In brief
When cells in your muscles, fat and liver do not respond to insulin as well as they should. It usually causes no symptoms and can lead to pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
- People with insulin resistance and pre-diabetes usually have no symptoms.
- C-peptide, measured with insulin, can be used to diagnose insulin resistance, according to Pathology Tests Explained, though the NIH notes that testing for insulin resistance is mainly used in research.
- Insulin resistance is linked with fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome.
How it works
In insulin resistance, the body produces more insulin to make up for its reduced effectiveness. Over time the pancreas may not make enough insulin to keep blood glucose normal. Pre-diabetes means blood glucose is higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes, and about 1 in 10 people with pre-diabetes in Australia develops type 2 diabetes each year.
Risk factors include overweight, obesity or a large waist, not being physically active, a family history of diabetes, PCOS, sleep apnoea and long-term use of some medicines such as glucocorticoids. Being physically active, eating healthy foods, managing your weight and getting enough sleep can help prevent or reverse it.
Connections
9 connections on the map. Select a topic to read its page.
Insulin resistance is linked with
- Trouble sleeping Supported
Getting enough sleep is one of the ways to help prevent or reverse insulin resistance, according to the NIH.
Scientists think metabolic syndrome happens when the body's cells do not respond properly to insulin.
Sources: healthdirect Australia, Metabolic syndrome; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH), Insulin resistance and prediabetes
PCOS is a risk factor for insulin resistance and pre-diabetes.
Sources: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH), Insulin resistance and prediabetes; healthdirect Australia, Pre-diabetes
In insulin resistance, the body produces more insulin to make up for its reduced effectiveness.
- Unexplained weight gain Supported
Having overweight, obesity or a large waist raises the risk of insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance can lead to
Type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance is one of the causes of fatty liver disease.
Sources: healthdirect Australia, Fatty liver disease; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH), Insulin resistance and prediabetes
Over time the pancreas may not make enough insulin, and about 1 in 10 people with pre-diabetes in Australia develops type 2 diabetes each year.
Sources: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH), Insulin resistance and prediabetes; healthdirect Australia, Pre-diabetes
Insulin resistance can be lowered by
Being physically active is one of the ways to prevent or reverse insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance can cause
Pre-diabetes happens when the body's cells stop responding normally to insulin.
Sources: healthdirect Australia, Pre-diabetes; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH), Insulin resistance and prediabetes
Lab tests
- HbA1cShows what your blood glucose levels have been like over the past two to three months.
- Blood glucose (fasting) and glucose tolerance testMeasures the glucose in your blood at the time of the test. A fasting sample or a 2-hour glucose tolerance test can help diagnose diabetes.
- Insulin and C-peptideMeasures insulin in the blood. It is most often used to investigate low blood glucose, usually together with C-peptide.
Medicines and supplements
General education only. Never start, stop or change a medicine without your prescriber.
Sources
Each connection above names its own source. See every source AskBioMap uses.
Summarised from the NIH, healthdirect and Pathology Tests Explained. Sources read on 16 and 19 October 2026. General education only, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the HuBu-Intel contact page.