Insulin resistance and diabetes

Insulin resistance and diabetes – Some studies have suggested that people with HIV on HAART have a higher risk of developing diabetes or its precursor, insulin resistance. These are conditions that occur when the body is unable to process blood sugar properly and the level of sugar in the blood remains high for long periods of time. If not treated, this can cause serious damage to the blood vessels.

The kinds of food you eat can have a huge impact on what happens to blood sugar levels, and so nutrition can play a significant role in helping insulin work properly and keeping blood sugar in the ideal range. Carbohydrates, especially simple carbs, affect blood sugar levels quickly. Proteins and fats tend to slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, and so will slow changes in blood sugar levels.

Anyone who has been diagnosed with diabetes should attend a diabetes education centre to get as much information as possible on the management of this disease

Metabolic complications

Metabolic complications

There are many risk factors for developing heart disease, which remains the number one cause of death in the developed world. Some of these can’t be changed, like age, gender, ethnicity and family history. Other risk factors can be modified, including having abnormal blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels, diabetes or insulin resistance, high blood pressure, being obese or having a big waist circumference, smoking and not exercising. Some anti-HIV drugs may increase these risk factors by altering blood fat levels, causing insulin resistance and increasing abdominal fat.

Dyslipidemia and heart disease – Dyslipidemia is the term used to describe abnormal levels of fats (called lipids) in the blood. The different types of lipids in the blood that are routinely measured include HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the “good” cholesterol—it removes fats from the blood. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and triglycerides and are the so-called “bad” fats. Total cholesterol is a measure of both types of cholesterol (HDL and LDL) in the blood together. There is a range of values that is considered healthy for each lipid. If your lipid levels fall outside the normal range, you may be at increased risk of problems.

Because what you recently ate affects the levels of lipids in your bloodstream, it is important to have your lipids tested while you are fasting (no food or drink for at least 8 to 12 hours before the test, and no alcohol for a couple of days before).