Insulin and C-Peptide Panel
Two markers of how much insulin your body is actually making, and how hard your beta cells are working.
Consider this test if:
- Signs of insulin resistance such as central weight gain, prediabetes, fatty liver, or PCOS
- Working up episodes of low blood sugar, shakiness, or confusion between meals
- Clarifying whether diabetes is driven by insulin resistance or by falling beta cell output
- Tracking how diet, weight loss, or training is changing your insulin production over time
- Distinguishing your own insulin output from injected insulin when reactions are unexplained
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Typical results in 1-2 days · Reviewed by a real clinician
- Drawn at a CLIA/CAP-accredited lab near you ·
Pre-test considerations
Draw in the morning after a 9 to 12 hour overnight fast, since recent food raises both insulin and C-peptide and makes a single result hard to interpret. Note any insulin or insulin-affecting medications, as these change the picture. Avoid hemolysis of the sample.
Video consult with your Care Team
A 1:1 call to discuss your health.
What members say on Trustpilot
What this test is for
Insulin and C-peptide are released together by the beta cells of the pancreas in roughly equal amounts, so measuring both shows how much insulin your body is producing on its own. C-peptide is the more durable signal: it is not affected by insulin antibodies and, unlike insulin itself, reflects only your own production rather than any injected insulin. High fasting insulin with elevated C-peptide points toward insulin resistance and the metabolic pattern behind prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and PCOS, while low values reflect reduced beta cell output, as in type 1 diabetes or longstanding type 2. The pair is also used to work up unexplained hypoglycemia, where the question is whether high insulin is coming from the body or from an outside source.
This panel runs insulin and C-peptide together for a fuller read on beta cell function. If you want a single calculated insulin-resistance estimate, the Insulin Resistance Panel with Score is built for that; the standalone Insulin or C-Peptide tests cover each marker on its own.
Biomarkers tested
Includes 2 biomarkers
C-peptide is released in equal amounts to insulin when the pancreas cleaves proinsulin, making it a cleaner gauge of how much insulin your own beta cells are producing (it does not get cleared by injected insulin, so it separates your body's output from any insulin you take). High levels alongside high glucose point to insulin resistance, where the pancreas is grinding out more and more insulin to keep blood sugar in range, often years before an A1c or fasting glucose looks abnormal. Low levels help distinguish type 1 from type 2 diabetes and investigate unexplained hypoglycemia, while tracking C-peptide over time shows whether diet, weight loss, or medication are actually easing the burden on your pancreas.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Mass concentration
Insulin is the hormone your pancreas releases to shuttle glucose into cells, and this test measures it directly, typically fasting, alongside glucose. Elevated fasting insulin often shows up years before glucose rises, since the body compensates for resistant cells by pumping out more insulin, so this catches insulin resistance while standard glucose or A1c still look normal. It pairs well with fasting glucose to calculate HOMA-IR, and it's useful both for a metabolic baseline and for investigating stubborn belly fat, energy crashes after meals, or a family history of type 2 diabetes.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Concentration
What you'll learn
-
Insights that connect the dots. A clinician reads your whole picture, not one result in isolation, connecting family history, past results, and lifestyle into clear next steps.
-
Your personalized action plan. Nutrition, supplements, and training in one clinician-reviewed protocol, updated as your results change.
-
Track your trends. Upload results from any lab and see each biomarker trend over time, so you know what is working.
-
Never miss a recheck. Mito tells you what is worth retesting and when, then reminds you so nothing slips.
What to expect
- 1 Book instantly
Click, book, done. Choose a convenient lab location near you. Transparent, up-front pricing.
- 2 Quick lab visit
Testing to fit your busy schedule, usually 15 minutes or less. Walk-in and appointments available.
- 3 Typical results in 1-2 days
Your results post straight to your dashboard as soon as the lab completes them.
- 4 Expert guidance
Included with Mito membership. A clinician reviews your results and your personalized action plan follows, with clear next steps.
Everything your health needs,
in one membership
-
Every test at our cost
Members pay our cost on every test, with lab fees passed straight through. The full receipt is itemized, never padded.
-
Continuous tracking, all in one place
Upload past labs and watch your trends over time. Every marker and visit lives in one longitudinal record, so all your care stays together.
-
Year-round clinician support
Text anytime and get clinician-reviewed answers. When you want to go deeper, 1:1 consultations are available at affordable rates.
All for $9/month
Order any test or consult without joining. For $9/month, members unlock member prices, trend tracking, and year-round clinician guidance.
Mito Membership
$9 /mo
cancel anytime
Without membership
$0
pay as you go
At-cost pricing on labs, scans, and more
Supplements at 30% off retail prices Coming soon
On-demand clinician consults when you need guidance
Personalized action plans across supplements, exercise, nutrition, and sleep
AI health coaching to help you act on your results
Year-round medical support, with in-chat clinician escalation
All your health records in one personal vault, with trends and biological age tracking
Early access to new diagnostics and product releases
More tests to consider
Loading essentials…
Frequently asked questions
View all FAQsHow does pricing work?
Every test shows the member price next to the standard non-member price, so you can see what membership saves you. The member price is our cost, covering the lab and what it takes to run the service. It is never a profit on the test itself. Mito makes its money on the $9 membership, not on marking up your tests. Membership is $9 per month, and any applicable lab order or draw fee is itemized before you pay.
Where do I get tested?
Choose an available partner lab at checkout. If your cart contains multiple blood tests, Mito helps consolidate the eligible tests at one lab when possible. At-home kits and scans follow the collection or appointment process shown on their product page.
Is this eligible for HSA/FSA?
Yes. Eligible tests can be paid for with an HSA or FSA card at checkout.
When will I get my results?
Your results appear in your Mito dashboard after the laboratory completes processing. A clinician then reviews them before your analysis and personalized action plan are finalized. Timing varies by test, and specialty assays and at-home kits may take longer.
Do I need a physician's order?
No. Mito provides the laboratory order when one is required, so you do not need to arrange a separate physician visit before purchasing.
Recently viewed
Loading essentials…