An idea just popped into my head, reading the PWO shake review thread.

Since dextrose(glucose) is used pwo to quickly create a spike of insuline in the blood, theoretically, wouldn't daily use of this method lead to insuline resistance? I mean, this is exactly, the reason people are getting big in the first place (uncontrolled insuline spikes).

One of the obvious answers to this, would be that the benefits of curbing the cortisone hormone, outweights by far the temporary insuline spike, plus that glucose(dextrose) being a simple carb, is quickly transported where it's needed.

Am I thinking correctly?

I've recently been doing a fair bit of reading about insulin resistance and nutrition (I am a diabetes type 2 sufferer myself).

My understanding is that the exact cause of insulin resistance is not currently known, although it does seem to be very closely associated somehow with obesity.

To date, the only concensus from the scientific community regarding nutrition for existing sufferers is to reduce intake of saturated fat and also to maintain a healthy weight. These recommendations seem sensible also for healthy people.

Some studies show that different daily percentages of carbs, proteins and fats have a short- or perhaps a medium-term effect on glycemic control, but there haven't been enough studies done to establish the patterns with real consistency or confidence. There is no rigorous information about long-term effects. The same also seems to be the case for different _types_ of carbs (glucose, fructose, starches, etc).

I've recently been doing a fair bit of reading about insulin resistance and nutrition (I am a diabetes type 2 sufferer myself).

My understanding is that the exact cause of insulin resistance is not currently known, although it does seem to be very closely associated somehow with obesity.

To date, the only concensus from the scientific community regarding nutrition for existing sufferers is to reduce intake of saturated fat and also to maintain a healthy weight. These recommendations seem sensible also for healthy people.

Some studies show that different daily percentages of carbs, proteins and fats have a short- or perhaps a medium-term effect on glycemic control, but there haven't been enough studies done to establish the patterns with real consistency or confidence. There is no rigorous information about long-term effects. The same also seems to be the case for different _types_ of carbs (glucose, fructose, starches, etc).

As far as I understand it, insuline resitance is a precondition to diabetes, where due to intermittent peaks of insuline, the body will not respond as well as it should to the effects of insuline, whereas more and more insuline will be secreted. Insuline resistance is potentially a deadly condition.

I reassesed my comments above; the insuline spike from PWO shakes is not uncontrolled, it's highly a controlled one and by means of exercise the body knows what to do with the excess sugar and is getting better with it in a fit individual. In a unfit individual, insuline spikes from dextrose/glucose is no better than consuming a high-sugar content cake, or whatever else releases a spike.

To be added is also the fact is the state the body is in. PWO's are consumed in a catabolic state, where the insuline is directly used against cortisone, while the average guy on the street will probably consume his cake in an anabolic state.

As far as I understand it, insuline resitance is a precondition to diabetes, where due to intermittent peaks of insuline, the body will not respond as well as it should to the effects of insuline, whereas more and more insuline will be secreted. Insuline resistance is potentially a deadly condition.

Yes, that's partly true. Insulin resistance can lead to diabetes, although not inevitably. For some reason, there are individuals whose pancreas eventually fails to produce enough insulin to continue compensating for their exisitng insulin resistance, and therefore blood glucose can't be kept at a healthy level any more. Nobody quite knows the exact reasons why this failure develops, or why it happens in some insulin-resistant individuals and not others.

Similarly, nobody knows for sure exactly why insulin resistance itself occurs in the first place. There could be genetic factors. Also, obesity and lack of exercise aggravate it. Your PWO shake might be a risk - and it might not. There might be other risks that nobody's ever thought of.

Kem, I'm no expert. I think your original question is a valid and important one, especially in this day and age when it would be so useful to know which of our actions might one day add our names to the growing diabetes statistics. But, as I understand it, there isn't enough conclusive data as yet. My personal opinion is that healthy people should concentrate on limiting saturated fat, and also avoiding/reversing obesity, as these things are agreed to be important. As far as other things, such as PWO shakes and insulin spikes, as there's little data available, I believe it is best to make a choice according to how successfully it serves your other health goals.

I must add that all my information is only from reading about studies - I'm not an expert in my own right, and I've only been examining this stuff fairly recently due to my own personal interest. I've largely decided to ignore most of the conflicting advice about these things. The more scientific material I read, the more it is obvious that the advice that from outside the scientific world is often based on speculation and anecdote. And, that's why a lot of it is conflicting. For the time being, I'm going to make my choices based on things that are agreed on scientifically. These will be my "fixed goals". As for the rest (which unfortunately is a lot), I will try to make decisions according to whether they help or hinder my "Fixed goals".

My reply has ended up being about more than just the thing you asked about. Hopefully it'll be "food for thought". :)