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Adiponectin Test

Adiponectin Test

February 2, 2026
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Do I need an Adiponectin test?

Struggling with stubborn weight gain, insulin resistance, or inflammation that won't budge? Could low adiponectin be quietly undermining your metabolic health?

Adiponectin is a protective hormone produced by your fat tissue that helps regulate blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and support heart health. When levels drop, your risk for metabolic issues rises.

Testing your adiponectin gives you a powerful snapshot of your metabolic and inflammatory status, revealing hidden factors behind weight struggles or insulin resistance so you can personalize your nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle to restore balance and protect your long-term health.

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With Superpower, you have access to a comprehensive range of biomarker tests
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Get tested with Superpower

If you’ve been postponing blood testing for years or feel frustrated by doctor appointments and limited lab panels, you are not alone. Standard healthcare is often reactive, focusing on testing only after symptoms appear or leaving patients in the dark.

Superpower flips that approach. We give you full insight into your body with over 100 biomarkers, personalized action plans, long-term tracking, and answers to your questions, so you can stay ahead of any health issues.

With physician-reviewed results, CLIA-certified labs, and the option for at-home blood draws, Superpower is designed for people who want clarity, convenience, and real accountability - all in one place.

Key benefits of Adiponectin testing

  • Reveals how well your fat tissue supports metabolic health and insulin sensitivity.
  • Flags early insulin resistance before blood sugar becomes abnormal.
  • Explains stubborn weight gain or difficulty losing fat despite healthy habits.
  • Guides personalized strategies to reduce diabetes and heart disease risk.
  • Tracks whether lifestyle changes or treatments are improving metabolic function over time.
  • Clarifies inflammation patterns linked to obesity, PCOS, and metabolic syndrome.
  • Best interpreted with fasting insulin, glucose, and lipid panels for full context.

What is Adiponectin?

Adiponectin is a hormone produced and released by fat tissue (adipose tissue). Unlike many other hormones from fat cells, adiponectin levels are higher when you have less body fat, especially less visceral fat around your organs.

A hormone that protects your metabolism

Adiponectin acts as a metabolic guardian. It enhances insulin sensitivity, helping your cells respond better to insulin and take up glucose from the bloodstream. It also promotes fat breakdown and reduces inflammation in blood vessels and tissues.

Lower levels signal metabolic stress

When adiponectin levels drop, it often reflects expanding fat stores and rising metabolic dysfunction. This decline is closely linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. In essence, adiponectin serves as a biomarker of metabolic health. Higher circulating levels generally indicate a well-functioning metabolism, while lower levels suggest your body is under metabolic strain.

Why is Adiponectin important?

Adiponectin is a hormone released by fat tissue that protects your metabolism, blood vessels, and inflammatory balance. Unlike most fat-derived signals, higher adiponectin levels are associated with better insulin sensitivity, lower cardiovascular risk, and reduced systemic inflammation. It acts as a metabolic guardian, signaling that your fat tissue is functioning in a healthy, anti-inflammatory way.

When adiponectin runs low

Lower levels often appear alongside insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, and metabolic syndrome. The body becomes less efficient at using glucose and burning fat, raising the risk of type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Women typically have higher baseline adiponectin than men, but levels drop sharply with visceral fat gain in both sexes. Low adiponectin is also linked to increased cardiovascular inflammation and higher rates of coronary artery disease.

When adiponectin climbs high

Elevated adiponectin generally reflects favorable metabolic health and lower inflammatory tone. Very high levels can occasionally occur in chronic kidney disease or heart failure, where the body may upregulate adiponectin in response to stress. In most contexts, though, higher values signal protective metabolic reserve.

The metabolic messenger you want on your side

Adiponectin bridges fat tissue, liver, muscle, and vascular health. It influences how your body handles sugar and fat, modulates inflammation, and protects artery walls. Tracking it offers insight into metabolic resilience and long-term cardiometabolic risk, especially when paired with markers like insulin, glucose, and lipid panels.

What do my Adiponectin results mean?

Low adiponectin levels

Low values usually reflect insulin resistance, visceral fat accumulation, and metabolic stress. Adiponectin is a hormone made by fat tissue that improves insulin sensitivity and protects blood vessels. When levels drop, cells become less responsive to insulin, the liver produces more glucose, and inflammation rises in fat tissue and vessel walls. This pattern is common in metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Men naturally have lower adiponectin than women, and levels decline with weight gain and aging.

Optimal adiponectin levels

Being in range suggests healthy fat tissue function, good insulin sensitivity, and lower cardiovascular risk. Optimal values tend to sit in the mid to upper portion of the reference range, reflecting metabolically active fat that supports rather than disrupts glucose and lipid metabolism. Higher adiponectin is consistently associated with better metabolic health and longevity.

High adiponectin levels

High values usually reflect excellent metabolic health and low visceral fat, though very elevated levels can occasionally appear in chronic kidney disease, heart failure, or severe weight loss. In these contexts, high adiponectin may signal the body's compensatory response to metabolic or cardiac stress.

Factors that influence adiponectin

Adiponectin is strongly influenced by body composition, sex hormones, and inflammation. Women have roughly double the levels of men. Weight loss raises adiponectin, while weight gain suppresses it. Certain medications and acute illness can also affect results.

Method: Laboratory-developed test (LDT) validated under CLIA; not cleared or approved by the FDA. Results are interpreted by clinicians in context and are not a stand-alone diagnosis.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How it works
What should I expect during a blood draw?
  • A trained phlebotomist will guide you through the process.
  • A tourniquet is placed on your arm, the site is cleaned, and a small needle is used to collect blood into one or more tubes.
  • Results are usually ready in about a week.
  • Most people feel only a quick pinch.
  • The needle is removed, gentle pressure is applied, and a bandage is placed.
How do I prepare for a blood draw?
  • Drink plenty of water beforehand — hydration makes veins easier to find.
  • Wear loose sleeves so your arm is easy to access.
  • Follow any fasting instructions you’ve been given.
  • Let us know if you’re on medications, have fainted before, or have needle anxiety.
What should I do after my blood draw?
  • Press gently on the site for a few minutes.
  • Keep the bandage on for 4-6 hours.
  • Skip heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for the rest of the day.
  • Drink extra water to rehydrate.
  • Monitor the site for redness, swelling, or pain.
How do I book a blood draw with Superpower?

Your membership includes:

  • An annual full body test and report across 100+ biomarkers
  • A personalized action plan to optimize your biomarkers and reach your health goals
  • A dashboard to centralize your health data and track changes across a lifetime
  • Access to a health concierge for questions on your plan and help scheduling
  • Plus a marketplace of curated health products and services cheaper than amazon

Many concierge clinics charge $10k – $100k for their services, we’ve built technology to make the world’s best healthcare as accessible as possible via an all-in-one membership.

Where can I take my blood test?

Superpower is currently available in the following US states:

  • Alabama
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Kansas
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
Our testing
Does Superpower replace my primary care provider?

Superpower specializes in prevention-based testing and treatments and is not intended for emergency or immediate health issues.

While you will have a Superpower care team, your annual membership is designed to complement a primary care doctor if you have one, not replace them.

We are happy to help you share any test results with an outside provider to ensure you receive well-rounded medical care.

How fast are blood test results and how do I read them?

Your annual lab test panel takes about a week to process. We will text you as soon as they become available in your dashboard. Other types of tests may have different testing windows. The Superpower concierge is your own health assistant who helps answer your questions on your results, ensure smooth scheduling, coordination of any office-based tests, specialist referrals as needed, and navigating you to interface with your care team.

Does Superpower accept health insurance?

Superpower membership and products are all eligible for HSA/FSA funding.

We see Superpower like a gym membership for those committed to prevention and performance. Superpower is a bridge between wellness and healthcare. Health insurance traditionally focuses on reactive care whereas, at Superpower, we believe it’s never too early to start looking out for your long-term health.

What if I want more than 1 blood test per year?

Absolutely — you're not limited to just one. Your membership includes one comprehensive 100+ biomarker blood test each year, but if you'd like to track your progress more closely, you can add extra tests at any time. Each additional full-panel test costs $179. You can order as many as you'd like throughout the year.

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Vinay Hiremath, Founder of Loom

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Frequently Asked Questions about Adiponectin Test

What is adiponectin, and why is it called a hormone made by fat tissue?

Adiponectin is a hormone produced and released by adipose (fat) tissue that helps regulate how your body uses sugar and fat for fuel. Unlike many other fat-derived hormones, adiponectin levels are typically higher when you have less body fat - especially less visceral fat around the organs. It acts as a metabolic “guardian” by improving insulin sensitivity, supporting fat breakdown, and reducing inflammation in blood vessels and tissues.

How does adiponectin improve insulin sensitivity and support metabolic health?

Adiponectin enhances insulin sensitivity, helping your cells respond to insulin and move glucose from the bloodstream into tissues more efficiently. It also supports fat breakdown and lowers inflammatory signaling in blood vessels and metabolic tissues. When adiponectin is higher, it generally reflects healthier fat tissue function and a lower inflammatory tone. This combination is linked to better metabolic resilience and lower risk patterns for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Why are adiponectin levels often lower with visceral fat, obesity, and metabolic syndrome?

Adiponectin tends to drop as visceral fat increases and fat tissue becomes more inflamed and metabolically stressed. Lower adiponectin commonly appears alongside abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. When levels fall, cells can become less responsive to insulin, the liver may produce more glucose, and inflammatory activity can rise in fat tissue and vessel walls. This pattern is strongly associated with higher risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

What are the key benefits of adiponectin testing for insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk?

Adiponectin testing can reveal how well your fat tissue supports metabolic health and insulin sensitivity, sometimes flagging early insulin resistance before blood sugar becomes abnormal. It may help explain stubborn weight gain or difficulty losing fat despite healthy habits. Results can guide personalized strategies to reduce diabetes and heart disease risk and help track whether lifestyle changes or treatments are improving metabolic function over time, especially when interpreted in full context.

What does low adiponectin mean on a blood test, and what health risks is it linked to?

Low adiponectin usually reflects insulin resistance, visceral fat accumulation, and metabolic stress. It’s commonly seen in metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease risk patterns. Lower levels are linked to increased inflammation in blood vessel walls and unfavorable lipid patterns like higher triglycerides. Men naturally have lower adiponectin than women, and levels can decline with weight gain and aging, making trends and context important.

What does it mean if my adiponectin is in the optimal range?

An adiponectin result in range generally suggests healthier fat tissue function, better insulin sensitivity, and lower cardiovascular risk. Optimal values often sit in the mid-to-upper part of the reference range, reflecting metabolically supportive fat tissue that helps regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Higher circulating adiponectin is consistently associated with better metabolic health and lower systemic inflammation, making it a useful biomarker for tracking metabolic resilience over time.

What causes high adiponectin levels, and when can very high values be a concern?

High adiponectin often reflects favorable metabolic health, low visceral fat, and a lower inflammatory burden. However, extremely elevated adiponectin can occasionally occur in chronic kidney disease or heart failure, where the body may increase adiponectin in response to stress. Very high levels can also appear with severe weight loss or malnutrition. In these situations, high adiponectin may be adaptive rather than purely protective, so clinical context matters.

Why do women often have higher adiponectin than men, and how do hormones affect results?

Women typically have higher baseline adiponectin levels than men, in part due to estrogen-related effects. Sex hormones influence adiponectin production and circulation, which is why reference ranges and interpretation may differ by sex. Even with higher baseline levels, adiponectin can drop sharply with visceral fat gain in both women and men. Body composition, inflammation, and aging also influence levels, making it important to interpret results alongside other metabolic markers.

How do weight loss, weight gain, inflammation, and illness influence adiponectin levels?

Body composition is a major driver: weight loss generally raises adiponectin, while weight gain - especially increased visceral fat - tends to lower it. Inflammation and metabolic stress are closely tied to reduced adiponectin, reflecting less healthy fat tissue signaling. Acute illness and certain medications can also affect results, potentially shifting adiponectin temporarily. Because multiple factors can influence the biomarker, changes over time are often most meaningful when paired with other metabolic data.

What other lab tests should I pair with adiponectin to interpret metabolic health accurately?

Adiponectin is best interpreted alongside fasting insulin, fasting glucose, and a lipid panel to capture insulin sensitivity, glycemic control, and cardiovascular risk more completely. This combination helps clarify whether low adiponectin aligns with early insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome patterns, or inflammatory cardiometabolic strain. Pairing markers provides fuller context than adiponectin alone and can help track whether lifestyle changes or treatments are improving metabolic function over time.

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