Insulin and Premature Aging

Not only does a high insulin level set you up for a long list of diseases, it can actually cause you to age more rapidly. The rate at which you age is largely determined by how sensitive your body is to insulin. If your body responds fully to insulin you’ll age more slowly.

But should your fasting blood sugar level climb to over 100 your aging process will shift into overdrive. Just look at any diabetic and I’m sure you’ll notice how rapidly they age. In short, CRH fuels premature aging. The higher your blood insulin level the faster you age.
 

Insulin and Sex

An elevated insulin level can play havoc with your sex life by disrupting the level and activity of a number of different sex hormones including estrogen, testosterone and progesterone.  These are the hormones that control sexual desire, performance and enjoyment.

As they age many men and women assume that their sexual problems are caused by aging. But in many cases their symptoms can be entirely reversed. A normal hormonal balance can be often restored after their insulin level is brought under control. 

DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) is a key steroid hormone that’s a biochemical cousin of both estrogen and testosterone. DHEA is often called the “mother sex hormone” since the body can easily convert DHEA into either estrogen or testosterone – the key sex hormones. 

Users report that they have increased their libido (sexual desire) by taking supplements containing DHEA though research to support this claim is lacking.

Unfortunately as insulin resistance increases, the level of DHEA in the body falls. Fortunately in most cases a normal DHEA level can be easily restored when insulin levels return to normal.

Also, insulin increases the level of something called Hormone Binding Globulin (HBG). HBG binds to sex hormones and renders them inactive. The more HBG you have, the less hormone is available.

As you bring your insulin level down the amount of HBG in your blood will also decline giving your sex hormones an extra boost.

Insulin and Longevity

Doctors are fond of handing out what sounds like good advice. You’ve heard their mantra before I’m sure. Eat a low fat diet, exercise regularly and stay away from alcohol and tobacco. Virtually every major health organization on the planet endorses these oft-repeated maxims. 

At first glance their advice appears reasonable enough but when we examine the lifestyles and personal habits of those rare individuals who live past the age of 115, their advice suddenly doesn’t seem so wise.    

Fact is, many of the longest lived people in the world smoked, some very heavily for decades. Many consumed alcohol rather freely and many never did a lick of exercise. Many were Europeans who consumed continental diets that include generous quantities of extremely high-fat foods and sauces (along with wine during the meal, some liquor afterwards not to mention the usual after-meal cigarette or cigar!)

But when blood tests were performed on these long-lived elders, researchers were astounded to find that with rare exception they all had extremely low blood insulin levels. In their aged bodies insulin was still operating at peak efficiency.

The longevity movement, long focused on cholesterol and blood pressure levels, is now beginning to recognize the central role insulin plays in human aging.

By lowering your insulin level you can not only stay healthy but at the same time you may also add 20-30 years or more to your life. And what’s more you’ll feel better, think more clearly, enjoy more frequent and more pleasurable sex and enjoy an overall higher quality of life. ■