Gestational diabetes raises autism risk
By Margaret Jasinska
Gestational diabetes is the fastest growing type of diabetes in Australia. Autism is also becoming more prevalent. New research shows there may be a link. It’s the elevated insulin that may be responsible.
Insulin resistance is also known as metabolic syndrome or pre diabetes. It occurs most commonly in women who are overweight (particularly in the torso) and women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. It’s also common in women with a family history of type 2 diabetes. The hormone insulin is secreted by the pancreas and is supposed to get sugar (glucose) in the bloodstream into the cells of your body, where it can be used for energy. In some people, insulin is not as effective as it should be; therefore the pancreas secretes higher and higher levels of this hormone. As insulin becomes less effective, it loses the ability to tightly control blood sugar. Hence elevated blood sugar and diabetes can develop.
Gestational diabetes is becoming increasingly prevalent for several reasons. Apart from being overweight, you are also more likely to develop gestational diabetes if you are pregnant at an older age (over 35 years old). More and more women are having children at an older age in recent years. Some women are genetically more predisposed to gestational diabetes than others. Aboriginal, Melanesian, Chinese, South east Asian, Middle Eastern and Indian women are at higher risk.
The study linking gestational diabetes with autism was published in the journal Frontiers in Cellular Endocrinology. According to author and professor of biochemistry Michael Stern, “It appears that both Type 2 diabetes and autism have a common underlying mechanism — impaired glucose tolerance and hyperinsulinemia,”. Professor Stern also stated that glucose tolerance should be addressed more seriously by clinicians than it currently is. I couldn’t agree more. All forms of diabetes are serious conditions with the potential to cause great harm to not only your own body, but a developing foetus as well. Autism is a complex condition and there are other causative factors besides blood sugar and insulin.
How to know if you have insulin resistance
The following symptoms may provide clues:
There is a blood test that can measure your fasting insulin, but it isn’t always reliable and many doctors are not willing to order this test.
- Having a fatty liver
- Abdominal obesity. As the waist grows larger, insulin becomes increasingly ineffective in your body, therefore levels of this hormone rise.
- Hunger and cravings for sugar or carbohydrate rich foods. People with high blood insulin are hungry and nothing will satisfy their appetite like carbs!
- Elevated blood sugar. A fasting blood sugar level greater than 97mg/dL (5.4mmol/L) indicates insulin resistance.
- Acne and large pores on the face. Insulin and its cousin insulin-like growth factor 1 promote higher levels of the male hormone testosterone and increase the sensitivity of your face to testosterone. That means you’re more likely to experience acne and greasy skin.
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome
- Scalp hair loss in women in the male pattern (front and sides).
- Skin tags.
- Increased risk of gout. People who are insulin resistant are sensitive to fructose and convert too much of it into uric acid. Elevated uric acid can raise the risk of gout and kidney stones.
- High blood pressure
- Swollen ankles. Insulin tells your kidneys to hang on to sodium and water, therefore you will look more puffy. You can experience fluid retention anywhere on your body, such as your fingers, face and abdomen.
- Acanthosis nigricans – look at this picture of what this skin condition looks like –
Effective methods of lowering insulin
Make sure your liver is healthy
A healthy liver is very important for blood sugar control. This is because the liver can store glucose and fat, and also produce glucose and fat. You want your liver to be good at fat burning. People with a healthy liver have a fast metabolism and don’t gain weight as easily. Unfortunately a lot of people have a fatty liver and their liver is doing the opposite of what it should be doing – it is very busy making fat.
A healthy liver also helps to control your blood sugar level. If you have not eaten for several hours, your liver is supposed to release some stored glucose into your bloodstream to give you energy and keep hunger at bay. People with a sluggish liver struggle with this and they often feel excessively hungry, weak or irritable if they have gone several hours without food. It makes sticking to a diet extremely difficult! To help improve your liver health I recommend you follow the diet in Dr Cabot’s book Fatty Liver You Can Reverse It. It is not a difficult eating plan to stick to and you should not feel hungry.
Follow an appropriate eating plan
Insulin resistant people cannot handle common levels of carbohydrate in their diet. They over secrete insulin in response to eating carbs and they are less likely to feel satisfied after a meal, therefore tend to over eat. That means carbohydrate needs to be restricted in the diet. It is best to get your carbohydrate from vegetables, along with small amounts of fruit, nuts and seeds. There are easy to follow low carbohydrate eating plans in the books, I Can’t Lose Weight and I Don’t Know Why and Diabetes type 2, You Can Reverse It Naturally.
Protein is the most important nutrient for those wanting to lose weight and reduce their blood insulin level. It is critical to eat protein at every meal because it is extremely satiating. It will help to make you feel more full and satisfied after a meal, and keep you feeling satisfied for longer. This way sticking to a healthy diet won’t be so much of a struggle. Examples of protein include eggs, seafood, poultry and red meat. Dairy products, nuts and seeds contain smaller levels of protein.
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