Hyperinsulinemia

Clinic

• Hyperinsulinemia is a condition in which there are excess levels of insulin circulating in the blood relative to the level of glucose.
• It is often mistaken for diabetes or hyperglycaemia,
• Hyperinsulinemia can result from a variety of metabolic diseases and conditions, as well as non-nutritive sugars in the diet.
• Hyperinsulinemia is often seen in people with early stage type 2 diabetes mellitus, it is not the causation and is only one symptom of T2DM.
• T1DM only occurs when pancreatic beta-cell function is impaired.
• Hyperinsulinemia can be seen in a variety of conditions including
  • T2DM
  • Congenital hyperinsulinism including nesidioblastosis.
  • Drug-induced hyperinsulinemia

Related disease

• Hypertension,
• Obesity,
• Dyslipidemia,
• Insulin resistance
• Glucose intolerance.
• These conditions are collectively known as metabolic syndrome. This close association between hyperinsulinemia and conditions of metabolic syndrome suggest related or common mechanisms of pathogenicity. Hyperinsulinemia has been shown to "play a role in obese hypertension by increasing renal sodium retention".

In T2DM, the body cells become resistant to the effects of insulin, resulting in hyperinsulinemia.

Symptoms / Signs

• Temporary muscle weakness
• Brain fog
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Temporary thought disorder, or inability to concentrate
• Visual problems, such as blurred vision or double vision
• Headaches
• Shaking/Trembling
• Thirst

If a person experiences any of these symptoms, a visit to a qualified medical practitioner is advised, and diagnostic blood testing, such as Fasting Insulin Levels, may be required.^{[citation needed]}

Causes

• Neoplasm
• Carbohydrate malabsorption
• Pancreatic cancer
• PCOS
• Trans fats 

Metabolic syndrome

Since hyperinsulinemia and obesity are so closely linked it is hard to determine whether hyperinsulinemia causes obesity or obesity causes hyperinsulinemia, or both. Hyperinsulinemia is strongly associated with low adiponectin concentrations in obese people. Low Adiponectin has a causal role in hyperinsulinemia

• May lead to hypoglycemia or diabetes
• Increased risk of PCOS
• Increased synthesis of VLDL
• Hypertension (Insulin increases sodium retention by the renal tubules)
• Coronary Artery Disease (Increased insulin damages endothelial cells)
• Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
• Weight gain and lethargy (possibly connected to an underactive thyroid)
• Obesity and hyperinsulinemia have some links with some types of cancer

Prolactin

It has been shown that prolactin (PRL) induces glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in several animal species. In women with microprolactinomas, the sensitivity to insulin is lower in hyperprolactinemia than in normoprolactinemia