Insulin Resistance Harms Arteries, Too

A new report in the May issue of Cell Metabolism shows that our arteries can also suffer the effects of insulin resistance, though for entirely different reasons than other areas of the body. Earlier studies showed that in the context of systemic insulin resistance, blood vessels become resistant, too. Doctors also knew that insulin resistance and the high insulin levels to which it leads are independent risk factors for vascular disease. But it wasn't clear if arteries become diseased because they can't respond to insulin or because they get exposed to too much of it. Insulin sends a signal in our arteries that helps prevent the buildup of fatty plaques that can cause arteries to harden. read more

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