Type 2 Insulin and weight gain.

[duckyhenny]

Has anyone else put weight on since starting on insulin? I have put on nearly a stone in the last 6 months since starting insulin injections.

 

[Mshoane]

I have gained 15+Pounds since I began my insulin 2 yrs sgo. The good thing is insulin sustains my energy.

 

[duckyhenny]

Thanks Mshoane. I couldn't understand because I don't overeat and try to eat as healthy as I can.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. It's never the insulin that causes weight gain but the carbs you eat as it enables the body to metabolise those carbs. To avoid that weight gain you must reduce the total daily carbs in your diet. Can you define what you mean by 'eat healthy'?

 

[Kristin251]

I agree. I don't gain weight from insulin but rather the carbs. I need to stay under 20 per day or I gain.

The type of food you eat does matter as well even if blood sugars are good.

Eating vlc also allows me to take very small doses of insulin.

 

[Chook]

I was on insulin for five years (I'm type 2) and gained a stone for every year, mainly around my middle. I now eat a very low carb diet and don't use insulin any more - it hasn't been easy - and definitely not something that I'd recommend without discussing it with a doctor first - but I have nearly lost the weight I put on while on the insulin - just got the last few pounds to go (which I keep losing but they keep coming back to find me again).

 

[Kristin251]

I was on insulin for five years (I'm type 2) and gained a stone for every year, mainly around my middle. I now eat a very low carb diet and don't use insulin any more - it hasn't been easy - and definitely not something that I'd recommend without discussing it with a doctor first - but I have nearly lost the weight I put on while on the insulin - just got the last few pounds to go (which I keep losing but they keep coming back to find me again).

Were you low carb when using insulin? I imagine if not it was the carbs that caused the gains ?

 

[Chook]

It may well have been the carbs but insulin is know to put weight on some people - the link below is to Dr Jason Fung' s blog on it.. The hardest part of stopping insulin was the very slow balancing of reducing both types of insulin while reducing carbs. The end result was worth it though as I used get horrendous brain fog with insulin.

https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/insulin-causes-weight-gain-hormonal-obesity-iv/

 

[Resurgam]

Whilst it is not the insulin being stored as fat, without it a person cannot remove glucose from the blood and store it, so glucose is eventually lost, excreted in urine and so giving the impression that X gm of carb a day is OK as there is no weight gain at that level.
Start to inject insulin or become more sensitive to its presence and X gm of carb becomes Y grams of weight gain every day -

 

[Kristin251]

Whilst it is not the insulin being stored as fat, without it a person cannot remove glucose from the blood and store it, so glucose is eventually lost, excreted in urine and so giving the impression that X gm of carb a day is OK as there is no weight gain at that level.
Start to inject insulin or become more sensitive to its presence and X gm of carb becomes Y grams of weight gain every day -

Absolutely!! Just because bs is steady and/ or in range doesn't mean it's not getting stored as fat. As I said, anything over 20 carbs and I'll store it. Always have even pre insulin.

It may well have been the carbs but insulin is know to put weight on some people - the link below is to Dr Jason Fung' s blog on it.. The hardest part of stopping insulin was the very slow balancing of reducing both types of insulin while reducing carbs. The end result was worth it though as I used get horrendous brain fog with insulin.

https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/insulin-causes-weight-gain-hormonal-obesity-iv/

I like to keep my insulin levels low because I don't feel well with higher doses. Not to mention some fluctuations even in my desired range makes me feel wonky. At present I am on 2 units lantus and 1/2-1 novolog with meals. I need a small bolus an hour after bf to stop the morning rise. It's imperative I eat vlc and moderate my protein to stay at these levels but bs is super steady. Riding within the 80's 95% of the time. Even a small handful of steamed veggies require a half unit. Funny is I just stopped my handful of veggies at dinner as they were bothering my digestion and I lost 2#s. I think I was slightly over 20 carbs with them. Back to lettuce wraps and salad greens. I do eat small meals size wise, just higher fat.

Good for you for coming off insulin. Unfortunately that's not going to happen for me.

 

[Sarah69]

I was told by my DSN a long time ago that insulin makes you gain weight. Insulin makes you hungry so you have to inject to eat and it goes round in a circle. Once I came of insulin and onto byetta I lost a bit of weight.

 

[Mshoane]

Thanks Mshoane. I couldn't understand because I don't overeat and try to eat as healthy as I can.

I have eliminated 90% of my food and have been on brown rice, vegetables, fruit, chicken occasionally. That's it and I have still gained 15+ pounds. I exercise 6 days a week at the gym 1-1/2 hours, walk 1 hour at night. I eat my dinner by 5:00 PM and allow a 15 hour fast until the following morning. I don't know what else I can do. The good news is that at least I look better and healthier after the insulin.

 

[Kristin251]

Ditch brown rice and fruit. Both high carb

 

[Daibell]

I was told by my DSN a long time ago that insulin makes you gain weight. Insulin makes you hungry so you have to inject to eat and it goes round in a circle. Once I came of insulin and onto byetta I lost a bit of weight.

I have to strongly disagree with the DSN. Insulin itself does not make you gain weight - why should it? Insulin does not make you hungry either. It's all due to the carbs not the insulin. Injected insulin enables the body to metabolise the carbs you eat. If you eat too many then you may get a carb 'high' and then crave more carbs.

 

[Resurgam]

Insulin, when effective, causes blood glucose levels to fall, and that triggers feelings of hunger.

 

[JUSTINB]

insulin also impedes fat metabolisim and protien glucogensis, this makes it harder to lose weight

 

[azure]

I have eliminated 90% of my food and have been on brown rice, vegetables, fruit, chicken occasionally. That's it and I have still gained 15+ pounds. I exercise 6 days a week at the gym 1-1/2 hours, walk 1 hour at night. I eat my dinner by 5:00 PM and allow a 15 hour fast until the following morning. I don't know what else I can do. The good news is that at least I look better and healthier after the insulin.

The OP is Type 2 @Mshoane and might have slightly different issues.

You, as a Type 1, are simply replacing the insulin your body is no longer able to produce. That's a good thing If you eat a sensible amount for you then there's no reason why you shouldn't be a normal weight. I've had Type 1 23 years and my BMI has remained pretty much the same (around 19).

Insulin does not make you fat.

 

[bulkbiker]

Thanks Mshoane. I couldn't understand because I don't overeat and try to eat as healthy as I can.

There's eating healthy and there's eating for someone with Type 2 diabetes and they are not necessarily the same..
Have you heard of Dr Jason Fung? His site
https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/theory/
has a huge amount of info about the Low Carb diet and why insulin is not always the best treatment for people wth Type 2.
Take a look and see what you think.

 

[duckyhenny]

I am type 2 with a lot of other health issues. I have been diabetic for over 30 years but had to go on insulin in October 16 because metformin wasn't doing what it should. It must be too many carbs as I have potatoes and bread most days. I haven't had anything sweet since going on insulin.

 

[Lovely lady]

I am a type 2 on Insulin,and I have put on weight since being on it.you say it's carbs not Insulin that puts weight on,I have to disagree as I don't eat many carbs.some times my weight comes off the following week I have put on and it is very dishearting.
I have been on a diet for near three years and still have not lost the weight I want to loose. Even have a small plate,
Any suggestion will be helpful
Jean