Library
/
Metabolic Health
/
Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance Test

Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance Test

February 2, 2026
Subscribe for updates
By clicking “Subscribe” you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.
Your content is on its way!
By clicking “Subscribe” you agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Do I need a Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance test?

Struggling with stubborn weight gain, constant cravings, or feeling exhausted despite eating regularly? Could insulin resistance be quietly affecting your metabolism and energy levels?

Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance measures how effectively your cells respond to insulin, revealing whether your body is struggling to regulate blood sugar. This insight helps explain why you might feel stuck despite your best efforts.

Testing your insulin resistance gives you a vital snapshot of your metabolic health, empowering you to personalize your nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle choices to address those frustrating symptoms at their root. Getting tested is your first step toward reclaiming your energy and breaking free from metabolic roadblocks.

Book your test now
With Superpower, you have access to a comprehensive range of biomarker tests
Book a Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance Test Test
Physician reviewed
CLIA-certified labs
HIPAA compliant

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 Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance testing

  • Reveals how well your cells respond to insulin before diabetes develops.
  • Flags early metabolic dysfunction that raises heart disease and stroke risk.
  • Explains stubborn weight gain, fatigue, or difficulty losing fat around the waist.
  • Guides lifestyle changes and medication decisions to reverse prediabetes and metabolic syndrome.
  • Protects fertility by identifying insulin resistance linked to PCOS and ovulation problems.
  • Tracks your progress when making diet, exercise, or treatment adjustments over time.
  • Best interpreted with fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and lipid panel results.

What is Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance?

Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance is a calculated score that estimates how well your cells respond to insulin, the hormone that moves glucose from your bloodstream into tissues for energy. It's derived from fasting blood sugar and insulin levels using a mathematical model that reflects the biological conversation between these two key players in metabolism.

Your cells' ability to "hear" insulin's signal

When insulin resistance is present, your muscle, fat, and liver cells become less responsive to insulin's signal. Your pancreas compensates by releasing more insulin to achieve the same effect, leading to elevated insulin levels even when blood sugar appears normal.

A window into metabolic health before disease appears

This score captures early metabolic dysfunction that often precedes prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease by years. It reflects the efficiency of your body's fuel management system and helps identify risk when standard glucose tests still look reassuring.

Why is Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance important?

Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance estimates how effectively your cells respond to insulin, the hormone that moves glucose from blood into tissues for energy. When resistance develops, your pancreas must produce more insulin to maintain normal blood sugar, straining metabolic pathways long before diabetes appears. This test captures early dysfunction across energy metabolism, vascular health, and inflammatory signaling.

Your cells stop listening to insulin's signal

Lower scores reflect better insulin sensitivity. Your muscle, liver, and fat cells readily absorb glucose with minimal insulin. Energy flows smoothly, inflammation stays low, and blood vessels remain flexible. Most people feel steady energy and maintain stable weight more easily.

When the pancreas works overtime

Higher scores indicate insulin resistance. Your pancreas secretes excess insulin to overcome cellular reluctance, raising cardiovascular risk, promoting fat storage around organs, and triggering low-grade inflammation. Over time, this drives hypertension, abnormal cholesterol patterns, fatty liver, and polycystic ovary syndrome in women. You may notice fatigue after meals, stubborn weight gain around the abdomen, and skin darkening in body folds.

The metabolic crossroads

Insulin resistance sits at the center of metabolic syndrome, linking obesity, prediabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Catching it early reveals reversible dysfunction before glucose rises into diabetic ranges. It reflects how well your body manages fuel, protects blood vessels, and balances hormones across decades.

What do my Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance results mean?

Low insulin resistance scores

Low values usually reflect good insulin sensitivity, meaning your cells respond efficiently to insulin and glucose enters tissues easily without requiring high insulin levels. This typically indicates healthy metabolic function, lower inflammation, and reduced risk for metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Very low scores are generally favorable and not associated with pathology in most contexts.

Optimal insulin resistance scores

Being in range suggests your body maintains balanced glucose-insulin dynamics with appropriate cellular responsiveness. Optimal scores typically sit toward the lower end of the reference range, reflecting efficient energy metabolism and stable blood sugar regulation without excessive insulin secretion. This supports healthy weight regulation, vascular function, and long-term metabolic resilience.

High insulin resistance scores

High values usually reflect reduced cellular sensitivity to insulin, a condition called insulin resistance. The pancreas compensates by producing more insulin to achieve normal glucose control, leading to chronically elevated insulin levels. This metabolic state increases risk for prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, polycystic ovary syndrome in women, and cardiovascular disease. Insulin resistance often accompanies central obesity, chronic inflammation, and dyslipidemia.

Factors that influence insulin resistance

Scores rise with weight gain, sedentary behavior, aging, chronic stress, poor sleep, and diets high in refined carbohydrates. Pregnancy naturally increases insulin resistance in the second and third trimesters. Certain medications including corticosteroids and some psychiatric drugs can worsen insulin sensitivity.

Method: Derived from FDA-cleared laboratory results. This ratio/index is not an FDA-cleared test. It aids clinician-directed risk assessment and monitoring and is not a stand-alone diagnosis.

Subscribe for updates
By clicking “Subscribe” you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.
Your content is on its way!
By clicking “Subscribe” you agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Similar biomarker tests from Superpower

See more biomarkers

Frequently Asked Questions

Read more
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.

“Best health check of my entire life.”

Vinay Hiremath, Founder of Loom

“Life changing”

Jordi Hayes, Founder of Capital.xyz

Frequently Asked Questions about Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance Test

What is the Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance score, and how is it calculated from fasting labs?

Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance is a calculated score that estimates how well your cells respond to insulin. It’s derived from fasting glucose (blood sugar) and fasting insulin using a mathematical model that reflects their biological “conversation” in metabolism. Because it depends on fasting values, timing and fasting status matter. The goal is to detect early metabolic dysfunction before diabetes develops, even when standard glucose results still look normal.

Why is Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance important for catching prediabetes and heart disease risk early?

This score provides a window into metabolic health years before prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease appear. Higher insulin resistance can drive vascular inflammation, raise triglycerides, and promote abdominal (visceral) fat - factors linked to coronary artery disease and stroke. Lower scores suggest preserved insulin sensitivity and less strain on the pancreas. Catching insulin resistance early creates an actionable opportunity to intervene before organ and blood vessel damage becomes harder to reverse.

How do I interpret low, optimal, and high Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance results?

Low values typically reflect good insulin sensitivity - your cells respond efficiently, and your body needs less insulin to keep blood sugar stable. “Optimal” generally means insulin signaling is functioning well with minimal compensatory insulin secretion, often toward the lower end of the reference range. High values usually indicate impaired insulin sensitivity, where the pancreas produces extra insulin to maintain normal glucose. This pattern often precedes prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and is associated with inflammation and higher cardiovascular risk.

Can Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance be high even if my fasting glucose or A1c looks normal?

Yes. Insulin resistance often develops before fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c become abnormal. When cells ignore insulin’s signal, the pancreas compensates by releasing more insulin, so blood sugar can remain “normal” for a while despite hyperinsulinemia and metabolic stress. Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance helps reveal this early dysfunction, offering insight when standard glucose tests still seem reassuring and allowing earlier lifestyle or treatment adjustments.

What symptoms or health issues can Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance help explain, like weight gain and fatigue?

Higher insulin resistance can help explain stubborn weight gain - especially around the waist - along with fatigue after meals, brain fog, increased hunger, and difficulty losing weight. Because insulin resistance disrupts how your body moves glucose into tissues for energy, it can contribute to low energy and cravings. It’s also linked to triglyceride elevation, chronic inflammation, and broader metabolic syndrome patterns that impact cardiovascular and overall metabolic health.

How is insulin resistance connected to metabolic syndrome, triglycerides, and belly fat?

Insulin resistance sits at the center of metabolic syndrome, linking blood sugar control, lipid metabolism, blood pressure regulation, and chronic inflammation. When resistance rises, the pancreas often overproduces insulin, which can promote visceral (abdominal) fat storage and elevate triglycerides. This combination increases vascular inflammation and accelerates plaque formation in arteries. Identifying insulin resistance early helps target the root metabolic issue behind these interconnected cardiovascular risk factors.

How does insulin resistance affect fertility and PCOS, and why would this test matter?

Insulin resistance is commonly associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and can contribute to ovulation problems and fertility challenges. Elevated insulin can disrupt sex hormone balance, worsening PCOS-related symptoms and metabolic risk. Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance helps identify early insulin resistance that may be affecting reproductive hormones and overall metabolic health. Detecting and tracking resistance can guide lifestyle changes and treatment decisions aimed at improving both fertility outcomes and long-term cardiometabolic risk.

What factors can temporarily change Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance results (age, pregnancy, medications, illness)?

Insulin resistance naturally increases with age and can rise during pregnancy. Certain medications - including corticosteroids and some antipsychotics - may increase insulin resistance as well. Acute illness and stress hormones can temporarily elevate results. Because the score is based on fasting insulin and glucose, non-fasting samples, unusual timing, or recent dietary changes can affect interpretation. Results are most meaningful when considered alongside overall clinical context and other metabolic markers.

How should Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance be interpreted alongside fasting glucose, A1c, and a lipid panel?

It’s best interpreted with fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and a lipid panel to build a complete picture of metabolic and cardiovascular risk. Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance can uncover compensatory high insulin when glucose and A1c still appear normal. Lipids (including triglycerides) add context about insulin’s effects on cholesterol metabolism and vascular inflammation. Reviewing these together helps identify metabolic syndrome patterns and supports more precise lifestyle and medication decisions.

How can I use Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance testing to track progress with diet, exercise, or treatment?

Because insulin resistance can improve or worsen over time, the score can be used to track your response to diet changes, exercise routines, and targeted interventions. It helps show whether your cells are becoming more responsive to insulin and whether the pancreas is needing to produce less insulin to maintain stable blood sugar. Monitoring trends can support adjustments to lifestyle or medication decisions aimed at reversing prediabetes risk, reducing visceral fat, and improving cardiometabolic health.

Finally, healthcare that looks at the whole you