Under normal circumstances, insulin functions in the following steps:

1️⃣ Your body breaks down the food you eat into glucose (sugar), which is your body’s main source of energy.

2️⃣ Glucose enters your bloodstream, which signals your pancreas to release insulin.

3️⃣ Insulin helps glucose in your blood enter your muscle, fat, and liver cells so they can use it for energy or store it for later use.

With insulin resistance, the body’s muscle, fat, and liver cells do not respond normally to insulin; glucose can’t enter the cells as easily, so it builds up in the blood. This can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.

Weight loss and exercise can help reverse insulin resistance.