Insulin
What it measures, and what changes the number.
Insulin is the hormone made by the pancreas that moves glucose from the blood into cells. This test measures the concentration of insulin in the blood at the moment the sample is taken, usually reported in µIU/mL.
It is almost always read together with a glucose result from the same sample, since insulin and glucose are interpreted as a pair. The two are combined to calculate HOMA-IR, and they are often reviewed alongside HbA1c, fructosamine and triglycerides.
Insulin rises sharply after eating, so it is normally drawn after an overnight fast, and a non fasting result cannot be compared with a fasting one. Insulin breaks down in hemolyzed samples and if the sample is left unprocessed too long, which can lower the reading. Immunoassays differ between manufacturers, so results from different labs may not match exactly. Labs may print it as Insulina.
Usually reported in µIU/mL.
Often read alongside: Glucose, HOMA-IR, HbA1c (NGSP), Fructosamine, Triglycerides
Calculators that use it: HOMA-IR calculator