Fasting Insulin Test

Dennis

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A fasting insulin resistance test is one that is sometimes done in the US but I've not heard of it being done over here, at least not on the NHS. It might be available privately.

The test checks for fasting serum insulin above the reference range, which indicates insulinaemia (insulin in the circulating blood) associated with insulin insensitivity.
 

the_anticarb

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I've had it done - and on the NHS to boot. My consultant couldn't diagnose me as either t1 or t2 (turns out I have an as yet undiagnosed version of diabetes) so he needed this test to see if I was producing any of my own insulin or not.
so it can be done if your consultant wants it to be.
 

hanadr

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I've never even seen a consultant, let alone had a rare kind of test.
Hana
 

Dennis

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Hi Anticarb,

I suspect the test that you had done was a C-Peptide test, which is the only one that measures how much insulin your pancreas produces and is certainly available in the UK although most GPs don't use it. A fasting insulin test doesn't measure how much insulin you produce, but how much insulin resistance you have - not the same thing.
 

cugila

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The Insulin test is available in the UK but is not often used.
Here is an extract from a UK Laboratory guide for Technicians.
INSULIN TEST.
Insulin may be used, often along with glucose and C-peptide levels, to help diagnose insulinomas and to help determine the cause of hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose). Insulin and C-peptide levels also may be used to monitor the amount of insulin produced by the body (called 'endogenous' insulin), to check if the body is not responding to insulin properly (called 'insulin resistance'), and to help determine when a type 2 diabetic might need to start taking insulin injections to supplement oral medications.

Insulin levels are sometimes used in conjunction with the glucose tolerance test (GTT). Blood glucose and, sometimes, insulin levels are measured to evaluate insulin resistance, particularly in obese individuals.

Insulin levels must be evaluated in context. If fasting insulin and glucose levels are normal, most likely the body's glucose regulation system is functioning normally. If insulin is raised and glucose is normal and/or moderately raised, then there may be some insulin resistance. If the insulin is low and the glucose is high, then most likely there is insufficient insulin being produced by the body. If insulin levels are normal or raised and glucose levels are low, then the patient is hypoglycaemic due to excess insulin.
Raised insulin levels may be seen with:

1. Acromegaly
2. Cushing's syndrome
3. Drugs such as corticosteroids, levodopa, oral contraceptives
4. Fructose or galactose intolerance
5. Insulinomas
6. Obesity
7. Insulin resistance, such as appears in early type 2 diabetes

Decreased insulin levels are seen with:

1. Diabetes
2. Hypopituitarism
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Hope that helps ?

Ken.