What’s the best way to determine whether one is likely to develop Type-2 diabetes or has dangerously altered their beta-cell resistance? Should I have tests done on blood insulin and glucose? After a meal? Fasting?
I’m asking because I have been consuming quite a few calories for a while now, using a lot of milk, and I understand that milk is quite high on the insulin index. I also consume a lot of carbs, sometimes 100g or more at one sitting. This diet has worked quite well for me (good LBM:fat gained ratio), and I really don’t want to change it if at all possible.
I have no problem with doing a search, but trying to come up with a clear answer on this stuff is hard. I figured maybe someone here has actually had personal experience with keeping an eye on glucose and insulin levels that could help me.
I use 300mg r-ALA a day (100mg with each of my three high-carb meals).
Also, I am aware of Berardi’s method of testing glucose, but I’m also interested in insulin and seeing as he’s not around here much anymore to ask, need to find a way to do that. Thanks again.
If you’re exercising and eating right for a body builder, you probably aren’t going to have any problems. Try not to get too paranoid. If you’re really concerned you canalways check your own blood glucose.
The easiest way is probably to go out and buy one of those glucose test meters available at any pharmacy for well under $85, depending on features. (The catch is that they stick you when you buy the little test strip refills.)
I check my blood glucose every morning when I wake up. This is after an all night fast, and the liver has had time to adjust your blood glucose to what it thinks is normal. If you are consistently over 120 on the meter, then you have problems. (A couple days won’t hurt you.) Ideally, you should be around the 100 range, or even less. Between 110 and 120 is marginal; that means you might be developing syndrome-X and need to watch your diet more carefully. Your doctor can advise you in more detail.
Note that the meters are very inaccurate. An error of 15% is not unusual, so you need to average your readings over several days.
My doctor says the readings also tend to fluctuate right before you get sick. So watch out for that too, or use it to your advantage.
A more accurate assessment might be to have your doctor order an A1C test for you. A1C is an indicator of your average blood glucose over about 3 months and is an important indicator of the onset of diabetes.