Order an insulin resistance test with HOMA-IR

Your fasting insulin can rise to keep your blood sugar steady, long before your fasting glucose itself moves. As a result, an insulin resistance test can surface a metabolic shift earlier than a glucose test alone.

HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) estimates your insulin resistance from a fasting blood sample. It is a simple way to get a view of your metabolic health, your insulin sensitivity and factors around your diabetes risk.

This test may suit men who:

• carry some extra weight around the midsection, which can be linked to metabolic changes
• have diabetes or a metabolic condition in the family
• have normal glucose values but are still curious about their insulin sensitivity
• are adjusting their lifestyle and want to track how their metabolism responds

Even without clear symptoms, some men choose to record a baseline.

This panel measures and reports three things:

• Glucose (fasting) (mmol/l): your fasting blood sugar.
• Insulin (fasting) (pmol/l): the hormone that moves glucose into your cells.
• HOMA-IR: the calculated insulin-resistance score from your fasting glucose and insulin, using the formula (glucose × insulin) / 22.5.

HOMA-IR is therefore a calculated score, not a separate measurement. If you mainly want to see your average blood sugar over a longer period, the diabetes test with HbA1c fits better. You can read more about your blood sugar on the page about fasting glucose.

A higher HOMA-IR score points towards more insulin resistance, a lower score towards better insulin sensitivity. Because your fasting insulin often responds earlier than your glucose, this insulin test can give an early signal of changes in your metabolism.

On its own, the score is not a diagnosis. It only gains meaning in the context of your symptoms, your lifestyle and possibly other values, which is best discussed with a doctor.

For this test, blood is drawn at a certified sample point. There are 700+ locations across the Netherlands, which you choose yourself after ordering. You do not need to see your GP first: it is a blood test without a GP, where you pick a time that suits you.

The draw is done by trained staff and usually takes only a few minutes. After that, your blood goes to the lab, where your glucose and insulin are determined and your HOMA-IR is calculated.

An insulin resistance test can be useful if you have normal glucose values but are still curious about your insulin sensitivity, for example with extra belly fat, little exercise or diabetes in the family.

It can also help if you are adjusting your lifestyle and want to track how your metabolism responds; a HOMA-IR test can give you a concrete reference point. You arrange it as a blood test without a referral and get drawn whenever it suits you.

Your result shows your fasting glucose and insulin with their reference ranges, and your HOMA-IR with an accompanying interpretation. A value outside the expected range can be associated with reduced insulin sensitivity, but on its own it does not tell the whole story.

What counts as a healthy value varies by lab and by person. A doctor can interpret your result together with your situation and help you decide whether follow-up steps could be worthwhile.

Both glucose and insulin must be measured fasting, so fasting is required for this test. Do not eat or drink anything except water for 8 to 12 hours before the draw, and preferably avoid alcohol the evening before.

Ideally, book your appointment in the morning. If you use medication or supplements, ask your doctor whether you should take them as usual on the day of the draw.

Your results are available online within a few working days. You log in to your account and view your results whenever it suits you, with the measured value and reference range for each marker and your calculated HOMA-IR score.

Every blood test result includes a professional assessment from a BIG-registered doctor. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.