Insulin Sensitivity Index (HOMA-IR)
HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) is the gold standard calculable measure of insulin sensitivity. Using your fasting glucose and fasting insulin lab values, it quantifies how effectively your cells respond to insulin — and how hard your pancreas is working to compensate.
Enter your fasting lab values
Both glucose and insulin must be from a fasted blood draw.
Found on your metabolic panel or glucose tolerance test as "Glucose (fasting)" or "FPG".
Insulin is not typically in a standard blood panel — you usually need to request it separately. Listed as "Fasting Insulin" or "Insulin, Fasting Serum".
HOMA-IR = (Insulin [μIU/mL] × Glucose [mmol/L]) ÷ 22.5
Developed at Oxford University (Matthews et al., 1985). Validated across thousands of clinical studies worldwide.
What HOMA-IR measures
HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) was developed at Oxford in 1985 and remains the most widely used non-euglycaemic clamp estimate of insulin resistance. It models the feedback loop between the pancreatic β-cells and insulin sensitivity in the liver. Higher scores mean your body needs more insulin to achieve the same glucose-lowering effect.
Fasting insulin is the key value most people don't have — and the most informative. Fasting glucose alone can appear normal for years while insulin levels are already elevated. Tracking HOMA-IR over time (every 6–12 months) is a powerful way to measure the impact of lifestyle changes on metabolic health.