About this Video

• Video Title: Dr. Ben Bikman: How To Reverse Insulin Resistance Through Diet, Exercise, & Sleep
• Channel: FoundMyFitness
• Speakers: Dr. Ben Bikman, Kelly Starrett
• Duration: 02:57:16

Introduction

This FoundMyFitness podcast features Dr. Ben Bikman, a professor of cell biology, discussing insulin resistance. The video explores the root causes of insulin resistance, its connection to various chronic diseases, and strategies for reversal through diet, exercise, and sleep optimization. It also delves into the use and potential risks of GLP-1 agonist drugs for weight loss.

Key Takeaways

1. Insulin Resistance is Widespread: Many individuals with normal blood glucose levels are insulin resistant, a condition often missed by standard clinical tests that focus solely on glucose.
2. Insulin's Broad Impact: Insulin affects nearly every cell in the body, contributing to various health issues beyond blood sugar control, including cancer, Alzheimer's, and infertility.
3. Dietary Strategies: Refined carbohydrates amplify the risks associated with saturated fat, while low-carbohydrate diets might provide a metabolic advantage, increasing metabolic rate and calorie expenditure. Prioritizing protein and healthy fats, while minimizing refined sugars and starches, is key.
4. Exercise's Role: Strength training is superior to cardio for improving insulin sensitivity. Exercise, especially high-intensity interval training, enhances glucose uptake by muscle tissue and provides metabolic "wiggle room."
5. Sleep Deprivation's Effects: Even one night of poor sleep can trigger insulin resistance due to elevated stress hormones (cortisol and epinephrine). Avoiding late-night eating is crucial for optimal sleep.
6. GLP-1 Agonists: While effective for weight loss, high doses of GLP-1 agonist drugs may have long-term risks, including potential psychological side effects. Microdosing and cycling may be a safer approach for managing cravings and improving metabolic health.
7. Fat Storage: Visceral fat, stored around organs, is more problematic than subcutaneous fat due to its tendency to grow through hypertrophy (increasing cell size), leading to inflammation and insulin resistance. Hypertrophic fat cells release more inflammatory cytokines.

Dr. Bikman suggests fasting insulin as the best biomarker for predicting biological aging. He advocates for its inclusion in standard blood tests because it's a readily measurable indicator of metabolic health, a key factor in longevity. He also mentions the triglyceride to HDL ratio as a good surrogate marker for both metabolic and cardiovascular health, and uric acid as another predictor identified in longevity studies. He notes that while other markers like LDL cholesterol and HbA1c are useful, the triglyceride to HDL ratio is a better predictor of cardiovascular risk than LDL alone.