
Does Fasting For Long Before A Blood Test Show Inaccurate Insulin Levels?

Insulin test
Detailed Answer:
Insulin blood tests are not deemed worthwhile in real world practice for the purpose of assessing insulin resistance. They were in vogue for sometime in recent past but lately have been relegated back to research domains.
There are many reasons for this.
1 Test method is challenging.
Not all labs can perform the test accurately. It requires a sophisticated lab to run the test with scientifically correct technique
2 Interpretation can be non specific
Insulin levels alone are not reliable as objective markers of Insulin resistance. Hence, it is not worth tracking and trending insulin levels over time.
I understand you are thinking logically and trying to ascertain a pattern but unfortunately this test has not lived up to it's promise to provide such information
3 HOMA IR
is a complex scientific tool that utilizes Insulin blood test results in an equation to estimate degree of insulin resistance.
Again, this too is largely restricted to clinical research and not day-to-day medical practice
For the above reasons, I am unable to give you a precise answer to your direct query regarding valid comparison of your insulin levels.
However, Insulin levels are routinely used for diagnosing the cause of low blood glucose levels in those without diabetes. Here they are of immense value.


Follow up
Detailed Answer:
Insulin resistance is not a diagnostic term for a medical disease. It refers to a mechanism which has been shown to be one of the causes of pre diabetes/diabetes. It is also commonly associated with PCOS.
It is often a clinical diagnosis meaning there are signs on examination such as 'acanthosis nigricans' and sin tags that suggest the likelihood of this problem, along with overweight/obesity and central fat accumulation in the midriff/belly area.
Furthermore, presence of pre diabetes/ type 2 diabetes indicates its indirect existence.

Answered by

Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
