insulin

[gradiefa]

What is the connection between insulin & weight gain? I have a friend who has started injecting Rx insulin - she claims that it causes her to gain weight. But she has not been able to describe to me how the medication works. When she is going to eat, she checks her blood sugar for her insulin dosage.... If she is in need of insulin, does she have a healthy reason to eat? Could she only eat when her blood sugar level dropped to a normal range? Wouldn't that be healthier? And if there are circumstances when she eats with high blood sugar & insulin, isn't that a time to eat very sparingly?

[RRM]

What is the connection between insulin & weight gain?

Insulin stimulates the uptake of glucose from the blood and its subsequent storage as glycogen in the liver and muscles and as glycerol in triglycerides, in adipose tissue (as bodyfat).
When the level of protein and / or glucose in the blood rises, more insulin is secreted.
People who overeat regularly, also regularly over-stimulate the secretion of insulin, which may eventually lead to insulin resistance.
Thats why overweight people relatively often have diabetes.

I have a friend who has started injecting Rx insulin - she claims that it causes her to gain weight.

Additional insulin will lead to additional glucose getting stored as bodyfat, yes.
As that will lead to a decrease in the blood sugar level after every injection,
this will stimulate her appetite for sugars (to replenish the stored glucose).

she has not been able to describe to me how the medication works.

A shot of insulin is just adding insulin to the insulin already in the blood.

When she is going to eat, she checks her blood sugar for her insulin dosage.... If she is in need of insulin, does she have a healthy reason to eat?

The amount of insulin in your blood is not a reason to eat.
The amount of glucose (or fatty acids or protein) in your blood is a reason to eat.
One is in need for insulin if relatively little insulin is secreted in response to a meal.
If too little insulin is secreted, the blood glucose level will remain too high.

Could she only eat when her blood sugar level dropped to a normal range? Wouldn't that be healthier?

Yes, on should only eat if the blood glucose level is not too high.
Thats healthier, indeed.

And if there are circumstances when she eats with high blood sugar & insulin, isn't that a time to eat very sparingly?

She should not eat at all when her blood sugar level is high.
She should learn to listen to her blood sugar levels, and eat accordingly.
If her body secretes little insulin, she should always eat sparingly.
She should always eat very small meals, very frequently.