Your guide to HOMA-IR.
Discover the role of HOMA-IR in your health and longevity with Mito Health's advanced biomarker analysis. Our detailed reports cover key biomarkers, providing essential insights to help you make informed decisions for a healthier, longer life.
What is HOMA-IR?
HOMA-IR is an estimate of insulin resistance calculated from your paired glucose and insulin blood test results.
It is derived from the formula below, which compares current insulin levels with current glucose levels in the blood. HOMA-IR = fasting glucose (mmol/L) x fasting insulin (µU/L) / 22.5
What does it assess?
Insulin resistance is an early change that occurs even before pre-diabetes. This test is used as an assessment of metabolic disease and diabetes risk.
How do I optimize my HOMA-IR?
Intermittent fasting (IF) has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and lower HOMA-IR levels by reducing insulin secretion and promoting fat loss. IF involves alternating periods of eating and fasting, such as fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window (the 16:8 method) or reducing calorie intake for 2 days a week.
IF can help the body use insulin more effectively by allowing the insulin receptors to become more sensitive during fasting periods. However, it is important to approach IF cautiously, particularly for individuals with underlying health conditions, and under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking are both detrimental to insulin sensitivity.
Alcohol, especially sugary drinks or excessive consumption, can impair glucose metabolism and increase insulin resistance. Moderation is key, and limiting alcohol intake is advisable for optimizing insulin sensitivity.
Smoking also impairs insulin function and is associated with higher levels of insulin resistance. Quitting smoking can significantly improve insulin sensitivity and reduce HOMA-IR.
Chronic stress and poor sleep can contribute to insulin resistance by increasing cortisol levels, which interfere with insulin action.
Implementing stress management techniques, such as mindfulness, deep breathing, yoga, or meditation, can lower cortisol and improve insulin sensitivity.
Additionally, ensuring adequate, high-quality sleep is essential for reducing HOMA-IR levels. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night and establish a regular sleep schedule. Poor sleep, particularly insufficient or fragmented sleep, has been shown to negatively affect insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
What does high and low HOMA-IR mean?
An elevated HOMA-IR level indicates insulin resistance, where your body requires increasing levels of insulin to keep glucose in check. While this is partially genetically determined, in general, as HOMA-IR increases, so does the risk of progression to pre-diabetes and diabetes.
This is associated with increased risk of many diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, fatty liver disease and obesity.
A lower HOMA-IR means that you are more sensitive to insulin, and your body requires very little insulin to maintain optimal glucose levels. This is a generally a sign of good metabolic health, and decreases future risk of insulin resistance, diabetes and consequent risks
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