Is there a normal HOMA-IR value?

There is no single cut-off that applies everywhere, because insulin tests differ between laboratories and populations.

Can HOMA-IR diagnose diabetes?

No. Diagnosis uses fasting glucose, HbA1c or an oral glucose tolerance test.

Biomarker · Metabolic

HOMA-IR (insulin resistance index)

HOMA-IR estimates insulin resistance from fasting glucose and insulin. How it is calculated, where it comes from, and why it is not a diagnostic test on its own.

Written by LON6EVITY Editorial Team · Last updated 2026-09-29

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What HOMA-IR is

HOMA-IR (Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) is a calculation that uses a fasting glucose and a fasting insulin result to estimate insulin resistance. The model was published by Matthews and colleagues in Diabetologia in 1985.

How it is calculated

In its simple form, HOMA-IR is fasting insulin (µU/mL) multiplied by fasting glucose (mmol/L), divided by 22.5. Higher values suggest greater insulin resistance.

What it can and cannot tell you

NIDDK explains that insulin resistance is common and raises the risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. HOMA-IR is widely used in research, but insulin assays vary between laboratories and there is no single universally agreed cut-off. Diabetes and prediabetes are diagnosed with fasting glucose, HbA1c or a glucose tolerance test, not with HOMA-IR.

Reference ranges

Reference ranges differ between laboratories, units and methods, and depend on age, sex and your overall clinical picture. A single result is not a diagnosis — interpret it with a qualified clinician.

Factors that can affect the result

Body weight and waist size
Physical activity
Sleep
Genetics
Laboratory insulin method

Questions people commonly ask

Is there a normal HOMA-IR value?: There is no single cut-off that applies everywhere, because insulin tests differ between laboratories and populations.
Can HOMA-IR diagnose diabetes?: No. Diagnosis uses fasting glucose, HbA1c or an oral glucose tolerance test.

Related biomarkers

Related tests

Lab testOral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)

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Sources

Homeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance and beta-cell function from fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in man. Matthews DR et al., Diabetologia, 1985.
Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH).
Insulin in Blood. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.