Why We Get Sick

Cardiovascular

Insulin resistance significantly impacts cardiovascular health, particularly through hypertension. Benjamin Bikman explains that elevated insulin levels cause the kidneys to retain salt, leading to increased blood volume and pressure 1. This process is exacerbated when blood vessels become insulin resistant, preventing them from dilating properly and maintaining high blood pressure.

When insulin's high, the heart rate starts beating harder or higher and harder, and the blood vessels once again constrict.

--- Benjamin Bikman

Chronic high insulin also triggers the sympathetic nervous system, further straining the cardiovascular system 1.

   

Cancer

The link between insulin resistance and cancer is both direct and indirect. Benjamin Bikman highlights that breast and prostate cancers often exhibit mutations in insulin receptors, making them more susceptible to insulin's effects 2. Additionally, cancer cells consume glucose at a much higher rate than normal cells, fueling their growth in insulin-resistant individuals.

Cancer cells eat glucose. That is their primary fuel. They eat about 200 times more glucose than the normal cell does.

--- Benjamin Bikman

This combination of increased insulin signaling and glucose availability accelerates cancer progression 2.

   

Reproductive

Insulin resistance also affects reproductive health, particularly in men. Benjamin Bikman notes that erectile dysfunction is often an early sign of insulin resistance, as it impairs blood vessel dilation necessary for normal fertility 3. Contrary to popular belief, this condition is not primarily due to low testosterone but rather the inability of blood vessels to function properly.

Is erectile dysfunction the earliest manifestation of insulin resistance in men?

--- Benjamin Bikman

Insulin's indirect effect on testosterone through fat cells further complicates male reproductive health 3.