Insulin and sugar levels?

CharlestonUSC
CharlestonUSC Posts: 19
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
How does one find out what their insulin or sugar levels should be on a regular basis? I was reading where insulin is directly related to weight gain and loss. I'm curious if I got one of those meters that diabetics use if that would help me monitor and control what my insulin levels are. So I'm thinking about buying one but I can't find out what my levels should be. I googled and only found a bunch of articles discussing weight gain and loss.

I'm 5'11 and 26 years old.

Replies

  • abk0001
    abk0001 Posts: 1
    I am 21 years old and have to monitor my sugar levels because I have high insulin...not related to diabetes. The best thing I have done to monitor my sugar is eating foods with 10g or less of sugar. Of course, some foods such as fruits contain natural sugars that may be over 10g, but I do not count those. I love sweets, so this was a hard thing for me to change. But, there are plenty of great desserts that have around 10g of sugar. I also look for desserts with 150 calories or less. Skinny cow makes some great options. Also, yogurts tend to have a lot of sugar. Greek yogurt has 16g of sugar, but is better for you than any regular yogurt that you will find. Also, check out cereals and breakfast food items; those get you with all the added sugar that is unnecessary. Its tough in the beginning to check all your food labels, especially for things that you eat and love. But, once you get used to it and find new foods that you enjoy its not that bad. Let me know if you have any more questions or need help finding items with less sugar! I hope this helped. Good luck!
  • CharlestonUSC
    CharlestonUSC Posts: 19
    Wow thanks a lot!
  • knlamb10
    knlamb10 Posts: 33
    I actually just recently had my glocose levels checked becuase I had gained 35lbs in a little over a year. I now have to take metformin to regualate the insulin in my blood :( But man, does it help! I don't crave as many sugars as I used to so I am happy about that. The best way to really determined YOUR bodies blood sugar levels is to have a glucose test done... and with that... you need to fast. Check with your Dr.
  • adhillman01
    adhillman01 Posts: 206
    Insulin levels are rarely monitored. The meters that diabetics use monitor blood sugar, not insulin. There is really no way for you to monitor it.
  • YeaILift
    YeaILift Posts: 580 Member
    AIM: Obesity is positively associated with hyperinsulinaemia, and it has been suggested that hyperinsulinaemia may contribute to maintain the obese state in insulin-resistant obese individuals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of inhibition of insulin secretion by diazoxide on weight loss in obese, normoglycaemic (fasting plasma glucose of > or =6.1 mmol/l), hyperinsulinaemic (fasting plasma insulin of > or =100 pmol/l) adults during a 2.5 MJ/day energy-deficient diet.

    METHODS: In an 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel design, 35 overweight and obese subjects (age: 23-54 years, body mass index: 27-66 kg/m(2)) were randomized either to 2 mg/kg/day (maximum 200 mg/day) of oral diazoxide or to placebo. Body composition and resting energy expenditure (REE) were measured before and after the intervention. Blood samples, and appetite sensations by visual analogue scales, were collected during fasting, during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and 4 h postprandially after a test meal. Subsequently, an ad libitum meal was given.

    RESULTS: Thirty-one subjects completed the protocol. Eight weeks of diazoxide decreased incremental area under the response curve (iAUC) for insulin (iAUC(insulin)) and for C-peptide (iAUC(C-peptide)) and increased iAUC for glucose (iAUC(glucose)) during the OGTT and the test meal compared with the use of placebo (p < 0.003).
    No differences in changes between the groups in body weight, body fat, REE or appetite were observed during the 8-week trial.

    CONCLUSION: These findings do not suggest that hyperinsulinaemia per se contributes to maintenance of the obese state, and insulin secretion inhibition seems not a promising drug target.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17587399

    You really don't need to be worry about your insulin levels unless you have a medical problem. Having a calorie limit and set macro nutrition will take care of it for you.
  • leslieaht
    leslieaht Posts: 14
    A meter will tell you what your glucose level is (how much sugar is in your blood). 70-100 fasting is normal, up to 200 an hour after meals is normal. It won't give you insulin levels. The meters are not that expensive, but test strips are and sticking your fingertip with a lancet 4 or 5 times a day is no fun at all. If you suspect you might be having blood sugar problems, please see a doctor and get it checked out.
  • CharlestonUSC
    CharlestonUSC Posts: 19
    yep that helps a lot. I knew the meters either checked blood sugar or insulin just didn't know which. Thanks for all the input people!
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