Hyperinsulinemia: Is it diabetes?

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 is 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.

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.