Fasting Insulin: A Key Marker for Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health
Discover the importance of Fasting Insulin in your health and longevity with Mito Health's comprehensive biomarker analysis. Our detailed reports cover key biomarkers, providing essential insights to help you make informed decisions for a healthier, longer life.
What is Fasting Insulin?
Insulin is the main (but not the only) hormone used by your body to regulate glucose levels. It is produced by the pancreas and has many functions related to storing energy and building tissue (anabolism).
What does it assess?
Interpreted together with glucose levels, insulin levels help us to measure insulin sensitivity - how much insulin your body needs to keep glucose levels in check. Impaired insulin sensitivity is pre-cursor to pre-diabetes and diabetes. For even more accurate assessment of insulin resistance, further tests can be performed where you are given a glucose solution to drink and your body’s glucose and insulin changes are measured at regular time intervals (pre-, 30, 60 and 90 min post-ingestion).
How do I optimize my Fasting Insulin levels?
Focus on consuming foods that have a low glycaemic index (GI), such as whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, legumes, and lean proteins. These foods cause slower rises in blood sugar, reducing insulin spikes. Avoid refined sugars and processed carbohydrates that rapidly increase blood glucose and require higher insulin levels for regulation. Chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, which can promote insulin resistance. Practices such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and mindfulness can help lower stress hormones and improve insulin function. Poor sleep and irregular sleep patterns negatively impact insulin sensitivity. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night and maintain a consistent sleep schedule to support optimal insulin regulation.
What do high and low Fasting Insulin levels mean?
If your insulin levels are higher than expected, this means your body is producing more insulin compared to a healthy individual to maintain the same level of glucose in the blood (ie you are less sensitive to insulin). A person who needs more insulin to achieve the same level of glucose is insulin resistant. Low insulin levels are generally a sign of good health, unless accompanied by high glucose levels. In individuals with high glucose but low insulin, this means that their body is not able to make appropriate levels of insulin to regulate blood sugar levels, and occurs in type 1 diabetics or in diseases of the pancreas (where insulin is produced). Insulin resistance is an early biomarker for problems with nutrient management and is a precursor to diabetes and metabolic disease.
For a full breakdown of insulin test prices across labs, see the insulin test cost comparison.
