You will need to get a form from your family doctor (or another physician) sending you for a “fasting blood test. " A fasting blood test is no different than a regular blood test, other than that it requires that you do not eat or drink (except for water) for eight hours prior to the blood test. Most people find it easiest to fast (i. e. to refrain from eating and drinking) overnight and to have the blood test first thing in the morning. A normal fasting glucose measurement is less than 100mg/dL. If your fasting glucose is between 100–125 mg/dL, you have “pre-diabetes” and likely have insulin resistance. If it is above 126 mg/dL on two separate tests, you will be diagnosed with diabetes (and it is key to understand that the diagnosis of diabetes is a more severe form of insulin resistance).
This is a routine test for pregnant women to screen for gestational diabetes. Your glucose level is measured prior to the start of the test. You are then instructed to consume a beverage high in sugar, and your glucose levels will continue to be monitored at set time intervals after that to observe how your body manages the glucose load in your bloodstream. If your body is able to effectively utilize insulin (the hormone that transports glucose from the bloodstream inside cells where it is needed), your results will be normal. On the other hand, if your body has developed insulin resistance, you will not be able to quickly and effectively transport the glucose from your bloodstream into your cells, and this will show up as an elevated glucose level in your test results. A glucose result between 140–200 mg/dL on your oral glucose tolerance test is indicative of “pre-diabetes” and likely some degree of insulin resistance. A glucose result over 200 mg/dL on your oral glucose tolerance test is diagnostic of diabetes, which is a more severe form of insulin resistance.
Doctors will usually use the A1c blood test or glucose tolerance test, but not both. It is a highly useful test because it is the only one that offers a long-term profile of your body’s ability to process glucose, which reflects back to your body’s ability to effectively use insulin. If you have insulin resistance, your HbA1c value will be elevated due to your impaired ability to manage the glucose load in your bloodstream. A normal HbA1c is less than 5. 6%. An HbA1c value between 5. 7–6. 4% is indicative of “pre-diabetes” and suggestive of insulin resistance. An HbA1c value above 6. 5% is diagnostic of diabetes, which is a later stage and more severe form of insulin resistance.
An elevated LDL cholesterol reading (above 160 mg/dL) also correlates to a significantly higher risk of having insulin resistance. [4] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source As such, LDL cholesterol is an indirect way of assessing your probability of having insulin resistance.
You will likely receive all of the lipid tests — LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol — at one time, as part of a “lipid panel. " Therefore, it is simple to have done as you will only need to go for one blood test to have each of your lipid values assessed, which in turn will provide valuable information as to the probability of you having insulin resistance.
Normal HDL cholesterol typically falls between 40–50 mg/dL for men and 50–59 mg/dL for women. If your HDL cholesterol is below 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women, you have a significant risk for having insulin resistance.
If you have elevated blood glucose levels, elevated LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and reduced HDL cholesterol, you most likely have insulin resistance. It is important to book an appointment with your doctor to go over all of your test results. Your doctor is the one with the medical training and experience to officially make the diagnosis of insulin resistance. Your doctor can read and interpret the test results, and together you can come up with a treatment plan if necessary.
Obesity Increased waist circumference Increased thirst Increased urination Fatigue Blurry vision or other vision problems
If you are over 45, you are eligible for routine screening of your blood sugars (one of the indirect ways to assess for insulin resistance). If your results are normal upon initial testing, you are eligible for repeat screening tests every three years. You are also eligible for screening tests for insulin resistance if you have any of the following risk factors: a BMI (body mass index) greater than 25 (i. e. if you are overweight), a sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, a history of heart disease, a history of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), if you have a close relative who has been diagnosed with diabetes, and/or if you have delivered a baby who weighed over 9 pounds at the time of birth (a larger than normal baby is an indication that you may have poor blood sugar control).
Heart disease High blood pressure Diabetes Liver disease Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
