01
It is not glucose or cholesterol.
A test list can be long and still leave out one crucial marker.
METABOLIC HEALTH: THE TEST YOUR CHECKUP MAY HAVE MISSED
You fasted.
You had blood drawn.
Did they test the
most important one?
If you could add the most crucial marker to your routine checkup, which would it be? Review your old report and let’s see if it was included.
See the answer and check your old report for free
What did your old checkup include?
Glucose✓
Cholesterol✓
The most important one？
THREE CLUES
Take a guess.
What might your checkup have missed?
The answer is on the test list. Open your old report and see if it was included.
02
Stubborn belly fat, a sudden afternoon slump, or recurring shoulder and joint discomfort.
These concerns can have different causes. Shifts in lipids or blood pressure make the wider metabolic picture worth checking.
03
Does “all normal” include what was never tested?
The report can only describe tests that were done. An omitted marker cannot appear as normal or abnormal.
The answer · Fasting insulin
THE REVEAL
Fasting insulin
Fasting insulin can reveal the extra insulin needed to keep glucose normal and, paired with fasting glucose, provides HOMA-IR, an indicator of insulin resistance.
Look for “Fasting Insulin” on your old report. If fasting glucose was measured in the same blood draw, the two results can be used to calculate HOMA-IR, another clue about insulin resistance.
Even with glucose in range, it may be useful to know how much insulin the body is releasing. Fasting insulin adds a missing piece when considered alongside glucose and the rest of your report.
VIDEO · ABOUT 2 MIN
Normal blood sugar. But is your insulin normal?
Learn why insulin can rise while blood sugar stays normal, and how MetaSense uses an 18-marker assessment to establish your metabolic baseline and track changes over time.
NORMAL GLUCOSE CAN HIDE AN OVERWORKED PANCREAS
The room stays at 24°C.
The aircon may be running flat out.
A room can stay at 24°C while its aircon works flat out. With insulin resistance, muscle and liver respond less well to insulin. The pancreas may release more to keep glucose in range. The glucose reading may look the same while the pancreas works much harder to keep it there.
THE SAME ROOM TEMPERATURE24°C · GLUCOSE IN RANGE
More responsive to insulin
Less insulin is needed to keep glucose steady.
Less responsive to insulin
The pancreas may release more insulin. Glucose can look the same while the load is heavier.
DOES YOUR REPORT ONLY SHOW GLUCOSE?You can see the temperature, but not the aircon's workload.
This analogy illustrates one possible form of pancreatic compensation. It cannot establish insulin resistance in an individual. Test results need clinical context.
INSULIN RESISTANCE GOES BEYOND GLUCOSE
Normal glucose.
But insulin may still be flooding the system.
Imagine the body as a city. With insulin resistance, muscle and liver tissue respond less well to insulin. The pancreas may keep releasing more, even while glucose stays in range. How can a flooded city function if the water has not receded? First find out whether insulin is running high, then address the burden.
A ROUTINE CHECKUP SHOWSGlucose in range
UNTESTED, STILL UNKNOWNIs fasting insulin high?
THE HIDDEN LOADThe pancreas may be pushed into overdrive while insulin floods the system.
Your pancreas is working overtime, silently pouring out excess insulin.
A normal glucose reading hides the true water level. True recovery takes two steps: calming the source of the overflow, and repairing the downstream damage left in its wake. You cannot clear the water if you have never measured how deep it runs.
The flooded city is an analogy for insulin resistance. Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR need context and cannot diagnose metabolic syndrome on their own.
NORMAL RESULTS STILL DEPEND ON THE TEST LIST
Everything in range?
First check what was tested.
A checkup with no red flags can still leave an important metabolic question unanswered. This illustrative report places routine results beside additional markers. Routine results look reassuring. The added insulin, liver and inflammation markers reveal a different picture.
Hypothetical values only. They cannot diagnose insulin resistance or disease without laboratory ranges and individual context.
Check your own report →Sample checkup reportOne person · hypothetical results
Routine testsMeasured values in range
Fasting glucose5.1mmol/L
HbA1c5.4%
Blood pressure120/78mmHg
Triglycerides (TG)1.2mmol/L
HDL cholesterol1.3mmol/L
Additional testsMore metabolic context
Fasting insulin16.5μIU/mL
HOMA-IR3.74
GGT85U/L
hs-CRP2.1mg/L
The sample TG / HDL ratio is about 0.92. That still cannot tell you whether fasting insulin is normal.
SAME GLUCOSE, DIFFERENT INSULIN
Both have fasting glucose of 5.1.
One has four times the insulin.
These illustrative numbers show why glucose alone cannot show how much insulin is being secreted. They are not a diagnosis.
Fasting glucose5.1 mmol/L
Fasting insulin4.0 μIU/mL
Less fasting insulin alongside this glucose result.
Fasting glucose5.1 mmol/L
Fasting insulin16.0 μIU/mL
Same glucose, much more insulin. This is the signal an old report might not include.
WHY GLUCOSE ALONE CAN MISS THE CHANGEInsulin may rise
Insulin may rise
while glucose still looks steady.
The later rise in glucose is one possible path. The key is that insulin demand can change while glucose remains in range.
Swipe sideways to see the whole chart
Insulin may rise firstGlucose may stay steady at first
A conceptual pattern on relative scales. The later change is not inevitable, a set timeline, or a prediction for any individual.
THE STAKES GO BEYOND YOUR WAISTLINE
Was fasting insulin included in your last blood test?
Look beyond the “Three Highs”.
High blood pressure, high blood sugar and abnormal blood lipids are closely linked to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Just as you would inspect a drainage system rather than only measure the surface water, a proper baseline looks beyond standard numbers to prioritize fasting insulin, supported by liver and kidney markers. Because metabolic syndrome raises the risk of heart disease and stroke, those familiar readings tell only part of the story. Check whether your last blood test included fasting insulin.
Muscle and liver respond less well
The body needs more insulin to maintain the same blood glucose level.
Glucose holds steady while insulin runs high
Glucose alone does not reveal how much insulin is circulating.
Why triglycerides and blood pressure rise
Insulin resistance increases fatty acid release from fat tissue, feeding triglyceride production in the liver. Reduced blood vessel relaxation and greater kidney salt retention contribute to higher blood pressure.
Slim on the outside. What about the inside?A person can look slim and still have excess visceral fat and insulin resistance.
Metabolic syndrome and the three highs
Blood pressure, lipids and glucose may change together. One normal result does not tell the whole story.
Liver health and inflammation
Insulin resistance can occur alongside fatty liver. An inflammation marker may add another clue, but it needs to be read alongside the other results.
Heart and stroke risk
Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. That matters far more than a tighter waistband.
Kidneys and long-term health
Cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic health are interconnected. A fuller picture can inform a discussion with your doctor.
A report without red flags does not mean the burden will resolve itself.
If related risk factors persist, metabolic problems may build over time. Establish a baseline across insulin and the other dimensions before deciding what to change.
Ask about the 2-in-1 annual blood test →These are related risks, not inevitable outcomes. Fasting insulin alone does not show that an organ is damaged. Sources below.
THE METASENSE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ASSESSMENT
Start with fasting insulin.
Find your starting point across six metabolic dimensions.
The same meal or workout can affect two people differently. MetaSense starts with fasting insulin, then considers lipids, liver, inflammation, uric acid and energy-related markers. Locate your starting point across the six dimensions, then compare the same markers over time.
START HEREFasting insulinConsider insulin regulation
Insulin and glucose regulation
Compare insulin demand with glucose
Lipids and cardiovascular risk
Read your lipid results as a pattern linked to cardiovascular risk
Liver metabolism
Track liver markers alongside insulin and lipids
Inflammation and recovery clues
Consider inflammation alongside symptoms
Uric acid and kidney-related metabolism
Track uric acid alongside the other metabolic markers
Energy and physiological baseline
Consider thyroid and blood count results alongside energy and recovery
Weight loss can plateau. Training may continue without visible progress, while afternoon energy fades. A multidimensional baseline lets you see smaller changes in your blood markers when you retest, even if the scale has not moved. Those changes can help you plan for more active years.
Start with your old report →CHANGES YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED
The report looks normal.
Why are you still tired, sore or stuck?
Weight loss may plateau despite effort. Training progress may stall, and fatigue may set in after lunch. These changes have many possible causes. If your routine checkup does not explain how you feel, it may be worth examining insulin and the wider metabolic picture.
01Working to lose weight, but stuck on a plateau
02Training consistently, but progress has stalled
03Afternoon fatigue and slower recovery
04Stubborn belly fat and a heavy feeling
05Recurring shoulder, neck or joint discomfort
These concerns can have several causes. Marked fatigue or persistent pain needs medical assessment and should not be explained by one blood marker.
OPEN YOUR OLD CHECKUP REPORT
Open your old report.
Is fasting insulin there?
Look for “Fasting Insulin” in the list of tests. Glucose and HbA1c results do not tell you whether insulin was measured.
ANNUAL BLOOD REPORT · SAMPLE01 / 01
Fasting glucose✓
HbA1c✓
Lipids✓
Fasting insulin?
Even in a long report, start with this test.
Have an older lipid result? Calculate TG / HDL
All your lipid results in range? Try 1.2 and 1.3 from the sample report above, or enter TG and HDL from the same draw on your own report. Then check whether the key test, fasting insulin, was done.
—
TG / HDL ratio
The TG / HDL ratio is triglycerides divided by HDL cholesterol, both in the same unit. The 1.8 (mmol/L) prompt line is illustrative. TG / HDL thresholds vary by population, and the ratio cannot diagnose insulin resistance. Inputs in mg/dL are converted before comparison.
Calculated in your browser. Your numbers are not uploaded.
ONE BLOOD DRAW, TWO VIEWS
Make this year’s checkup
more complete.
The MetaSense 2-in-1 annual blood test combines familiar checkup measures with a Multi-Dimensional Metabolic Assessment. One fasting draw covers 18 markers, including glucose, lipids and fasting insulin.
ROUTINE SCREENING
Familiar measures
Blood count, kidney and liver markers, glucose, HbA1c, lipids and a thyroid marker.
MULTI-DIMENSIONAL METABOLIC ASSESSMENT
Insulin in the wider metabolic picture
Includes fasting insulin and HOMA-IR calculated with glucose, alongside GGT, hs-CRP and uric acid.
WHY CONSIDER THIS PANEL
- Include fasting insulinCheck whether your old report includes fasting insulin. If not, testing it alongside glucose may add information about insulin regulation.
- See the results togetherConsider insulin, lipids, liver and inflammation together to identify which areas warrant attention and record a starting point for later comparison.
- Record your current results before a major changeIf you plan to change your diet or training, keep a baseline first. With optional 30-day support, you can review meals, cooking oils, meal timing and activity in light of what your report shows, then decide whether to retest.
How does a blood result change what happens in your kitchen?
With MetaSense’s optional 30-day food and lifestyle support, we help you identify which of your metabolic dimensions is showing the greatest strain. We then help you put that finding to work through changes to meals, cooking oils, meal timing and daily activity. Only a later test can show whether the blood markers have moved.
The 30-day support and any retest are optional. Ask us about scope and fees.
18-marker panel · Current website price S$298
Have a flex-benefit screening allowance?
Coverage depends on your employer’s plan. Ask us about the markers, fee and receipt arrangements.
Singapore-registered doctor reviews suitability · HCSA-licensed lab draws blood · MetaSense explains the report
UNDERSTAND YOUR BLOOD TEST REPORT
Targeted Metabolic Review
S$38
Understand your existing results
A focused review of the glucose, cholesterol and liver markers available in your blood test report. Understand how these results relate to one another and establish a reference point for future comparison.
Understand fasting insulin and insulin resistance
A practical explanation of insulin resistance, what fasting insulin measures, and what it can add to the understanding of your existing results. If fasting insulin is already included in your report, we explain it alongside your other markers.
The S$38 includes both the report review and explanation. Blood testing is not included.
After booking, we will explain how to send your reports and how your information is used and kept. Privacy policy
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Fasting insulin: what is it?
Fasting insulin is the insulin level measured in a blood sample taken after fasting. It shows how much insulin the body releases to keep glucose steady when you have not eaten.
What is HOMA-IR?
HOMA-IR is a value calculated from fasting glucose and fasting insulin taken in the same blood draw. It is one clue about insulin resistance and needs to be read with other results and a doctor’s advice. It cannot diagnose anything on its own.
Can fasting insulin diagnose a condition by itself?
No. Fasting insulin is not a routine diagnostic test for everyone. Results need to be read with glucose, medical history and other markers, and assessed by a doctor.
My old checkup report does not include fasting insulin. What can I do?
Keep your older glucose and lipid results so you can compare them over time. If you would like to know more, ask us about the S$38 Targeted Metabolic Review or the 2-in-1 annual blood test. A Singapore-registered doctor reviews suitability before testing.
Who tests my blood and explains the results?
A Singapore-registered doctor reviews suitability, an HCSA-licensed laboratory draws and tests the blood, and MetaSense explains the markers in a plain-language report. These explanations do not constitute medical diagnosis, treatment or prescriptions.
Does the TG / HDL calculator upload my numbers?
No. The ratio is calculated in your browser and your numbers are not uploaded.
Sources and reading notes
- US National Library of Medicine · Insulin in Blood Test
- NIDDK · Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes
- German Diabetes Study · Insulin resistance and musculoskeletal function
- NHLBI · Metabolic Syndrome
- American Heart Association · Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health
- AACC / ADA · Laboratory Analysis Guidelines (2023)
- TOFI_Asia Study · Visceral fat and metabolic risk (2020)
- Mostafa et al. · TG / HDL and insulin resistance (2012)
Fasting insulin is not a routine diagnostic test for everyone. Results need glucose, history and other context. Figures are illustrative.