Insulin the so-called Fat Switch
Most of us have heard of insulin before now. It is known mainly as the hormone that regulates FAT. Fat storage. Fat loss. Fat metabolism…
Some people have called it a FAT SWITCH.
I am one of them!
But there’s a another word being associated with INSULIN…
I’m talking about LONGEVITY.
I have heard that word a lot lately. Longevity. There are longevity studies that tell us — with surprising accuracy — how long we will live. And did you know that our levels of circulating insulin have a very strong correlation with our longevity?
FAT is not the only thing that Insulin regulates! Insulin also regulates LONGEVITY. The more insulin you have circulating in your blood stream that you don’t need, the sooner you will die. Or, at least, that is what I am beginning to think I understand from the books I have read about Paleo Nutrition and metabolic syndrome.
Everybody seems to be saying that it’s ALL ABOUT INSULIN. High insulin levels, inflammation, oxidation… these are the things that kill us and cause the diseases of civilization that plague our modern society: heart disease, cancer, diabetes.
Another Perspective
There is a great post on Kurt Harris’s PaNu blog, entitled: Insulin is a Doorman at the Fat Cell Nightclub Not a Lock. If you want accurate science, I don’t think it gets better than this:
The hormones that are influenced by what you eat don’t work by locking the door or closing the nightclub and kicking everyone out. They work by changing the relative ease of entering or leaving the building. So think of fat storage in fat cells the same way.
The same way patrons can leave and enter a nightclub simultaneously in opposite directions, fat is constantly being stored and released at the same time – the question is not “on or off” but what is the ratio of the two processes.
Insulin levels are an important factor in fat storage but they are not the only factor and IT IS NOT AN ON/OFF SWITCH. Insulin is ONE hormone that affects the storage/release equilibrium.
It is apparent in this quote that Kurt Harris doesn’t favor the over-simplified, popular term FAT SWITCH. I have used it as a metaphor, or word picture, to describe very simply how strongly insulin levels affect our ability to burn fat, by equating different insulin levels to TURNING A SWITCH on or off.
Kurt’s post explains how misleading this idea can be. It also reminds us how very complex our human bodies are, and that no one thing, not even insulin, is the only thing to be considered when explaining fat storage, longevity and overall health.
The First Step of Low Carb
Managing insulin levels is one of the main goals of the Low Carb diet, or at least one of the FIRST goals. I think it is a great early step toward overall health. For those of us who have screaming insulin resistance, lowering elevated insulin levels as directly as possible through very low carbohydrate intake may be the best thing we can do to start the healing process.
And though the FAT SWITCH metaphor only gives us a GENERAL IDEA of ONE FUNCTION of insulin, I think it can help people understand the healing potential of Low Carb nutrition, especially those who are primarily concerned about managing or reversing diabetes or obesity.
If you are interested in learning more about insulin, try the following
Gut Feeling about Insulin on Spark of Reason
If you want something a little lighter… great content without scientific jargon: Try Fat head
Link to:
Fat head on Amazon
Fat Head Blog
Dr. Mike Eades review
my review
If you want something a little more in depth, try Primal Body-Primal Mind
This is the best material on insulin and longevity I’ve read. Check out my review before you buy, if you like.
Seeing the close correlation between insulin levels and longevity is fascinating. And many people talk about longevity as not just length of life, but also having to do with quality of life. I’ll definitely be reading more about insulin and longevity. I’ll let you know what I find out.
Lovin’ It Low Carb
Ramona Denton
*Amazon links are affliate links. Using these links to purchase your books from Amazon will allow me to receive a commission on the sale.
