Insulin resistance can develop quietly, sometimes before a person feels unwell or before blood sugar results become clearly abnormal. In the early stages, the body may still keep glucose levels within range, but it may need to work harder to do so. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose move from the bloodstream into the body’s cells, where it can be used for energy. When the body’s cells become less responsive to insulin, glucose does not enter the cells as efficiently. The

Clinical insight from Dr Tay Tunn Lin of Cedar Endocrine Clinic. Watch her full interview on FindClinic.sg. It often starts with small changes that are easy to dismiss. You feel a little more tired in the afternoons. Your waistline has crept up despite eating the same way you always have. The mid-morning hunger feels sharper than before. A blood test result that used to read "normal" now reads "slightly elevated". You assume it is just age, stress, or a busier period at work.