Another Insulin question

[nawchem]

My c-protein insulin test result was 1.9 and I carbed up for several days to see how bad it could get- for LC motivation. Well it was 1.9 normal range 1.1-5.0.

Does that mean I don't have hyperinsulemia?

Does that mean that eating a LC diet isn't all that crucial to my health and I'm not at risk for developing diabetes?

I don't think I have syndrome x. My lipids were
total chol 164
LDL 95
HDL 53
triglycerides 80

before lowcarb the numbers were nearly the same but that was 5 years ago. I'm 44 and haven't started menopause yet.

[Lisa N]

Does that mean I don't have hyperinsulemia?

It means you don't have hyperinsulinemia. That doesn't mean you can't develop it somewhere down the road, but right now things are looking pretty good.


Does that mean that eating a LC diet isn't all that crucial to my health and I'm not at risk for developing diabetes?

I'd say you're probably at low risk, but nobody's 'risk' is ever zero; if you take your current results as a license to go out and eat whatever you please, the balance could tip in the other direction. As to whether LC is crucial to your health or not, I'd say maintainence levels are about as healthy as a person could possibly eat. :)

I don't think I have syndrome x. My lipids were
total chol 164
LDL 95
HDL 53
triglycerides 80

Nope. Those labs aren't suggestive of someone who has syndrome x.

[nawchem]

Oh good. I posted in the bernstein section that I was afraid I was becoming diabetic since insulin was low and bs keep increasing. I flunked the thryoid test but the pancreas is doing good!

[Lisa N]

Oh good. I posted in the bernstein section that I was afraid I was becoming diabetic since insulin was low and bs keep increasing. I flunked the thryoid test but the pancreas is doing good!

Blood sugar varies from minute to minute; it's never totally static; you could check your fasting 7 days in a row and probably not get the same reading twice. IIRC, in your other post you mentioned that you had fasted until 3 PM and had been carbing up for a few days before hand; those two things right there could explain a fasting blood sugar of 94 although I should also point out that a blood sugar of 94 is still within normal parameters.
IMO, you're worrying needlessly and as my grandma used to tell me, "don't borrow trouble.". ;)

[nawchem]

Thanks Lisa (and grandma)! I will try to find something else to worry about.

[kebaldwin]

1. Cholesterol and triglycerides rise / fall about 80% in eight weeks. Perhaps you should have eaten a "typical western diet" for eight weeks to see what your results are like on a regular diet. The guy in the McDonalds parody did it for 30 days?

2. IMHO obesity / blood sugar problems are not the only effect of poor nutrition. Kind of like why do some people have heart attacks whereas other people have strokes. Cancer, heart attack, stroke, dementia, depression, arthritis, bowel disease, poor skin, and others are related to poor nutrition.

[Nancy LC]

The A1C test is what they use to test how your blood sugar is over a period of months, not just your insulin. I think it is probably a better predictor of problems than a spot check of insulin, but I don't know that much about it.

[nawchem]

kebaldwin I do have a comparison for 2 years I was eating very poor quality job food. I also had a health problem and back injury, I gained 45lbs in 2 years. My blood work was similar
total chol 139
LDL 99
HDL 39

but I had a lot of bad LDL cholesterol and now I don't. I assume that is because I am eating healthier and able to exercise. There's something weird about me that I feel awful when I eat less then 35 carbs/day. I've tried to do it for 5 years and I've come to accept that its me. I started CALP to get my carbs from the mandatory salad/vegetables and fruit which makes me feel a lot better. Don't know if I can lose wt doing this.

I have been getting my A1c tracked since I was in my 30s and diabetic for a short time. It is usually around 5.6.

[Nancy LC]

You were diabetic? That's not good.

Overall, you're going to be a lot healthier keeping your carbs lowish, but you probably don't have to be extreme about it.

[kebaldwin]

I feel awful when I eat less then 35 carbs/day. I've tried to do it for 5 years and I've come to accept that its me.

1. Did you try induction? 20 grams or less for two weeks? When you go from "carbed" to "carb free" you go through withdraws. Just like a hangover with alcohol. I feel the "carb hangover" everytime I cheat. At 35 carbs per day, maybe you are bouncing in and out of "carb hangover".

2. There are doctors that have "type diets". Mercola is one of them. Perhaps you should try it? You don't go back to eating high glycemic foods but you might eat more veggies.

http://www.mercola.com/forms/total_health_book.htm

I took his test and was off the charts on high protein so the low carb diet is wonderful for me. He has a minor test on-line

http://www.mercola.com/forms/mt_test.htm

[nawchem]

I tested high protein too. I think my problem is that I'm addicted to carbs. Its hard for me to tell how I feel. When I first started lowcarb I ate induction for 5 months and lost no weight. I got so irritated I called Dr. Atkins and asked him why his diet didn't work. That's when I found out my thyroid was low so I've been constantly changing my medication the whole time I've been trying to lowcarb. I found out I was hypothyroid since I was 5 and I think I really got into sugar and caffeine trying to get some energy.

[Nancy LC]

LOL! That's taking the bull by the horns. Pretty good though he got you set on the path to getting your thyroid issues under control!

[kebaldwin]

I've been dying to ask this question:

Regarding the thyroid thing -- how does the low thyroid from low hormones?

For example, most middle aged / over weight men have (un knowingly) hormone problems where their DHEA, tesosterone and growth hormone are too low and estrogen, insulin, and cortisol levels are too high.

It seems to me that if you address the DHEA, testosterone, and growth hormone -- the thyroid will fall into place.

[Nancy LC]

Low thyroid is usually caused by autoimmune disease or pituitary malfunction.

[nawchem]

I think what you're talking about is the aging process and thyroid. I haven't seen it approached that way because its so easy to just give someone thyroid replacement and I don't know if those other hormones are checked in regular physicals. This was the first time I had my testosterone, cortisol and estradiol checked. I've never had the other ones.

Most thyroid in the us is caused by the immune system making antibodies to a protein that the thyroid makes, your body begins attacking the thyroid. Treatment is to replace the thyroid hormones which shuts down the thyroid and stops the protein from being made.

My particular case is from a head injury the pitiutary got damaged and doesn't communicate with the thyroid to make enough thyroid hormones.