Insulin is required to get glucose from the bloodstream into your cells by binding to insulin recepts on those cells, which trigger enzymes to move the glucose into the cells. It’s produced by special beta cells in your pancreas.
- Without insulin, glucose persists in the blood and the resulting high blood sugar level damages blood vessels, causing poor circulation and increasing the risk of vision failure, needing amputations on limbs, heart attacks, strokes, etc.
- Intramyocellular fat inside cells, caused by high-fat diets, has been shown to reduce the ability of insulin in allowing glucose to enter the cells.
- Type 1 diabetes is a failure to produce adequate levels of insulin to keep blood sugar in safe levels. Type 2 diabetes is a failure for the insulin in letting glucose into your cells.