Insulin is a powerful hormone made by the pancreas that plays a central role in balancing your blood sugar levels. It’s essential for helping your body convert food into usable energy and storing excess fuel for later use.
How Insulin Works
After eating, carbohydrates break down into glucose—a type of sugar that enters the bloodstream. Insulin helps:
Move glucose into your muscle, liver, and fat cells for energy
Store excess glucose as fat
Prevent the breakdown of muscle and fat when energy is available
Fun Fact: The name insulin comes from the Latin word insula, meaning “island,” referring to the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas where insulin is made.
How Is Insulin Controlled in the Body?
The body maintains healthy blood sugar through a delicate balance between insulin and another hormone called glucagon. Here’s how it works:
After a meal: Glucose levels rise → pancreas releases insulin → glucose moves into cells → blood sugar stabilizes
Between meals or during stress: Glucagon is released → glucose is released from the liver → blood sugar rises
Other hormones and signals from the gut also influence this process to ensure your body gets the energy it needs.
Too Much Insulin? Here’s What Can Happen
Excess insulin can lower your blood sugar too much, a condition known as hypoglycemia.
Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar Include:
Sweating and trembling
Dizziness or confusion
Intense hunger
Anxiety and palpitations
In severe cases: seizures or coma
Common Causes:
Taking more insulin than needed
Certain diabetes medications (like sulphonylureas or meglitinides)
Rare insulin-producing tumors (insulinomas)
Too Little Insulin? Watch for These Red Flags
When your body doesn’t produce enough insulin—or can’t use it properly—your blood sugar rises. This can lead to diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
Autoimmune condition—your body attacks insulin-producing cells
Requires lifelong insulin therapy
Symptoms include: frequent urination, extreme thirst, weight loss, fatigue
Type 2 Diabetes
Your body resists insulin or doesn’t make enough
Often linked to excess weight and inactivity
May have mild or no symptoms early on
Managed with lifestyle changes, medication, and sometimes insulin
How to Support Healthy Insulin Function Naturally
Small lifestyle changes can make a big impact. Here’s how to support insulin balance:
Eat balanced meals low in added sugars
Stay active—exercise improves insulin sensitivity
Maintain a healthy weight
Manage stress—chronic stress impacts hormones
Avoid smoking and limit alcohol
Need Help Understanding Your Body’s Signals?
At Be The Change Wellness, we use advanced tools like bioresonance testing to assess your hormonal balance, including insulin sensitivity, and guide you toward tailored solutions for optimal wellness.
