Insulin Processing Deficits Increases the Risk of Excess Body Weight

Insufficient Insulin & Obesity Risks Could Pave Way for New Treatment Approaches

Human health is stealthily degrading though the average lifespan of an individual is increasing. Our quality of living is not great as health has taken a backseat and even young individuals suffer from knee pain or heart attacks. Our distasteful lifestyle practices and choice of foods, obesity/overweight, abstinence from regular physical activity, and sleep crunch are strong enough to cause debilitating consequences including diabetes, chronic health problems, and more. But, the connection works the other way around too! The presence of type 2 diabetes in an individual can be a risk factor for obesity in diabetic.
 
Diabetes Mellitus & Obesity
 
Diabetes mellitus has the potential to trigger changes to the carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism primarily due to insufficient secretion of insulin. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) occurs predominantly due to decreased secretion of the insulin hormone or insulin resistance.
 
Obesity/overweight is the accumulation of adipose tissue that impairs the physical as well as psychological well-being of an individual. Obesity is currently one of the gravest diseases present across nations, developing or developed. In fact, there are a greater number of overweight people than underweight individuals. The common factor connecting obesity and type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance. A greater number of individuals falling under the obesity belt don’t suffer from hyperglycemia. But for the combination of insulin resistance and obesity to result in type 2 diabetes, the beta cells of the pancreas must be unable to compensate for lower insulin sensitivity.
 
In obese individuals, there exists the risk of the release of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) from adipose tissues and this might be the reason behind the close association between insulin resistance and the dysfunctionality of beta cells.
 
Insulin Resistance & Obesity
 
Throughout the lifecycle of every individual, there’s a potential for fluctuations in insulin sensitivity which is highly possible during times of increased carbohydrates intake, vigorous performance of strenuous physical activity, and other lifestyle changes. Puberty, ageing, and pregnancy are some periods during which insulin resistance becomes a very common affair.
 
The insulin-responsive glucose transporter (GLUT4) is downregulated in the adipocytes in obese individuals. The region where the body fat is present is quite a serious determinant of insulin sensitivity. For instance, central deposits of body fat (on the abdomen) poses higher risks of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes compared to subcutaneous fat deposits.
 
Understanding the Vice-versa
 
We have a team of researchers from the University of Basel who have now found that insufficient production of insulin in the human body can contribute toward increased risk of overweight/obesity.
Different hormones take up different functionalities working in harmony to keep our body healthy and fit. Feelings of hunger and fullness can also be attributed to various hormones and enzymes. Improper functioning of the enzyme protease PC1/3, halts the conversion of inactive hormone precursors into active ones. When the enzyme doesn’t perform its function, there is a greater risk for endocrine disorders which in turn increases the risks of overwhelming feelings of hunger and obesity.
 
The research team blocked the PC1/3 enzyme in the beta cells of the pancreas of mice that produce the insulin hormone. The mice consumed more calories resulting in overweight. We have distinct proof showing that the PC1/3 enzyme’s gene expression is correlated with an individual’s body weight—when there is enough production of the enzyme, the body weight also stays in a healthy range.
 
Insulin & Weight Gain
 
The insulin hormone not only regulates glucose levels in the blood but also helps the cells to absorb it. It does it by stimulating the cells of the fat, muscles, and liver to absorb glucose which is either used for energy or converted into fat for long-term storage. A person with type 1 diabetes suffers from insufficient insulin production and an individual with T2DM suffers from ineffective use of the produced insulin. As a response to both of these, the pancreas starts producing more and more insulin resulting in insulin resistance. When glucose is not removed effectively due to insulin resistance, this glucose is converted to fat and gets stored in the body, which, in turn, leads to weight gain.
 
There are several studies showing hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance as important risk factors for weight gain during later stages of life—this is even more true in the case of obese children and postmenopausal women.
 
The Bottomline
 
Impairs on the insulin-producing cells leads to obesity/overweight and the discovery of this concept opens the door for numerous ways of treatment. Mankind could come up with medications that reduce the formation of insulin precursors and this could not only benefit in fighting against diabetes but also obesity.
 
The concrete link between obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes has been established long back. But, the potential effect of insufficient insulin and its effect on human body weight is truly amusing and holds the key to alter the course of diabetes treatment. Going back to the basics of approaching diabetes and obesity with better lifestyle modifications, diet changes with the help of a dietitian/nutritionist, and regular exercise is a sure-shot course to victory. Still, research evidences as discussed above help in bringing better and new approaches to handle obesity and diabetes.