- With Mayo Clinic endocrinologist
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
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Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell is board certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. She is a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic and an assistant professor at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
The Aibonito, Puerto Rico, native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1994.
She is a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American College of Endocrinology, the American Diabetes Association and The Endocrine Society.
Dr. Collazo-Clavell is medical editor for the Web site's diabetes content and the book "Mayo Clinic on Managing Diabetes." Her clinical interests include management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity and nutritional disorders.
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Question
Hyperinsulinemia: Is it diabetes?
Is hyperinsulinemia a form of diabetes?
Answer
from Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Hyperinsulinemia means you have too much insulin in your blood. It isn't diabetes. But hyperinsulinemia is often associated with type 2 diabetes.
Insulin is produced by your pancreas and helps regulate blood sugar. Hyperinsulinemia is a sign of an underlying problem that's causing your pancreas to secrete excessive amounts of insulin.
The most common cause of hyperinsulinemia is insulin resistance, a condition in which your body is resistant to the effects of insulin and your pancreas tries to compensate by making more insulin. Insulin resistance may also eventually lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.
Rarely, hyperinsulinemia is caused by:
- A tumor of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas (insulinoma)
- Excessive numbers of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas (nesidioblastosis)
Hyperinsulinemia causes no signs or symptoms unless it causes low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Treatment of hyperinsulinemia is directed at the underlying problem.
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