If you’re doing “all the right things” but still battling fatigue, stubborn weight gain, cravings, or unpredictable energy, insulin resistance could be the missing piece. It’s a common form of metabolic dysfunction that affects how your body handles blood glucose, often years before Type 2 diabetes appears.
Because symptoms can be subtle, insulin resistance testing matters—especially if you have Polycystic ovary syndrome, a history of gestational diabetes, higher blood pressure, or signs of metabolic syndrome. In this guide, you’ll learn what insulin resistance is, the most common warning signs, the best lab tests, and what to do next.
What is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin resistance is when your cells respond poorly to insulin, so glucose can’t move efficiently from your bloodstream into your cells. To compensate, your pancreas releases more insulin, raising fasting insulin even when blood glucose levels look “normal.” Over time, this strain can contribute to impaired glucose tolerance, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and Type 2 diabetes—especially alongside chronic inflammation and visceral fat.
Symptoms of Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance can look like everyday “life stuff,” which is why it’s often missed until blood sugar rises. Symptoms vary by age, sex, and hormonal disorders, and they can overlap with stress or poor sleep. Watch for patterns—especially if risk factors like metabolic syndrome are present.
- Stubborn weight gain (especially around the middle): Insulin promotes energy storage. When insulin runs high, the body tends to store more fat—particularly visceral fat. Tracking waist-hip ratio or waist-to-height ratio can reveal central fat patterns linked to metabolic dysfunction.
- Cravings and frequent hunger—especially for carbs: When blood glucose swings up and down, hunger cues can feel “loud.” You may crave quick-energy foods even after eating. Diet quality, dietary fiber, and glycemic index awareness can help smooth these dips.
- Energy dips, brain fog, or feeling “wired then tired”: High insulin and unstable Blood glucose levels can leave you drained, especially mid-afternoon. Poor sleep and chronic inflammation can amplify this cycle, making it harder to recover and maintain consistent lifestyle behaviors.
- Irregular periods, acne, or fertility struggles (PCOS symptoms): Polycystic ovary syndrome is strongly associated with insulin resistance. Insulin can interact with reproductive hormones, contributing to cycle irregularity, acne, or unwanted hair growth—key signs to raise with healthcare professionals.
If these patterns sound familiar, it’s time to get science-backed answers. Talk to our medical experts today!
How to Test for Insulin Resistance: Key Science-Backed Methods
Insulin resistance testing is usually a combination of glucose tests, insulin measures, and cardiometabolic markers. No single result tells the whole story—your healthcare provider will interpret patterns across multiple lab tests, symptoms, and risk factors.
The Core Lab Tests Used in Insulin Resistance Testing
Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)
Fasting Plasma Glucose is a classic screening blood test where a lab measures glucose after an overnight fast. It’s widely used to screen for diabetes and prediabetes. Your clinician uses it to spot elevated fasting blood glucose and categorize risk. Whilst it is not a direct test for insulin resistance, results can point to a resistance indication. (Yui Nakamura at al., 2024)
Pros: Simple, inexpensive, standardized
Cons: Individuals with normal FPG can still have substantial insulin resistance, leading to underdiagnosis if FPG is used alone
HbA1c (average blood sugar over ~3 months)
Many guidelines place HbA1c, which tests blood sugar over a 3-month period, for diagnosing diabetes/prediabetes and insulin resistance because it reflects longer-term blood sugar exposure rather than a single moment in time. (Samara Saha et al., 2017)
Pros: Not affected much by day-to-day variation.
Cons: Reflects chronic glycemia and can be influenced by factors unrelated to insulin resistance.
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) for impaired glucose tolerance
An OGTT checks your glucose response after drinking a standardized glucose solution; it’s commonly used to identify impaired glucose tolerance (a prediabetes category). This is especially relevant when fasting glucose looks fine, but post-meal blood glucose levels spike. (M Strumvoll et al., 2000)
Pros: Catches early problems that fasting tests miss
Cons: Takes longer and requires more blood samples, and is not as convenient
Insulin-Focused Tests: Fasting Insulin + HOMA-IR
Fasting Insulin (Serum insulin test)
A Serum insulin test measures insulin after an overnight fast. In early insulin resistance, fasting insulin may be elevated even when fasting blood sugar is still “normal.” This is a key reason some clinicians order insulin alongside glucose in an Insulin Resistance Test Panel. (Yolanda Schrank et al., 2024)
Important: Fasting insulin reference ranges vary by lab, and interpretation depends on context (weight, medications, recent illness).
HOMA-IR Test (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance)
The HOMA-IR test is a calculation using fasting glucose and fasting insulin levels. It provides a numerical score that estimates the degree of insulin resistance in an individual, helping clinicians assess metabolic health. (Cleliani de Cassia da Silva et al., 2022)
How it’s commonly used:
- Helpful for trend tracking over time (before/after lifestyle changes)
- Useful in research and sometimes clinical care as a proxy for insulin resistance
Limitations: There’s no single universal cut-off that applies to every population; interpretation should be individualized by healthcare professionals.
“Panels” and Add-Ons That Strengthen Your Insulin Resistance Picture
When people say Insulin Resistance Test Panel, they often mean: fasting glucose (or FPG), fasting insulin (for HOMA-IR), HbA1c, and lipid markers. Sometimes it also includes liver enzymes, inflammation markers, and thyroid tests if hormonal disorders are suspected.
Lipids: Triglycerides and HDL (Triglyceride to HDL ratio)
Insulin resistance frequently travels with dyslipidaemia: higher triglycerides and lower HDL. The triglyceride to HDL ratio (TG/HDL-C) has been studied as a convenient surrogate marker associated with insulin resistance and metabolic risk. (Petru Baneu et al., 2024)
Clinical note: TG/HDL isn’t a diagnostic “insulin resistance test” on its own, but it’s a useful clue—especially alongside waist measures and glucose/insulin markers.
If your insulin resistance test showed worrying results, join our online community to start reversing results.
What To Do After Identifying a Resistance to Insulin?
If your results suggest insulin resistance, your next step is a plan you can actually follow. That’s where Insulin IQ’s platform is designed to help: it focuses on reversing insulin resistance by lowering insulin naturally through education, support, and practical tools (not quick fixes).
1) Start with the InsulinIQ Community (support + accountability)
Consistency is often the hardest part of lifestyle changes. InsulinIQ’s Community is a private online space where you can learn, share wins, and troubleshoot setbacks with people who understand the struggle.
Our Metabolic Health Community Offers:
- Daily support threads on real life: meal planning, fasting, sleep, stress, and sustainable lifestyle behaviors
- Access to coaches and clinicians who share insights and answer questions
- A resource library with videos, articles, and live workshops that connect the “why” to the “how.”
This matters because insulin resistance isn’t just about willpower. It’s about building repeatable routines that improve insulin sensitivity—especially when cravings, fatigue, and life stress get loud.
2) Follow a roadmap: “Reversing Insulin Resistance in 90 Days”
InsulinIQ’s 90-day course (included with membership) provides a structured progression. Instead of telling you to simply “eat less,” it teaches you how to eat in a way that supports stable blood glucose and blood sugar, encourages fat burning, and reduces insulin demand.
What the course covers, week by week:
- Food strategy: building meals that keep insulin lower, with emphasis on healthy fats, protein and dietary fiber, and smart use of glycemic index principles
- Movement strategy: using physical activity to increase insulin sensitivity (especially strength work to support muscle)
- Recovery strategy: sleep and stress practices because hormones and chronic inflammation influence insulin regulation
You’re not just getting tips—you’re building a system.
3) Get One-On-One Coaching (Personalization Without Overwhelm)
If you want tailored guidance, InsulinIQ offers one-on-one support with certified coaches trained in their method and mentored by Ben Bickman and his insulin-resistance research.
Coaching can help you:
- Create meal strategies that fit your preferences, schedule, and family life
- Stay accountable with check-ins and progress tracking
- Navigate common roadblocks like emotional eating, travel, or inconsistent routines
4) Book a Medical Consultation (Lab Interpretation + Targeted Plan)
If you have complex markers or medical concerns—like a history of gestational diabetes, NAFLD risk, rising blood pressure, or concerning lab trends—InsulinIQ’s licensed medical team can review results and align your plan with clinical reality.
In consultations, we may review:
- lab interpretation and trends of all metabolic markers such as insulin, lipids, A1c etc
- Custom nutrition and lifestyle strategy and goals
- Supplement considerations (for example, whether magnesium supplements are appropriate for you)
Stop guessing and start reversing! InsulinIQ provides the proven, step-by-step roadmap you need.
Work With Insulin IQ to Reverse Insulin Resistance
At Insulin IQ, we help you take control of your metabolic health by turning cutting-edge insulin science into an easy, step-by-step program you can follow in real life. Led by our cofounder Dr. Ben Bikman, we combine education, a supportive online community, and access to certified coaches and licensed clinicians. Start free, learn how insulin affects your body, and get the accountability you need to reverse insulin resistance and feel better—without gimmicks.