HOMA-IR Calculator
Estimate insulin resistance from your fasting insulin and fasting glucose.
What is HOMA-IR?
HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) is a simple way to estimate how well your body responds to insulin. Insulin is the hormone that moves sugar from your blood into your cells. When cells stop responding well, your pancreas makes more insulin to compensate - so a raised fasting insulin alongside a normal or high fasting glucose is the fingerprint of insulin resistance, which HOMA-IR captures in a single number.
How this calculator works
It uses the standard formula, HOMA-IR = (fasting insulin x fasting glucose) / 405, with glucose in mg/dL (switch the toggle to mmol/L if that is how your report reads). Both values must come from a fasting sample. The calculation runs entirely in your browser and nothing you enter is stored.
What your result means
| HOMA-IR | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| Below 2.0 | Normal insulin sensitivity |
| 2.0 to 2.9 | Borderline / early insulin resistance |
| 2.9 and above | Insulin resistance likely |
There is no single universal cut-off. Different labs and studies use slightly different thresholds, and several Indian studies classify values around 2.5 and above as insulin resistance because of the higher metabolic risk seen in Indians. Read the number as a trend marker, not a diagnosis.
Why it matters in India
Insulin resistance often appears years before blood sugar rises into the diabetic range, and it is common in Indians even at a normal weight (the "thin-fat" pattern). A raised HOMA-IR is an early warning that lifestyle changes - more activity, weight loss around the waist, better sleep - can act on before diabetes develops. Discuss your result and next steps with your doctor.
Frequently asked questions
What does HOMA-IR measure?
HOMA-IR estimates how resistant your body is to insulin, using your fasting insulin and fasting glucose together. Higher values suggest your body needs more insulin to keep blood sugar normal.
What is a normal HOMA-IR?
Cut-offs vary between labs and populations. Broadly, under about 2.0 is considered normal, and insulin resistance becomes likely above roughly 2.5 to 2.9. Indian studies often use a lower threshold (~2.5).
Do I need to fast for this?
Yes. Both the insulin and the glucose must be fasting samples, usually after 8 to 12 hours without food. Non-fasting values will not give a valid HOMA-IR.
Why is HOMA-IR not on my usual report?
Many labs do not measure fasting insulin by default, so HOMA-IR is not calculated. You can ask your doctor to add a fasting insulin test.
What raises insulin resistance?
Excess weight (especially around the abdomen), physical inactivity, poor sleep, and family history all contribute. The good news is that weight loss, activity and better sleep can improve it.
Formula source: Matthews DR et al. Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Diabetologia 1985;28:412-419.
Related reading
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