HOMA-IR Insulin Resistance Calculator
Calculate your HOMA-IR score to estimate insulin resistance using fasting blood glucose and fasting insulin levels.
Assess your metabolic health risk.
What Is HOMA-IR?
HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) is a mathematical model that estimates insulin resistance from a simple pair of fasting blood tests: fasting glucose and fasting insulin. It was developed by Matthews et al. in 1985 and remains one of the most widely used clinical tools for assessing insulin resistance outside of an invasive euglycaemic clamp procedure.
The formula:
HOMA-IR = (Fasting Glucose [mmol/L] × Fasting Insulin [µIU/mL]) ÷ 22.5
If your glucose is measured in mg/dL, divide by 18.01 to convert to mmol/L first.
Interpretation ranges:
| HOMA-IR Score | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Below 1.0 | Excellent — highly insulin sensitive |
| 1.0 – 1.9 | Normal insulin sensitivity |
| 2.0 – 2.9 | Early insulin resistance |
| 3.0 and above | Significant insulin resistance |
What each variable means:
- Fasting Glucose — your blood sugar after at least 8 hours without food. Tests what your liver is producing overnight.
- Fasting Insulin — your baseline insulin level. High fasting insulin means your pancreas is working harder than it should to keep glucose in range.
Why it matters: Insulin resistance is the root driver of Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and is linked to higher cardiovascular risk, PCOS, fatty liver disease, and obesity. Catching it early — before blood glucose rises — allows lifestyle intervention to reverse the trend.
How to improve HOMA-IR: Time-restricted eating and low-carbohydrate diets can lower fasting insulin within weeks. Regular aerobic and resistance exercise improves muscle glucose uptake. Weight loss of just 5–10% of body weight significantly reduces insulin resistance in most people.
Note: HOMA-IR should be interpreted alongside other markers. Results can vary by lab method for insulin assay. This tool is for educational purposes only.