Why these 5 tests?
A standard check-up often focuses on total cholesterol and fasting glucose alone. That misses hidden insulin resistance and chronic inflammation – the root causes of metabolic disease. Below are five tests that give a much deeper picture of your metabolic health.
1 · HbA1c – glycated hemoglobin
Reflects average blood sugar over the past 8–12 weeks. Unlike a single fasting reading, it shows the long-term trend.
| Range (%) | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| < 5.4 | Optimal metabolic health |
| 5.5 – 5.6 | Monitor and optimize lifestyle |
| 5.7 – 6.4 | Pre-diabetes – needs intervention |
| ≥ 6.5 | Diagnostic threshold for diabetes |
< 5.4
- Interpretation
- Optimal metabolic health
5.5 – 5.6
- Interpretation
- Monitor and optimize lifestyle
5.7 – 6.4
- Interpretation
- Pre-diabetes – needs intervention
≥ 6.5
- Interpretation
- Diagnostic threshold for diabetes
Practical advice: check once a year; every 3–6 months if you have insulin resistance.
2 · Fasting insulin
One of the measures used when assessing early insulin resistance; it is not a diagnosis on its own. Fasting glucose can stay normal for years while insulin is already elevated.
| Insulin (mU/L) | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 2–5 | Optimal metabolic flexibility |
| 5 – 10 | Acceptable, optimization recommended |
| 10 – 15 | Emerging insulin resistance |
| > 15 | Clear insulin resistance |
2–5
- Interpretation
- Optimal metabolic flexibility
5 – 10
- Interpretation
- Acceptable, optimization recommended
10 – 15
- Interpretation
- Emerging insulin resistance
> 15
- Interpretation
- Clear insulin resistance
HOMA-IR = (insulin × glucose mmol/L) / 22.5. The educational reference used in the literature is < 1.5; it is not a diagnostic threshold.
3 · hsCRP – high-sensitivity C-reactive protein
Marker of systemic chronic inflammation. Low-grade chronic inflammation is a root cause of cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes and neurodegenerative conditions.
| hsCRP (mg/L) | Risk |
|---|---|
| < 1.0 | Low risk |
| 1.0 – 3.0 | Medium risk |
| > 3.0 | High risk – needs attention |
< 1.0
- Risk
- Low risk
1.0 – 3.0
- Risk
- Medium risk
> 3.0
- Risk
- High risk – needs attention
Note: do not measure during acute infection or within 2 weeks after – the result will be falsely elevated.
4 · Ferritin
Marker of iron stores. Low ferritin causes fatigue and hair loss; high ferritin suggests inflammation or fatty liver.
- Women: optimal 50–150 ng/mL
- Men: optimal 80–200 ng/mL
- > 200 ng/mL – check inflammation and liver markers
- < 30 ng/mL – iron deficiency, also check B12 and folate
5 · Lipid profile – a deeper view
Total cholesterol alone is poorly informative. Look at fractions and ratios:
| Marker | Educational reference |
|---|---|
| Triglycerides | < 1.0 mmol/L |
| HDL | > 1.3 (F) / > 1.0 (M) mmol/L |
| Trig/HDL ratio | < 1.0 (strong IR marker) |
| ApoB | < 0.9 g/L (LDL particle count) |
| Lp(a) | < 30 mg/dL (genetic risk) |
Triglycerides
- Educational reference
- < 1.0 mmol/L
HDL
- Educational reference
- > 1.3 (F) / > 1.0 (M) mmol/L
Trig/HDL ratio
- Educational reference
- < 1.0 (strong IR marker)
ApoB
- Educational reference
- < 0.9 g/L (LDL particle count)
Lp(a)
- Educational reference
- < 30 mg/dL (genetic risk)
The Trig/HDL ratio is one of the more informative insulin-resistance markers. The figures in the table are educational references, not diagnostic thresholds – results are interpreted by a physician together with the clinical picture.
Next steps
- Book a consultation to interpret your results: kursused@synage.ee
- Repeat tests 3–6 months after lifestyle changes
- See our free materials on insulin resistance and inflammation