Insulin Resistance Symptoms + Natural Treatments for PCOS

It’s reported that 80% of women with PCOS struggle with insulin resistance… and why is this important? Insulin resistance can make it very difficult to lose weight with PCOS and can also lead to irregular menstrual cycles, ovarian cysts, and more.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
– What is Insulin resistance?
– Signs & symptoms of insulin resistance
– Natural treatment options you can start today
– Supplement recommendations
Join us in The Cysterhood, a community of women learning how to manage PCOS & lose weight, Gluten and Dairy Free.

Note: Since this episodes aired, PCOS got a name change! It’s now called “periendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).” You’ll see me in the text use both names.

Insulin Resistance Symptoms: What to Look Out For and What to Do About It

What Are Symptoms of Insulin Resistance?

Insulin resistance occurs when your cells stop responding to insulin as effectively as they should. Normally, when you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose (sugar). Insulin normally helps move that glucose from your bloodstream into your cells, where your body can use it for energy. With insulin resistance, the cells become less responsive to insulin, causing glucose to remain in the bloodstream. As a result, blood sugar and insulin levels rise, and the body is more likely to store excess energy as fat rather than use it efficiently for fuel.

Insulin resistance doesn’t just affect your energy levels and weight. Over time, it can contribute to high blood sugar levels, elevated blood pressure, and increase your risk of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Several risk factors can make you more likely to develop insulin resistance with PMOS. Things like excess body fat, chronic stress, poor sleep, physical inactivity, and a family history of insulin resistance or diabetes can all contribute to the problem. The good news? With the right lifestyle changes, many people can significantly improve and even reverse insulin resistance.

So, how do you know if you’re insulin resistant? Some common signs of insulin resistance include:

What Are Symptoms of Insulin Resistance?

Intense Cravings and Increased Hunger

Since insulin resistance makes it harder for your cells to efficiently use glucose for energy, your body may continue signaling that it needs more fuel. This can increase hunger, trigger intense cravings (especially for sugar and carbohydrates), and make it more difficult to feel satisfied after eating.

Weight Gain and Difficult Weight Loss

Of course, the increased hunger and cravings can contribute to weight gain. It’s one of the biggest obstacles to weight loss for women with PMOS because, despite eating enough food, you may still feel fatigued, sluggish, and constantly hungry. It can be incredibly frustrating to feel like you’re doing everything right while the scale refuses to budge.

Brain Fog

Fun fact: our brains run on glucose. (See, sugar isn’t the number one enemy to your health!) But your brain has to be able to access and use that glucose effectively. When insulin resistance interferes with that process, your brain may not get the steady energy supply it needs to function at its best. As a result, things like focus, memory, concentration, and mental clarity can suffer, leaving you feeling foggy, forgetful, or mentally drained.

Fatigue

You don’t just need food to fuel your body. You need insulin to help your cells take in glucose and turn it into energy. But when your body is resistant to insulin, your cells struggle to actually use that glucose. The result? Less usable energy. That means you’re left feeling tired and drained even with plenty of food and rest.

Dark, Velvety Patches of Skin

Here’s a weird one: insulin resistance can cause dark, velvety patches of skin (called acanthosis nigricans). When your body becomes resistant to insulin, your pancreas responds by producing more and more of it in an attempt to keep blood sugar under control. But that excess insulin doesn’t just affect your metabolism. It can also stimulate skin cells, triggering increased growth and pigment production. As a result, dark, textured patches of skin can develop, most commonly on the neck, underarms, groin area, under the breasts, or around the elbows, knees, and knuckles.

Skin Tags

Skin tags are another surprisingly common sign of insulin resistance. Just like darkened skin patches, they appear to be linked to high insulin levels in the body. Researchers believe excess insulin can stimulate skin cell growth, causing small, soft growths of skin to form. Skin tags are harmless, but they can be annoying. They most commonly appear on the neck, underarms, eyelids, under the breasts, or in other areas where skin rubs together.

Insulin Resistance Natural Remedy

Yes, there are several drugs out there that can improve insulin sensitivity. But none of them actually fix the underlying problem. It’s true, they work really well while you’re taking them (though they often come with side effects). But, as soon as you stop, the symptoms often come right back. In some cases, they may be even worse than before.

That’s why the best way to manage insulin resistance is through strategic lifestyle changes. These get to the root of the issue and improve your symptoms long-term. Rather than relying solely on a medication like Ozempic or Metformin, lifestyle changes help your body function the way it was designed to.
Here’s how to naturally manage insulin resistance:

Gluten- and Dairy-Free Anti-Inflammatory Diet

A mindful diet is one of the best ways to address insulin resistance. The right foods can help fuel your body in a way that actually gives you energy, keeps your blood sugar more stable, and helps you feel full and satisfied after meals. It’s not about restriction. Instead, it’s about choosing foods that support your metabolism, reduce inflammation, and give your body the nutrients it needs to function properly.
I’ll talk more about what that looks like below, but you can also download The Cysterhood app. It’s full of PMOS-friendly recipes (including snacks and desserts) to help you heal and lose weight AND love what’s on your plate.

Slow-Weighted Workouts

The right exercise can also have a big impact on your metabolism and hormones. Slow-weighted workouts that prioritize strength training help build lean muscle, improve insulin sensitivity, and support a healthy metabolism without placing excessive stress on the body. Unlike intense cardio sessions that can leave you feeling depleted, strength-focused workouts help your body use glucose more efficiently while supporting long-term balance.

Post-Meal Walk

Right after you eat, your blood sugar naturally rises. Normally, insulin helps take care of that extra glucose and moves it into your cells. But when you’re insulin resistant, that doesn’t happen as efficiently as it should. That said, a short walk right after eating gives your body another way to use that glucose. As your muscles move, they pull glucose from the bloodstream and use it for energy. This can help lower post-meal blood sugar spikes and reduce the amount of insulin your body needs to release.

Good Sleep Hygiene

Sleep is one of the most underrated tools for improving insulin resistance. When you don’t get enough quality sleep, your body becomes less sensitive to insulin, making it harder to keep blood sugar levels stable. Poor sleep can also increase hunger, cravings, and fatigue, making healthy choices feel nearly impossible the next day. That’s why protecting your sleep with a consistent bedtime, a relaxing nighttime routine, and a screen-free wind-down period can have a surprisingly big impact on your metabolism.

Stress Management

I know it’s easier said than done, but managing stress matters. When you’re constantly stressed, your body produces more cortisol, a hormone that can raise blood sugar levels and make insulin resistance. It can also increase cravings, disrupt sleep, and leave you feeling completely drained. You don’t need a perfect meditation practice to make a difference, either. Simple things like walking, prayer, journaling, spending time outside, or doing something you genuinely enjoy can help bring your body out of survival mode and support healthier hormone balance.

Insulin-Sensitizing Supplements

Finally, certain supplements can support healthy insulin sensitivity. Researchers have studied options like inositol, berberine, magnesium, and omega-3 fish oil for their potential metabolic benefits. While supplements aren’t a magic fix, they can complement the other lifestyle changes you’re making. If you have PMOS, you may find products like Ovafit’s Inositol Complete 40:1 and Berberine Advanced especially helpful because they support insulin sensitivity, hormone balance, and metabolic health!

PMOS or PCOS and Insulin Resistance Diet

You hear me talk a lot about my PMOS diet plan, but what does it actually consist of? It’s probably not as intense as you think. Here’s what I recommend nutritionally for balancing hormones, improving insulin sensitivity, and easing inflammation with PMOS:

Gluten-Free

Gluten-free meals remove all gluten-containing foods and instead focus on naturally gluten-free sources of carbohydrates. For many women with PMOS, gluten can be inflammatory, which is why I recommend at least trying to cut it out to see if you notice symptom improvement.

Dairy-Free

Dairy is another potentially inflammatory food that can impact hormone balance and digestion. I recommend trying to cut out dairy as well and instead opting for these surprisingly tasty dairy-free alternatives.

High-Protein

For a PMOS insulin-resistant diet, you need to prioritize protein at every meal and snack. It’s one of the most important nutrients for stabilizing blood sugar and keeping you full. Protein can also affect insulin levels differently than carbohydrates, helping support more stable energy and fewer cravings throughout the day.

Anti-Inflammatory

Inflammation can lead to hormone imbalances, which can lead to insulin resistance, which can lead right back to more inflammation. It’s an exhausting cycle. To help break the chain, focus on anti-inflammatory foods like fatty fish, leafy greens, berries, olive oil, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices.

Healthy Fat Forward

Healthy fats are essential for hormone production, nutrient absorption, and energy. Including foods like avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish can help you feel more satisfied between meals, reduce cravings, and support more stable energy levels throughout the day.

Fiber-Rich

Every PMOS diet should include plenty of fiber from vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Fiber helps slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, supporting more stable blood sugar and insulin levels.

Whole Foods Focused

All your meals and snacks should be built around minimally processed foods that provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other important nutrients. This helps support overall metabolic health while reducing exposure to added sugars and highly processed ingredients.

 

This approach is especially beneficial for people with insulin resistance because it focuses on stabilizing blood sugar, reducing inflammation, and supporting healthy insulin function.

What Are the Worst Foods for Insulin Resistance​?”

• Sugary Drinks (soda, sweet tea, energy drinks, fruit juice)
• Candy and Sweets
• Pastries, Cakes, and Cookies
• White Bread and Refined Grains
• Sugary Breakfast Cereals
• Chips and Crackers
• Fast Food
• Fried Foods
• Ultra-Processed Snacks
• Sweetened Coffee Drinks
• Ice Cream
• Processed Meats
• Highly Refined Carbohydrates
• Foods High in Added Sugar
• Foods Made With Refined Flour
• Foods High in Trans Fats
• Excess Alcohol

What Are Normal Insulin Levels​?

Fasting Insulin

A normal fasting insulin level is typically considered to be between 2–20 μIU/mL, though optimal ranges are often lower. Many practitioners consider fasting insulin levels below 10 μIU/mL—and ideally below 8 μIU/mL—to be a sign of good insulin sensitivity.

Fasting Blood Glucose

A normal fasting blood glucose level is generally 70–99 mg/dL. Levels between 100–125 mg/dL may indicate prediabetes, while levels of 126 mg/dL or higher may suggest diabetes.

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)

HbA1c measures your average blood sugar over the previous two to three months. A normal HbA1c is below 5.7%, while levels between 5.7–6.4% may indicate prediabetes.

HOMA-IR Score

The Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) estimates insulin sensitivity using fasting glucose levels and fasting insulin levels. A HOMA-IR score below 2.0 is generally considered normal, while higher scores may indicate insulin resistance.

Post-Meal Insulin Levels

Insulin naturally rises after eating to help move glucose into cells. While normal ranges vary, insulin levels should rise after a meal and gradually return toward baseline within a few hours rather than remaining elevated for an extended period.

Triglyceride-to-HDL Ratio

Although not a direct insulin test, the triglyceride-to-HDL cholesterol ratio can provide clues about insulin sensitivity. Lower ratios are generally associated with better metabolic health, while higher ratios may suggest insulin resistance.
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While Tallene is a Registered Dietitian and Sirak a Personal Trainer, this podcast provides general information about PCOS. It is not meant to serve as fitness, nutrition or medical advice related to your individual needs. If you have questions, please talk to a medical professional. For our full privacy policy, please click on the following link: (Privacy Policy).
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