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Hyperinsulinemia: Is it diabetes?
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyperinsulinemia/HQ00896
- With Mayo Clinic endocrinologist
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell is board certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. She's a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic and an associate professor at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
The Aibonito, Puerto Rico, native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1994.
She's a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American College of Endocrinology, the American Diabetes Association and The Endocrine Society.
Dr. Collazo-Clavell is medical editor of diabetes content on Mayo's health information website and for "Mayo Clinic The Essential Diabetes Book." Her clinical interests include management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity and nutritional disorders.
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Question
Hyperinsulinemia: Is it diabetes?
Is hyperinsulinemia a form of diabetes?
Answer
from Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Hyperinsulinemia (hi-pur-in-suh-lih-NEE-me-uh) means the amount of insulin in your blood is higher than considered normal. It isn't diabetes. But hyperinsulinemia is often associated with type 2 diabetes.
Insulin is produced by your pancreas and helps regulate blood sugar. Hyperinsulinemia is a sign of an underlying problem controlling blood sugar, which requires your pancreas to secrete large amounts of insulin to keep your blood sugar within a normal range.
Hyperinsulinemia is most often caused by insulin resistance — a condition in which your body is resistant to the effects of insulin and your pancreas tries to compensate by making more insulin. Insulin resistance may also eventually lead to the development of type 2 diabetes — when your pancreas is no longer able to secrete the large amounts of insulin required to keep the blood sugar normal.
Rarely, hyperinsulinemia is caused by:
- A tumor of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas (insulinoma)
- Excessive numbers of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas (nesidioblastosis)
Hyperinsulinemia causes no signs or symptoms unless it causes low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Treatment of hyperinsulinemia is directed at the underlying problem.
Next questionDiabetes: Does alcohol and tobacco use increase my risk?
- Buse JB, et al. Type 2 diabetes mellitus. In: Kronenberg HM, et al. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191205553-3/0/1555/0.html#. Accessed Sept. 1, 2011.
- Kahn MI, et al. Carbohydrates. In: McPherson RA, et al. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1393/0.html. Accessed Sept. 1, 2011.
- Common terms. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/common-terms/common-terms-f-k.html. Accessed Sept. 1, 2011.
- Shank MH, et al. Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia. Diabetes Care. 2008;31:S262.
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