasting sugars, insulin and HbA1c are normal, you are unlikely to be insulin resistance or blood sugar issues.

Regards

Dr Ajish TP
Consultant Endocrinologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Ajish TP (2 hours later)

I called my dr & he said all normal/optimal values, yet I get so tired after eating heavy carb like bread or dessert?

Answered by Dr. Ajish TP (47 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
check your sugars after heavy carb meals

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,

Welcome back.

If you feel tired after heavy carbohydrate meal you should do a blood glucose monitoring after a similar meal.

What we do is to check blood glucose every hour after a heavy carbohydrate meal for 5 hours. If the blood glucose falls low your symptoms could be due to this.

Regards

Dr Ajish TP

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Ajish TP (21 minutes later)

I have always between 85-94

Answered by Dr. Ajish TP (20 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Then these symptoms are unlikely due to low sugars

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,

Great.
Then these symptoms are not due to insulin resistance.

In insulin resistance what we expect is

1. Hiigh fasting sugars - usually above 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/l)

2. High fasting insulin

3. May cause low sugars after carbohydrate meal

If you are not having any of these, you need not be worried about insulin resistance.

Your HbA1c is well normal. Values above 5.7 is pre diabetes and above 6.5 is diabetes

Regards
Dr Ajish TP

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Ajish TP (17 minutes later)

Usually the symptoms begin right after I eat it. Like I swallow the bread within 10-20mins Im very tired. Would that mean blood sugar shooting up?

Answered by Dr. Ajish TP (19 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
It is not due to high sugars

Detailed Answer:
hi,

When you eat food, the blood flow to your stomach increases. This will compromise the blood supply to brain. This will make you feel little tired. The change in nerve activity can also make you feel giddy.

This happens in every one after heavy meals. Most of us won't notice it. May be this effect has increased recently in you.

With your HbA1c we cannot explain tiredness due to high sugars

Regards
Dr Ajish TP

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E