Believe it or not, an insulin test is different from a regular blood sugar test. The blood sugar test only measures blood sugar levels, while the insulin test measures low blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, and other conditions, such as pancreatic tumors. If you want to measure insulin levels, we have the answer. Read on for this article to find out the answers to all the questions related to insulin level testing.
Step
Question 1 of 7: Can you test your insulin levels at home?
Step 1. No, you can't do that
Unfortunately, insulin tests are much more complicated than blood sugar tests and can only be performed by trained personnel with specialized laboratory equipment. Therefore, you can only get test results from a laboratory.
Question 2 of 7: Are insulin tests and blood sugar tests the same?
Step 1. No, the two tests are different
A blood sugar test can be done with a self-contained blood sugar meter or a continuous glucose level monitor (CGM) to analyze blood sugar levels. An insulin test is a medical test to measure the amount of insulin in the blood.
- An insulin test can also reveal the cause of low blood sugar levels or hypoglycemia.
- Insulin resistance is a condition when the body's cells do not use insulin properly and cannot process glucose easily. As a result, the pancreas produces more insulin.
Question 3 of 7: When do I need to check insulin levels?
Step 1. Check your insulin levels when you have symptoms of low blood sugar
If you experience dizziness, blurred vision, excessive hunger, confusion, an irregular heartbeat, frequent sweating, and tremors, you may have hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels. An insulin test can provide a more concrete diagnosis.
Step 2. Your doctor may suggest an insulin test if you have diabetes
An insulin test helps your doctor to monitor the production of insulin in your body. Your doctor may recommend the test if he or she believes you have insulin resistance even if you don't have diabetes.
Question 4 of 7: How often do I need to have an insulin test?
Step 1. Perform the test on the doctor's orders
An insulin test can be performed on diabetics or people without diabetes, but for different reasons. For people who do not have diabetes, this test is done to check for insulin resistance and find out the cause of low blood sugar levels. As for diabetics, this test is done to help doctors monitor the patient's condition.
Question 5 of 7: How do you measure insulin levels?
Step 1. You don't measure it, but your doctor can ask you to do a test if necessary
After the doctor has made a test schedule, make an appointment with a designated health laboratory. During the test, a medic will take a blood sample from your arm. After the sample is tested, the laboratory will tell you whether your insulin levels are too low or too high.
Ask the laboratory to find out when the test results were given
Question 6 of 7: What needs to be prepared before taking an insulin test?
Step 1. Do not eat or drink for 8 hours before the test
Discuss this again with your doctor so that the insulin test can be done without a hitch.
Question 7 of 7: What will my insulin test results look like?
Step 1. Your test results are given as normal, high, or low
If your test result is "high", you may have high blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia), insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, an adrenal gland disorder, or a pancreatic tumor (insulinoma). If the test results are "low," you may have type 1 diabetes, low sugar levels (hyperglycemia), or an enlarged pancreas (pancreatitis). Talk to your doctor to discuss the results of the test.
