Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas. It helps glucose, a sugar that comes from food, move into cells in muscle, fat, and the liver. Insulin resistance means those cells do not respond to insulin as well as they should. Glucose then stays in the blood, and the pancreas may be pushed to make more insulin. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases describes prediabetes as a blood glucose level that is higher than the usual range but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Many people notice no symptoms. Over time, higher glucose can affect the heart, the eyes, the kidneys, and the nerves. It often shows up together with higher blood pressure and less favorable cholesterol levels.
Routine care does not usually include a special test whose only job is to measure insulin resistance. That kind of test is used mainly in research. Clinicians look for prediabetes with blood tests: an A1C, which reflects average glucose over about three months; a fasting glucose test; and sometimes a glucose tolerance test. Whether to test depends on age, body weight, family history, a history of diabetes in pregnancy, and other factors such as polycystic ovary syndrome. The result has to be interpreted for you. It is not something to diagnose from a photo of a lab sheet.
The steps NIDDK describes are ordinary, and they are worth taking seriously. They include a way of eating you can keep, regular physical activity, enough sleep, and, when weight is part of the picture, a plan made with your care team rather than a crash diet. Some people are also offered a medicine, such as metformin. That choice depends on the person. Juvenate Medical offers medical weight management as one place to talk about metabolic health. A visit is a place to make a plan. It is not a promise of a result on the scale or on a glucose meter.
Do not start, stop, or combine glucose medicines because of something you read. If you already check glucose at home, bring the log. Get urgent help for symptoms your own clinician has told you are emergencies.
Sources
- Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
This page is general education, not medical advice. It is not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Decisions about testing and treatment belong in a visit with your own clinician.
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