Pop quiz – what do you know about insulin? If you’re drawing a complete blank beyond the fact that it’s somehow associated with blood sugar, you aren’t alone. But insulin is worth understanding, not only because it’s the most powerful anabolic hormone discovered to date, but for its role in longevity – something that researchers are only beginning to really understand. Here’s what everyone should know about insulin sensitivity specifically, what it means as we age, and how NMN fits into the picture.
Insulin 101.
Insulin is made in the pancreas. It’s responsible for shuttling sugar from the blood into cells for storage. Cells that are insulin resistant make this process inefficient, leaving blood sugar levels elevated. When the pancreas catches wind of high blood sugar, it doubles its insulin-producing efforts as a way to combat the resistance and bring down those elevated levels. But this degree of exertion can take a toll on the pancreas over time, reducing its number of insulin-producing cells. Meanwhile, chronic high blood sugar can damage organs and nerves and tee up major health conditions like diabetes.
This scenario is why improving insulin sensitivity is so important. Insulin sensitivity is a reference to how well your cells respond to insulin. The more responsive your cells, the lower your risk of many diseases. And yes, diabetes is one of them.
When we’re young, our cells are naturally highly sensitive to insulin. But as we get older, they become more resistant, setting us up for a greater likelihood of age-related diseases. (And if that sounds familiar, you must know a little something about NAD!)
Inflammation and increased oxidative stress in the body can also be causes of insulin resistance, along with overeating, higher body fat percentages, a diet rich in sugar, a sedentary lifestyle, and plain old genetics.
Insulin and longevity.
The TAME Trial, managed by the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), is looking specifically at the role of insulin management to delay aging via a medication known as metformin. Led by Nir Barzilai, MD and scientific director at AFAR, TAME involves nationwide, six-year clinical trials at 14 research institutions around the country.
Metformin is an FDA-approved drug that has been used to treat diabetes for the past 60 years. It doesn’t lower insulin levels but rather reduces the amount of sugar produced and absorbed in the body. At the same time, it increases insulin sensitivity. Metformin is considered safe, effective, and inexpensive, which makes it ideal for the treatment of diabetes. In animal studies, the medication also delays aging, and researchers suspect it might do the same in humans by influencing what the trial describes as “fundamental aging factors that underlie multiple age-related conditions”. Studies show that metformin, and other drugs like it, seem to influence metabolic and cellular processes that are themselves linked to the development of a number of age-related health conditions. Slow down the onset of these diseases, the thinking goes, and you can effectively treat the process of aging as a health condition itself.
The TAME Trial is still raising funds, but its research will offer key insights about the treatment of aging, and the fact that it involves a diabetes medication that effectively boosts insulin sensitivity means it’s worth watching closely.
Improving insulin sensitivity.
Clearly, we want our cells to welcome insulin with open arms instead of acting like bouncers at a nightclub. And while boosting insulin sensitivity may sound incredibly challenging, it largely boils down to the common-sense steps we associate with leading a healthy lifestyle:
- Get sufficient sleep
- Get regular exercise
- Manage stress – high levels are associated with poor insulin sensitivity
- Maintain a healthy body weight – belly fat is linked to reduced insulin sensitivity
- Eat a varied diet with fiber, fruits, and veggies
- Be mindful of your carbohydrate intake – carbs spike insulin levels – and prioritize low-GI options like sweet potatoes, quinoa, oatmeal, and brown rice
- Cut back on added sugars – it’s the stuff found in highly processed foods, like candy, soda, cookies, and cakes
Now, what about NMN?
Does NMN boost insulin sensitivity?
We’re so glad you asked! As it happens, there is evidence that NMN can effectively improve insulin sensitivity. A double-blind clinical trial from 2021 looked at the effects of a 10-week NMN course on 25 postmenopausal overweight or obese women with prediabetes. The study is “the first to deliver evidence of positive metabolic and insulin-sensitizing effects of daily NMN supplementation in humans.”
This piggybacks on additional research showing that increasing NAD in the body improves insulin-stimulated glucose disposal – AKA insulin sensitivity.
In Wonderfeel’s patented Youngr formula, we’ve paired NMN with key antioxidants. When we’re talking about boosting insulin sensitivity, that’s particularly notable. Remember, inflammation and oxidative stress in the body contribute to insulin resistance, and antioxidants neutralize the free radicals wreaking all that havoc. A daily serving of Wonderfeel Youngr includes:
- 900 mg of NMN
- 4 mg of ergo
- 20 mg of hydroxytyrosol
- 100 mg of resveratrol
- 120 iu of vitamin D3
It’s a handpicked combination designed to deliver NMN to the cells while simultaneously shielding them from oxidative stress. And among its many, many benefits is a boost to insulin sensitivity. Really, it works out so nicely.