Glucose tolerance test including insulin levels?

[iainmillar]

Hi everyone,

I haven’t had any diagnosis, but have recently learned about metabolic disorders, and having punished my metabolism over the past few decades, I am worried I may have developed insulin resistance. I’ve heard the best way to test this is with an oral glucose tolerance test, but measuring the insulin as well as the blood glucose level. The insulin levels giving an indication of a problem at a much earlier stage than just the glucose alone.

From what I can find, the NHS tests only refer to the test measuring glucose. Is measuring the insulin and glucose together something that is done at all in the UK?

Thanks!

 

[Inka]

Hi @iainmillar 🙂 I haven’t heard of any such test. The oral glucose tolerance test isn’t done anymore. The test to check for diabetes is an HbA1C blood test (from your arm). That shows an average of your blood sugar over the preceding 3 months and your result will tell you whether you have diabetes or are close to it. Your GP surgery can do this test.

Here’s a risk factor quiz:
https://riskscore.diabetes.org.uk/start?_ga=2.11677236.1831500310.1615967880-600926748.1609240645

What leads you to think you have insulin resistance?

 

[iainmillar]

Hi, thanks for the reply!

I have spent 3 decades eating way too much carbohydrate especially sugars. I have abdominal fat. High total cholesterol (can’t recall the breakdown). And my last blood test revealed poor liver function. On that quiz you linked I scored 15. I will have had the HbA1C tested I think, but I don’t have it to hand.

I’m really interested to check my status to see if I’m on the pathway to metabolic syndrome and if so how far down the path. I’m a very analytical person so partly curiosity is a motivation. Also lifestyle changes will be much more successful in the long term if I can relate to hard numbers which I can track over time.

 

[Inka]

If your HbA1C test was a while ago, you could ask for it to be repeated. If you can access the number you got on your previous test that will be useful. You can then look at a chart and see where it places you. If you then make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk, you’ll know your starting point and be able to gauge your improvement.

As you say, abdominal fat is a risk, so another way is trying to reduce that so your tape measure can be your gauge.

 

[trophywench]

Insulin levels can be checked with specialist equipment in a hospital (as an inpatient) which was called an 'Insulin clamp' in the 20th century but normal diabetics never experienced such things - I know they used to be utilised within the Joslin Institute in Boston, when they followed up their Golden Oldies every decade. An internet user Richard 157 used to tell us about the tests years ago, but he stopped posting during his 80s - obviously Joslin didn't start following patients until the 1920s once insulin treatment had been discovered! They were trying to find out by what mechanism some humans avoid diabetic complications entirely and hence why some people don't. No idea if they ever tested type 2s though, it was around the time when they proved in the 1980s/90s that some long term Type 1s still produce some endogenous insulins albeit not enough to be of practical use.


No idea how they test or what they have to do as the only elderly diabetic I know is me!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @iainmillar

Good to hear that you are an analytical person. That is a trait that may serve you well if you get a diabetes diagnosis, though you may find the fickleness and variability of blood glucose response infuriating.

Have you tried the Diabetes UK ‘know your risk’ tool

Diabetes UK – Know Your Risk of Type 2 diabetes

Many people are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes without realising it. Answer the following seven questions to find out your risk and what to do next.

riskscore.diabetes.org.uk

Depending on your score, you may be able to refer yourself to a diabetes prevention programme.

Let us know how things go