Catch insulin resistance years before it becomes diabetes
Insulin resistance often develops silently — and it's also a central driver of PCOS, fatty liver and weight gain. Here's what it is, the early signs to watch for, and the genetic and lifestyle factors behind it.
Early signs to watch for
Insulin resistance frequently goes undetected on standard blood sugar tests alone, because the body compensates for years. Watch for:
- ✓ Fatigue or energy crashes after meals, particularly carbohydrate-heavy ones
- ✓ Persistent sugar or carbohydrate cravings
- ✓ Difficulty losing weight despite diet and exercise, particularly abdominal fat
- ✓ Darkened, velvety patches of skin (acanthosis nigricans) — often at the neck, underarms or groin
- ✓ Skin tags
- ✓ Brain fog or difficulty concentrating
- ✓ In women: irregular periods or other PCOS-related symptoms
What causes it?
Some people are genetically predisposed to less efficient insulin signalling — meaning they develop insulin resistance more readily than others, even with similar diets and activity levels. unlock.fit's panel includes markers relevant to insulin sensitivity:
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GCKR
Affects how efficiently the body regulates blood glucose, and has been linked to fasting glucose regulation and T2D risk in genetic studies. [1]
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IRS1
Plays a direct role in the insulin signalling pathway and is linked to carbohydrate-driven weight gain. [2]
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TCF7L2
One of the most consistently replicated genes associated with impaired insulin secretion across populations, including a landmark study in the Indian population. Also confirmed as significantly associated with T2D risk in unlock.fit's own CoGsI study (rs12772424, OR 4.48, 95% CI 3.56–5.64). [3]
Day-to-day habits compound genetic risk — often the most actionable part of the picture:
- High intake of refined carbohydrates and added sugar
- Low physical activity, particularly low muscle-engaging exercise (muscle is a major site of glucose uptake)
- Excess visceral (abdominal) fat
- Poor sleep quality and quantity
- Chronic stress and elevated cortisol
- Sedentary work patterns with prolonged sitting
- Consumption of alcohol
- Use of tobacco / smoking
- Chen G, Shriner D, Zhang J, et al. Additive genetic effect of GCKR, G6PC2, and SLC30A8 variants on fasting glucose levels and risk of type 2 diabetes. PLoS One. 2022;17(6):e0269378.
- Qi Q, Bray GA, Smith SR, Hu FB, Sacks FM, Qi L. Insulin receptor substrate 1 gene variation modifies insulin resistance response to weight-loss diets in a 2-year randomized trial: the POUNDS LOST trial. Circulation. 2011;124(5):563-571. PMID: 21747052. View source
- Chandak GR, Janipalli CS, Bhaskar S, Kulkarni SR, Mohankrishna P, Hattersley AT, Frayling TM, Yajnik CS. Common variants in the TCF7L2 gene are strongly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Indian population. Diabetologia. 2007;50(1):63-67. PMID: 17093941. View source
How unlock.fit's DNA + blood approach helps
Because insulin resistance often precedes a diabetes diagnosis by years, it represents the most effective window for prevention.
Test what standard panels miss
unlock.fit's DNA test reads insulin-sensitivity-related genes like GCKR, IRS1 and TCF7L2 alongside blood biomarkers to flag elevated risk before it progresses — even when standard blood sugar readings still look normal.
A plan built around your carbohydrate response
Our dietitians build a plan aimed at improving insulin sensitivity — typically a lower-glycaemic, higher-fibre, protein-forward approach with practical activity recommendations, calibrated to your genetic carbohydrate response rather than a generic template.
