Why these 5 tests?
A standard check-up often focuses on total cholesterol and fasting glucose alone. That misses hidden insulin resistance and chronic inflammation — the root causes of metabolic disease. Below are five tests that give a much deeper picture of your metabolic health.
1 · HbA1c — glycated haemoglobin
Reflects average blood sugar over the past 8–12 weeks. Unlike a single fasting reading, it shows the long-term trend.
| Range (%) | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| < 5.4 | Optimal metabolic health |
| 5.5 – 5.6 | Monitor and optimise lifestyle |
| 5.7 – 6.4 | Pre-diabetes — needs intervention |
| ≥ 6.5 | Diagnostic threshold for diabetes |
Practical advice: check once a year; every 3–6 months if you have insulin resistance.
2 · Fasting insulin
One of the most sensitive markers of early insulin resistance. Fasting glucose can stay normal for years while insulin is already elevated.
| Insulin (mU/L) | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 2–5 | Optimal metabolic flexibility |
| 5 – 10 | Acceptable, optimisation recommended |
| 10 – 15 | Emerging insulin resistance |
| > 15 | Clear insulin resistance |
HOMA-IR = (insulin × glucose mmol/L) / 22.5. Target < 1.5.
3 · hsCRP — high-sensitivity C-reactive protein
Marker of systemic chronic inflammation. Low-grade chronic inflammation is a root cause of cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes and neurodegenerative conditions.
| hsCRP (mg/L) | Risk |
|---|---|
| < 1.0 | Low risk |
| 1.0 – 3.0 | Medium risk |
| > 3.0 | High risk — needs attention |
Note: do not measure during acute infection or within 2 weeks after — the result will be falsely elevated.
4 · Ferritin
Marker of iron stores. Low ferritin causes fatigue and hair loss; high ferritin suggests inflammation or fatty liver.
- Women: optimal 50–150 ng/mL
- Men: optimal 80–200 ng/mL
- > 200 ng/mL — check inflammation and liver markers
- < 30 ng/mL — iron deficiency, also check B12 and folate
5 · Lipid profile — a deeper view
Total cholesterol alone is poorly informative. Look at fractions and ratios:
| Marker | Target |
|---|---|
| Triglycerides | < 1.0 mmol/L |
| HDL | > 1.3 (F) / > 1.0 (M) mmol/L |
| Trig/HDL ratio | < 1.0 (strong IR marker) |
| ApoB | < 0.9 g/L (LDL particle count) |
| Lp(a) | < 30 mg/dL (genetic risk) |
The Trig/HDL ratio is one of the strongest insulin-resistance markers — often more informative than LDL alone.
Next steps
- Book a consultation to interpret your results: info@synage.ee
- Repeat tests 3–6 months after lifestyle changes
- See our free materials on insulin resistance and inflammation