15 Ways to Lower Insulin Levels Naturally

Keeping insulin levels in check is important for maintaining energy and averting complications due to diabetes. On the other hand, high insulin levels resulting from insulin resistance lead to weight gain, lethargy, and an augmented risk for chronic diseases. Fortunately, there are natural ways to decrease insulin levels and increase your body’s response to this important hormone.

In this article, we cover 15 efficient and natural ways to help you reduce your insulin levels, increase your energy, and promote better health. If you’re looking to make small dietary changes or increase physical activity, here are tips to get you moving toward a more energized and balanced life.

Why Should You Lower Your Insulin Levels?

We know about sensitization, right? When the levels of insulin in the body are constantly higher than they should be, chances are that it would end up making your cells resistant to taking up the insulin for glucose metabolism.

What this results in is not just heightened levels of insulin in the body but also heightened levels of glucose simultaneously. This could even impose risks of the development of insulin-independent diabetes or Type-2 Diabetes.

Side Effects of High Insulin Levels

When it comes to talking about the unprecedented levels of insulin in the body, it is very important to pay close attention to it and work around ways to fight off the condition as soon as possible.

Many people don’t even realize they have a high insulin level until and unless they run a pathology test to get the same confirmed.

It is very important to keep some of the signs of high insulin levels into account to be aware of the condition.

Some common signs and symptoms of high insulin levels include:

• Frequent and extensive hunger
• Unprecedented weight gain
• Excess sugar cravings
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Anxiety and a feeling of restlessness

Some of the side effects of high insulin levels include:

Insulin Resistance

One of the most common side effects of high insulin levels is the development of insulin resistance in the body. The constant high levels of insulin tend to impact the overall sensitivity of the cells in promoting the functions of the insulin once it is released into the bloodstream.

Hypoglycemia

If you have an overactive pancreas that is constantly secreting insulin even when not required, it will end up affecting the overall glucose levels in the body. In the initial stage since the insulin levels are high, it will end up metabolizing the glucose in the bloodstream. When the insulin levels are high, it ends up causing a sudden drop in the blood glucose levels.

Frequent Urination

Yet another commonly noticed side effect of high insulin levels is frequent urination. Because the renal function of the body is in overdrive, it is not uncommon to notice a sudden rise in the frequency of urination.

Tiredness

Fatigue and tiredness are often a common side effect in patients with high insulin levels. The main reason is most probably because of the overdrive of the glucose metabolism which causes spiked energy bursts which then fizzles down just as fast.

Weight Gain

One of the most common side effects of high insulin levels is uncontrolled weight gain. It is very important to lead a very active lifestyle to ensure regulated insulin levels and prevent unwanted weight gain.

How to Lower Insulin Levels?

Now with the basics aside and the consequences glanced through, it is time we focus on the ways one can lower their insulin levels.

There are several natural ways to lower insulin levels in the body. The only thing to ensure is to look out for effective ways and stick to them till the end.

1. Stick to a Low-Carb Diet

The very first strategy to lower insulin levels is to watch out for your diet. It is important to ensure that you stick to a low-carb diet that can not just keep your insulin levels in check but also ensure proper weight loss as well.

Partaking interest in a low-carb diet has been found (R) (R) effective in warding off the signs of high insulin levels in comparison to the other diets that we indulge in.

Even a study conducted in a group of individuals who consumed a low-carb and low-fat diet found a rapid decrease in insulin levels by 50%.

2. Avoid Foods That Cause Insulin Spikes

Many people tend to have a notion about dry fruits, thinking it doesn’t necessarily cause any alterations in the insulin levels in the body but they do.

It is important to ensure that you avoid foods that can cause sudden spikes in insulin levels. They might not necessarily seem like a lot but even making the slightest of changes in your lifestyle can impact a lot.

3. Include More Blueberries In The Diet

Not many people know this but the amazing bioactive compounds (R) in the blueberries are very beneficial in increasing insulin sensitivity and getting rid of the higher levels of insulin.

In a study (R) conducted among obese, non-diabetic, and insulin-resistant patients, the participants were supplemented either with a blueberry smoothie for six weeks or a normal placebo diet.

An altered change was found in the insulin sensitivity which was reduced by 22% in comparison to the placebo group which only lost around 4.9%.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic

The administration of apple cider vinegar tonic post-meal has been found to have amazing impacts on the overall insulin levels in the body. It has been credited with having an amazing impact in managing the blood sugar spikes in the body after a meal.

Even a few conducted studies (R) have found the efficacy of vinegar and its impact on insulin levels after a high-carb meal.

Researchers have also found that the consumption of 2 tbsp of vinegar following a high-carb meal has been found effective in inducing a feeling of fullness after 30 minutes of a meal. The researchers (R) stated that the impacts could be because of the delayed stomach emptying which impacted the rate of glucose metabolism in the body.

5. Lose Weight

Obesity is the primary reason behind the worsening condition of the spiked insulin levels.

If you are still on the lookout for foods that lower insulin levels, opt for ways that will also help you lose weight effectively.

Excess body weight and high levels of fat concentration in the body are often associated with heightened levels of insulin in the body, especially when it comes to handling the condition of insulin resistance (R) in the body.

The combination of excess body fat along high insulin levels often imposes the risks of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in women of varying ages.

6. Supplement with Vitamin D

Yet another one of the best natural ways to lower insulin levels is to supplement with Vitamin D. The vitamin found in abundance in the morning sun does have an important role to play in the insulin metabolism in the body.

In a study (R) (R), the participants (women) were given 4000 IU of Vitamin D3 regularly for an overall period of six months. The researchers did find a lot of improvement in the insulin resistance in their bodies.

7. Be Mindful of Portion Sizes

Portion sizes and the amount of food that you are putting into your body play a crucial role in the overall prospects of insulin levels in the body.

While the studies don’t necessarily bar you from consuming any amount of calories, it does ask you to restrict the amount that you are consuming.

Even studies (R) have found that the consumption of fewer calories tends to have positive impacts on the overall insulin sensitivity of the body. In one such conducted study (R), it was found that the participants who practiced calorie management while eating had a reduction in their insulin levels by 16% and the ones who opted for portion management did effectively lower their insulin levels by 12%.

8. Indulge in Exercises

One of the best answers on how to lower insulin levels is by indulging in exercise.

Exercising not only contributes to lowering your obesity but also helps in ensuring better blood circulation and metabolism and also helps in getting rid of the unnecessary fats in the body which is best for someone who either has consistently high insulin levels or suffers from insulin resistance.

Indulging in an hour of exercise in intervals can be quite useful for several people. It doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you are indulging in. It could be cycling, cardio or even swimming.

Leading an active lifestyle is the key factor when it comes to finding natural ways to lower insulin levels.

9. Avoid Sugar

When we are mentioning sugar, it is not just the normal white sugar that you think. The prospects and impacts are far more than that.

To lower your insulin levels, it is important to ensure that you avoid sugar in all forms. This is possibly one of the most important things you have to do with your diet. Consuming sugar is not going to do any good to your body and not for your insulin levels as well.

When it comes to avoiding sugar in all forms, it means, any kind of food that has unnecessary and unhealthy forms of sugar in it should be avoided at all costs.

10. Handle Stress

Yet another important factor that plays a crucial role in the maintenance and lowering of insulin levels is to handle your stress healthily. Stress has the possibility of inducing varying negative impacts on the body, especially on the insulin levels in the body.

When our body is under stress, it will most likely end up impacting the pancreas to release more insulin to metabolize the carbs to produce energy in the body.

Several studies have found that cinnamon is very effective in lowering blood sugar levels and even the overall cholesterol levels in the blood. The conducted studies were mainly aimed at Type-2 Diabetic patients.

The participants were given 1-6 gm of cinnamon in their diet per day consecutively for 40 days following which the results were recorded and assessed.

The lowering of the blood sugar levels inadvertently impacts the overall insulin levels in the body. But, it is very important to ensure that you don’t end up consuming more than you should because even the excess consumption can end up contributing to drastic changes in the blood sugar levels and end up causing hypoglycemia which is bad for you.

12. Say No to Refined Carbs

As delectable and mouth-watering as the combination of burgers and fries might look like, it is not going to do your body any good. It is necessary to avoid them because of the negative impacts they have on the insulin levels in the body.

They are not just potent for spiking insulin levels, they can even end up causing unnecessary weight gain which again is not good for one’s health.

Refined carbs tend to have a high glycemic index which affects the overall insulin levels in the body.

13. Consume Pistachios

Yet another one of the effective foods that lower insulin resistance is pistachios. It is believed that while the consumption of other nuts could potentially have negative impacts on the insulin levels in the body, the pistachios have a different impact.

Even in a study published in the Diabetes Journal, it was found that the participants who were fed with pistachios for an extended period did have an improved condition associated with insulin resistance.

14. Get Rid of The Sedentary Lifestyle

As mentioned before, one of the most common negatives and enemies for insulin resistance and high levels of insulin in the body is being stuck to a sedentary lifestyle.

Statistics do suggest that the connection between insulin resistance with a sedentary lifestyle is on the constant rise.

Tart cherries are also one of the best foods that lower insulin levels because of the high levels of antioxidants in them which contribute to the better metabolic rate of the body.

In a study conducted among the rats, they were administered tart cherry powder for eight weeks straight and did show signs of improved insulin sensitivity in the blood, thus regulating their presence in the bloodstream.

Besides, tart cherries are also rich in the hormone, melatonin which further helps in inducing better sleep which is essential for managing stress.

Conclusion

Naturally maintaining balanced insulin levels is essential to prevent insulin resistance and maintain good health. Incorporating these simple changes, such as eating a low carbohydrate diet, regular exercise, no refined carbs or sugar, and adding foods such as blueberries and pistachios to your diet, helps reduce your insulin levels. Furthermore, this would increase insulin sensitivity through stress management and an active lifestyle, which would certainly prevent chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes. These lifestyle changes will help you maintain balanced energy levels and achieve better longer-term health.

• May 2019
  Written by Somapika D
• Nov 2024
  Edited by Lakshmi Gayatri