
February 24, 2004
Type 2, Weight and Weight Loss
Question from Brooklyn, New York, USA:
If a person had a high C peptide level of 6.1, would they be overweight? So, if their C peptide level were to fall to 0.9, would they lose weight? My doctor wasn’t sure about this. Would this person be in danger of getting ketoacidosis? This person has type 2.
Answer:
An elevated C-Peptide generally infers insulin resistance which is a marker for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Losing weight could lower the C-peptide. However, I have seen individuals with high levels who are not overweight. These levels are helpful with diagnosis and possible treatment regimens but are not, at this time, solely indicative of disease. Additionally, individuals with type 2 diabetes generally do not have the problem with ketoacidosis, as do type 1 individuals, but they have the same risks for complications and an acute problem called hyperosmolar state which could be as dangerous.
ABS