I'm starting to think a little about insulin resistance and hypoglycemia.  I
don't know much about either yet.  However, I came across some interesting
information of the Thyroid Manager.  One person recently told what different
effects food had such as wheat, whether brown or white had the effect of
candy.  The other didn't have much of a response. I don't understand this all
that well, but it appears that hypothyroid people absorb glucose much slower
so are not as likely to show up as insulin resistance.  The one who reacted,
has had occasional bouts with thyrotoxicosis and can even become that way
from losing weight, which to me is surprising.  The one without much response
recently was talking about a need to increase due to carpal tunnel or other
symptoms.  It seems to me that a "low peak value" for the glucose tolerance
could indicate under treatment of the thyroid condition.  However, I don't
hae enough understanding of this yet to  say that I'm probably right.

From the Thyroid manager:
<quote>
Carbohydrate metabolism. Glucose is absorbed from the intestine at a slower
rate than normal. Fasting plasma glucose values are on average lower than
normal 6,7. The oral glucose tolerance test usually produces a low peak value
that remains elevated at 2 hours. This response does not resemble that
encountered in diabetes mellitus and is probably related to slow gastric
motility and delayed absorption.

However, the glucose disappearance rate is also prolonged when the sugar is
given intravenously, although the peak value is normal in magnitude and in
time of occurrence 8. Insulin release in response to an oral glucose load may
be variable due to the absorptive abnormalities associated with
hypothyroidism. The insulin response to intravenous glucose is blunted and
slightly delayed 8. In contrast to adult-onset diabetes, there is no evidence
of resistance to insulin. In fact, the prolonged hypoglycemic effect of
exogenous insulin in hypothyroid patients suggests increased sensitivity to
insulin action 7,9. This response, as well as the decrease in appetite,
accounts for the diminished insulin requirement for the control of
hypothyroid diabetics.
<Unquote>

Skipper


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