High insulin measurement is worse than high blood sugar count
By Staff Reports on Aug 10, 2013, at 2:26 AM Updated on 8/10/13 at 5:55 AM
Column - Dear Pharmacist
Dear Pharmacist, I take a dozen antibiotics per year due to frequent infections. What else can I take?
Dear Pharmacist, I have neck pain, sciatica and headaches. I've tried prednisone, Celebrex, Ibuprofen, Vicodin, physical therapy, chiropractors, massage, reiki, acupuncture, prayer work, laser and two surgeries on my neck.
Dear Pharmacist, I am taking 14 medications for the following problems: High cholesterol, heart disease, pre-diabetes, cataracts, arrhythmias, allergies, memory problems and enlarged prostate (BPH). The medications make me sick and sleepy. I need some fresh perspective. - C.P. Kansas City, Kan.
Fresh perspective is my middle name. In the note you sent me, it appears that no one has measured your serum insulin! Chronically elevated insulin hormone has been associated with Parkinson's disease, nerve pain and autoimmune diseases like lupus and cancer. Breast cancer and pancreatic cancer are connected to high insulin.
You should ask your doctor to measure this for you. There are many well-designed, clinical trials published in respected journals that show an association to high insulin and the very disorders that you have.
Insulin is a pancreatic hormone that reduces blood sugar (which rises after you eat a meal). The ratio of glucose to insulin is more valuable than the level of either one alone. The ratio of glucose to insulin should be less than 10:1.
A person's insulin levels may be sky high because the pancreas is working on overdrive to push the blood sugar into the cell. Remember, insulin puts sugar into the cell, so if you have a lot of sugar in your system, then your insulin can be very high while your blood sugar remains normal.
This is dangerous because you're being told that you do not have diabetes (and I'm saying you might). The insulin can be high because the pancreas is pumping it out all day long to push the sugar into the cell. The higher your insulin, the more weight gain.
Some people are perfect when a fasting blood glucose test is performed, but when they eat, their insulin goes haywire. You wouldn't see this on a fasting blood sugar test, so a post-prandial blood glucose test is important too.
I've expanded this column to include the proper ranges for all your labs, as well as supplements that lower blood sugar. If you'd like to read this, just sign up for my free newsletter at my website,
tulsaworld.com/pharmacist
info@dearpharmacist.com
Column - Dear Pharmacist
Dear Pharmacist, I take a dozen antibiotics per year due to frequent infections. What else can I take?
Dear Pharmacist, I have neck pain, sciatica and headaches. I've tried prednisone, Celebrex, Ibuprofen, Vicodin, physical therapy, chiropractors, massage, reiki, acupuncture, prayer work, laser and two surgeries on my neck.
