The HOMA-IR panel measures how effectively your body uses insulin to regulate blood sugar—one of the most fundamental processes in metabolic health. HOMA-IR stands for Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance, a method developed to estimate insulin resistance using just two fasting lab values: glucose and insulin.
Insulin resistance happens when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver become less responsive to insulin, the hormone responsible for transporting glucose (sugar) from your bloodstream into your cells. When this happens, your body compensates by producing more insulin to keep blood sugar levels in check. Over time, this can lead to chronically high insulin and blood sugar levels, setting the stage for prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and a host of other metabolic problems, including fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease.
The HOMA-IR score is calculated by multiplying your fasting insulin (in μU/mL) by your fasting glucose (in mg/dL), then dividing by 405. A higher score suggests greater insulin resistance. Although exact cutoffs can vary, a HOMA-IR above 2.0–2.5 is generally considered suggestive of insulin resistance in adults. However, it’s important to interpret this value in the context of your overall health, lifestyle, and other biomarkers.
The HOMA-IR score is calculated by multiplying your fasting insulin (in μU/mL) by your fasting glucose (in mg/dL), then dividing by 405. A higher score suggests greater insulin resistance. Although exact cutoffs can vary, a HOMA-IR above 2.0–2.5 is generally considered suggestive of insulin resistance in adults. However, it’s important to interpret this value in the context of your overall health, lifestyle, and other biomarkers.
The HOMA-IR score is calculated by multiplying your fasting insulin (in μU/mL) by your fasting glucose (in mg/dL), then dividing by 405. A higher score suggests greater insulin resistance. Although exact cutoffs can vary, a HOMA-IR above 2.0–2.5 is generally considered suggestive of insulin resistance in adults. However, it’s important to interpret this value in the context of your overall health, lifestyle, and other biomarkers.
