A patient seated in the chair before a blood draw
In person

Insulin

How much insulin your body makes while fasting, from one draw.

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  • 2,000+ lab locations. Find one near you
  • Nothing due at the lab. FSA / HSA accepted
  • Ordered by a licensed clinician

At a glance

Collection
Blood draw
A standard blood draw at the lab.
Preparation
Fasting preferred
Fast 8 to 12 hours. Water is fine.
Results
1 to 2 days
Typical turnaround after your visit.
Where
2,000+ lab locations
Nationwide, with nothing due at the lab.

About this test

Insulin is the hormone that moves sugar from your blood into your cells. This test measures it after a fast, so the result is easier to compare. With insulin resistance, the body may make more insulin to keep blood sugar in range, so insulin is read with glucose and A1c. Fasting is required.

For adults 18 and older. Test availability varies by lab location.

Who should take this test?

This test is for adults who want more context on how their body handles sugar, often with a family history of diabetes, a past blood sugar result, or recent weight changes.

Ask about this test

Not sure this is the right test?

AI-generated. For information only, not medical advice. Call 911 for an emergency.

What does this test measure?

Your result shows your fasting insulin level, which can help you and a healthcare provider read your glucose and A1c with added context about insulin resistance.

Insulin (fasting)
Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps move sugar from your blood into your cells. A fasting insulin level shows how much insulin your body is making to keep blood sugar in range. Read with fasting glucose, it can add context when insulin resistance is a question.
Why it’s measured: Adds context on insulin resistance when read with fasting glucose.

How it works

  1. Step 1

    Order online

    Check out here. A licensed clinician in your state reviews your order and sends it to the lab.

  2. Step 2

    Visit a lab

    Bring a photo ID to any of 2,000+ lab locations. Fast 8 to 12 hours. Water is fine. Nothing is due at the lab.

  3. Step 3

    Get your results

    Results post to your account, usually in 1 to 2 days, each number next to the lab’s reference range.

Find a lab near you

Choose from 2,000+ lab locations nationwide. Your order works at any of them.

What your results tell you

Insulin is reported in microunits per milliliter (µIU/mL) and compared with the lab’s reference range for a fasting sample.

  • Your number next to the lab’s reference range
  • Explained in plain language
  • A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test.
  • A lab report you can download and share

A healthcare provider reads fasting insulin with your glucose and A1c, since insulin resistance is judged from several results together.

Insulin, glucose, or A1c?

Three blood sugar markers, three different views.

Fasting insulin

How much insulin your body is making while fasting.

Looks back
The moment of the draw
Useful for
Context on insulin resistance, read with glucose
Preparation
Fasting required, 8 to 12 hours

Clinical-grade testing, from the comfort of home.

From the lab to your report, every step of our process meets the gold standard in medical testing.

  • CLIA-certified labs

    Every lab we partner with is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, meeting both state and federal standards with regular independent inspections.

  • We protect your health data

    We protect your health data with encryption and do not sell it. Some results must be reported to public health authorities by law. See our Privacy Notice.

  • Rigorous quality assurance

    All partner labs run regular internal quality checks, participate in proficiency testing, and comply with federal and state lab regulations.

  • Clinician-reviewed reports

    Results are reviewed by an independent, licensed clinician.

Questions

Common questions.

Anything else, our care team answers by phone, text, or email.

Insulin rises quickly after you eat, then falls as your blood sugar settles. The lab requires a fasting sample so the result reflects your baseline rather than your last meal. Fast for 8 to 12 hours before your visit. Water is fine.

If you take insulin or other diabetes medicines, ask your prescriber how to fast safely before your visit. Injected insulin can also affect this result, so if you use it, tell the healthcare provider who reads your results.

Insulin resistance means the body’s cells respond less to insulin, so the pancreas makes more of it to keep blood sugar in range. For a while, glucose can look typical while insulin is higher than expected. A healthcare provider reads fasting insulin with glucose and A1c to understand this.

Insulin needs special handling soon after the draw, so it has to be requested ahead of time and drawn for that purpose. Include it in your request before your visit, and follow the fasting instructions so the sample reflects your baseline.

Fasting insulin does not diagnose diabetes or prediabetes on its own, and there is no single insulin number that defines insulin resistance. A healthcare provider can explain your number in the context of your glucose, A1c, and history.

Lab tests are informational and don’t diagnose conditions on their own. Available to adults 18 and older; test availability varies by lab location. A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test. All testing is performed at CLIA-certified laboratories. Not for emergencies: if you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911.