Low-Carb: The Role of Insulin by:Beverley Brooke

There are three basic units the body uses for energy:

Fats

Proteins

Carbohydrates

All three can be converted to blood glucose. However, while fats and proteins are converted slowly, carbohydrates are converted quickly causing quick spikes in the body's blood sugar levels. These spikes in blood sugar levels cause the pancreas to create and release insulin until the blood sugar level returns to normal.

Meanwhile, insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas that lowers our blood's glucose levels is released into the blood as soon as the body detects that blood sugar levels have risen above its optimal level.

Insulin is a very efficient hormone that runs the body's fuel storage systems. If there is excess sugar or fat in the blood insulin will signal the body to store it in the body's fat cells. Insulin also tells these cells not to release their stored fat, making that fat unavailable for use by the body as energy.

Since this stored fat cannot be released for use as energy, insulin very effectively prevents weight loss. The higher the body's insulin levels, the more effectively it prevents fat cells from releasing their stores, and the harder it becomes to lose weight. According to many authorities, over the long term, high insulin levels can lead to insulin resistance and cause serious health problems like the ones listed below:

Raised insulin levels and insulin resistance

Lower metabolism leading to weight gain

An increase in fatty tissue and reduction in muscle tissue

Accelerated aging

Increased food allergies and intolerances

Overworked immune system

Increased risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer

Carbohydrates, especially simple carbs like sugar and starch, are quickly turned into sucrose by the body entering the blood stream quicker thereby causing the release of large amounts of insulin. The fewer carbs are eaten, the less insulin is produced by the body, and the fewer calories are stored as fat. Less fat storage equals less weight gain and fewer carbs eaten equals less insulin in the blood and the body using its fat stores for fuel.

The premise behind every low-carb diet plan is that a body that produces less insulin burns more fat than a body that produces lots of insulin. Some plans encourage a period of extremely low carbohydrate intake so that the body will enter a state of ketosis and more quickly burn fat stores - These are usually called induction periods.

About the author

Beverley Brooke, Editor of Health & Finesse - Free health, diet and fitness articles and weekly newsletters http://www.healthandfinesse.com.

beverley.brooke@healthandfinesse.com

POST COMMENT

Childhood Obesity by:Beverley Brooke Calculating Your Calorie Needs by:Beverley Brooke 3 Easy Dieting Success Tips by:Beverley Brooke Omega-3 And Sudden Cardiac Arrest by:Greg Post Omega 3 and Reduced Risk of Myocardial Infarction by:Greg Post Fish Oils And A Plethora of Chronic Health Problems by:Greg Post Why Do Weight Loss Diets Fail? by:Phyllis Rogers Five Ways to Fit Fitness Into Your Life by:Rick DeToma My Amazing Mom by:Susan Graham Programming Brief: Exercise Order by:Chad Anderson, CSCS Vitamin Intro by:Tyler Falls The Utopia of Now by:Julia Allworth Computer Stress by:Trevor Dumbleton