The Rise of Insulin Resistance

In this Decoding Health hot-seat episode, Dr. Urban A. Kiernan breaks down the real “upstream” story behind type 2 diabetes—and why the most dangerous phase often happens long before your labs ever flag you as “diabetic.” He explains the progression from insulin resistance → so-called “pre-diabetes” → type 2 diabetes, why he considers the “pre-diabetes” label a false comfort zone, and how modern life factors like endocrine disruptors, chronic stress, diet, and low movement quietly stack the deck against metabolic health. The big takeaway: you can look fit and “pristine” on the outside and still be a metabolic nightmare internally—yes, even athletes can develop insulin resistance.

You’ll learn what insulin is actually doing at the cellular level, why your body compensates by pumping out more insulin over time, and how that compensation can mask problems until the “threshold” is crossed and things spiral into medication and downstream complications. Dr. Kiernan shares practical, proactive insight on what to look for before A1C and fasting glucose shift, including symptoms many people ignore—fatigue, intense cravings, “hangry” swings, creeping blood pressure, and telltale skin signs like dark patches and skin tags—and he suggests a simple conversation to have with your provider about adding a fasting insulin test to your routine labs. It’s a blunt, high-clarity reminder that real prevention starts with awareness—because you can’t fix what you refuse to measure.