Answered in 2 episodes
How do I know if I have insulin resistance?
Answered by Nikkiey Stott and her guests · Updated
The short answer
The clearest check is a fasting insulin test. On Ep. 159, Dr. Morgan Nolte says the research gold standard is a HOMA-IR score, calculated from fasting glucose and fasting insulin, and that fasting insulin alone should ideally be under six. On Ep. 211, Lara Briden adds that normal blood sugar or HbA1c can't rule it out.
Hear it from the show
Tap play to start right where it's answered. It keeps playing while you browse.
Dr. Morgan Nolte on HOMA-IR and why fasting insulin should ideally be under six
Plays from 9:57 · Ep. 159: How to Reverse Insulin Resistance After 40
Lara Briden on why normal blood sugar or HbA1c can't rule out insulin resistance
Plays from 23:55 · Ep. 211: How Insulin Resistance Affects Women in Perimenopause
The everyday markers of insulin resistance, from waist size to sugar cravings
Plays from 10:43 · Ep. 159: How to Reverse Insulin Resistance After 40
Why needing carb snacks to get through the afternoon can be a sign
Plays from 19:52 · Ep. 211: How Insulin Resistance Affects Women in Perimenopause
The full answer
Two guests on The WarriorBabe Show come at this from different angles. The point they share is that the standard blood sugar test isn't enough. On Ep. 211, Lara Briden explains that a normal blood glucose, even a normal HbA1c, cannot rule out insulin resistance, because it is a condition of chronically elevated insulin. So if you've been told your sugar looks fine but your body isn't responding the way it used to, that result doesn't settle the question.
On Ep. 159, Dr. Morgan Nolte lays out the options. For a HOMA-IR score, you need fasting glucose and fasting insulin and an online HOMA-IR calculator. She suggests searching for one because the equation differs between the US and the EU. The simpler route is to look at fasting insulin on its own, which she says should ideally be under six. If you can't get a fasting insulin test, she lists other markers:
- A large waist circumference
- Elevated fasting blood sugar, even mildly high, which she calls a telltale sign
- High blood pressure
- High triglycerides and low HDL
- Frequent carb and sugar cravings
Briden adds a sign you'll recognize from daily life. She describes insulin resistance as being trapped in carb burning. Your body has a hard time reaching stored fat for energy, so you can't go long between meals, you get tired, and you lean on carb snacks to get through the afternoon or the night. If that sounds familiar, it isn't a willpower problem. Your body may be struggling to use its own fuel.
The practical next step is to talk with your doctor about which tests make sense for you and what your results mean. Nolte notes that there are other ways to get insulin checked if your doctor isn't on board. Either way, go in with a specific question about fasting insulin instead of relying on glucose alone.
From The WarriorBabe Show with Nikkiey Stott. For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.
Women also ask
More questions →
Hormones & Hormone Health
Can stress stop me from losing belly fat?
Yes, according to Nikkiey. On The WarriorBabe Show she explains that chronic stress keeps cortisol elevated, which she says increases fat storage around the midsection and drives cravings for comfort foods. Even with solid macros and training, a body stuck in survival mode can hold on to fat, so managing stress becomes part of the plan.
Read the answer →
Hormones & Hormone Health
Should I lift weights on my period?
Yes, you can keep lifting on your period, but adjust rather than push. Nikkiey still shows up to keep the promise she made to herself, using lighter weights and higher reps. Guest Jessica Suchan agrees: train all month, go lighter or skip progressive overload if tired. On heavy, crampy days, a rest day is fine.
Read the answer →
Hormones & Hormone Health
What blood tests should I ask my doctor for after 40?
Nikkiey suggests going beyond the basic panel: a full thyroid panel (TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3, antibodies), estrogen or estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, fasting insulin and A1C, plus vitamin D, B12 and iron. For heart health she adds ApoB, high-sensitivity CRP and homocysteine. Bring the list and talk it through with your doctor.
Read the answer →
Watch the full episodes
More episodes →
56 minHow to Reverse Insulin Resistance After 40
With Dr. Morgan Nolte
54 minHow Insulin Resistance Affects Women in Perimenopause
With Lara Briden