Periwell
Category: MetabolicClinical Profile

Insulin Resistance

Feeling hangry, crashing in the afternoon, or seeing your HbA1c creep up despite a healthy lifestyle.

Biological Mechanism

Estrogen directly enhances insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle. As estrogen fluctuates and declines, cells become slightly 'deaf' to insulin. The pancreas must pump out more insulin to clear glucose from the blood. High insulin blocks fat burning and drives further fatigue.

Common Misdiagnoses

Type 2 Diabetes (it is often the precursor)

Evidence-Based Treatments

  • 01Systemic HRT

    Consistently shown to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce new-onset Type 2 Diabetes risk in postmenopausal women.

  • 02GLP-1 Agonists

    Increasingly prescribed for severe metabolic decompensation during the transition.