Why Insulin Is One of the Biggest Drivers of Heart Disease

When most people think about heart disease, they think about cholesterol.

But in functional medicine, we often start with something else:

Insulin.

At Sheen Vein in the St. Louis area, we routinely see patients with “normal cholesterol” who still have early vascular disease. The underlying issue? Chronically elevated insulin.

What Is Insulin Resistance?

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Insulin is a hormone that moves glucose into cells.

When cells stop responding efficiently, the pancreas produces more insulin.

Chronically high insulin causes:

• Inflammation
• Endothelial dysfunction
• Arterial stiffness
• Increased triglycerides
• Increased small dense LDL

Insulin Damages the Artery Wall

The endothelium (artery lining) is delicate.

High insulin:

• Reduces nitric oxide
• Increases oxidative stress
• Promotes smooth muscle proliferation

This creates the perfect environment for plaque formation.

Insulin and Triglycerides

High insulin:

• Increases liver fat production
• Raises triglycerides
• Increases small dense LDL

These particles are more atherogenic than total cholesterol.

We measure advanced lipid markers for our Clayton and Chesterfield patients seeking deeper cardiovascular evaluation.

👉 https://sheenvein.com/functional-medicine

Insulin Is an Inflammatory Hormone

Chronically elevated insulin increases:

• CRP
• IL-6
• TNF-alpha

Inflammation is the foundation of cardiovascular disease.

Why Standard Labs Miss It

You can have:

• Normal LDL
• Normal A1C
• Normal BMI

And still have elevated fasting insulin.

Optimal fasting insulin:
2–6 uIU/mL

Many patients run 15–25 and are told they’re “fine.”

What We Do Differently

At Sheen Vein in Arnold, Farmington, and St. Louis, we evaluate:

• Fasting insulin
• HOMA-IR
• ApoB
• Lipoprotein(a)
• Inflammatory markers

Cardiovascular prevention starts early.

Lowering Insulin Naturally

• Resistance training
• Protein-focused meals
• Reducing refined carbohydrates
• Improving sleep
• Targeted supplementation

Final Thoughts

Heart disease does not begin with cholesterol.

It often begins with insulin.

If you want true prevention — we must look upstream.

Schedule a metabolic evaluation:
👉 https://sheenvein.com

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