Health calculators

HOMA IR Calculator

Updated Sep 6, 2026 By Jehan Wadia
Rate Formulas Medical disclaimer
Important: Both values must be from a fasting blood draw (≥ 8 hours fasting). Non-fasting values will produce inaccurate results.
Fasting Lab Values
Enter your fasting insulin in µIU/mL (also written mIU/L) or pmol/L. Typical range: 2 – 25 µIU/mL.
Enter your fasting glucose in mg/dL or mmol/L. Typical range: 70 – 100 mg/dL. The divisor switches automatically (405 or 22.5).
Your HOMA-IR Result
HOMA-IR Score
2.33
Insulin 10.5 µIU/mL · Glucose 90 mg/dL
Early Insulin Resistance
Lifestyle intervention (diet, exercise) is indicated.
2.33
Optimal (< 1.0)
Normal (1.0 – 1.9)
Early IR (2.0 – 2.9)
Moderate IR (3.0 – 4.9)
Significant IR (≥ 5.0)
Step-by-Step Solution
HOMA-IR vs. Fasting Glucose (at your insulin level)
HOMA-IR Interpretation Reference — your calculated tier is highlighted
HOMA-IR Range Interpretation Label Clinical Implication
< 1.0Optimal Insulin SensitivityMinimal insulin resistance; excellent metabolic health
1.0 – 1.9Normal RangeAcceptable sensitivity; monitor if cardiovascular or metabolic risk factors are present
2.0 – 2.9Early Insulin ResistanceLifestyle intervention (diet, exercise) is indicated
3.0 – 4.9Moderate Insulin ResistancePre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome is likely; clinical evaluation recommended
≥ 5.0Significant Insulin ResistanceHigh risk; evaluate for Type 2 Diabetes, PCOS, or NAFLD
Unit Conversion Reference — with your current entries converted
Measurement SI Unit US Unit Conversion Factor Your Value (both units)
Insulinpmol/LµIU/mLpmol/L ÷ 6 = µIU/mL 10.5 µIU/mL = 63.0 pmol/L
Glucosemmol/Lmg/dLmmol/L × 18 = mg/dL 90 mg/dL = 5.0 mmol/L

Introduction

The HOMA-IR calculator shows how well your body responds to insulin. HOMA-IR stands for Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance. It uses two numbers from a fasting blood test: your fasting insulin and your fasting glucose.

Insulin is a hormone that moves sugar from your blood into your cells. When cells stop listening to insulin, your body makes more of it to do the same job. That is called insulin resistance. It is linked to prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, PCOS, and fatty liver disease. A higher HOMA-IR score means more insulin resistance.

The formula fits on one line. In US units, it is insulin (µIU/mL) × glucose (mg/dL) ÷ 405. If you use SI units, it is insulin (µIU/mL) × glucose (mmol/L) ÷ 22.5. This tool picks the right divisor for you and works in both unit systems.

Enter your two lab values to get your score, see what range it falls in, and view a step-by-step solution. Both values must come from the same blood draw after fasting at least 8 hours. Results are for learning only. Talk to your doctor about what your numbers mean for you.

How to use our HOMA-IR Calculator

Enter your fasting insulin and fasting glucose from a blood test taken after at least 8 hours without food. The calculator gives you your HOMA-IR score, tells you what it means, and shows the math step by step.

Fasting Insulin: Type the fasting insulin number from your lab report. Most results fall between 2 and 25 µIU/mL.

Fasting Insulin unit: Pick µIU/mL (also written mIU/L) or pmol/L to match your lab report. When you switch, the number you already typed converts to the new unit for you.

Fasting Glucose: Type the fasting glucose number from your lab report. Most results fall between 70 and 100 mg/dL.

Fasting Glucose unit: Pick mg/dL or mmol/L to match your lab report. The calculator switches the divisor for you (405 for mg/dL, 22.5 for mmol/L).

Calculate: Your score updates as you type, but you can click Calculate to see it again. Click Reset to clear both boxes and start over.

What Is HOMA-IR?

HOMA-IR stands for Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance. It is a short score that shows how well your body responds to insulin. Doctors and researchers have used it since 1985 to check for insulin resistance using just two fasting blood tests: insulin and glucose.

What Is Insulin Resistance?

Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas. It acts like a key that lets sugar (glucose) move from your blood into your cells for energy. When cells stop listening to insulin, your pancreas has to make more and more of it to do the same job. That is insulin resistance.

At first, the extra insulin keeps blood sugar normal, so a regular glucose test may look fine. This can go on for years without any signs. HOMA-IR can catch this early, because it looks at insulin too, not just sugar.

The HOMA-IR Formula

The math is short:

  • mg/dL: (fasting insulin × fasting glucose) ÷ 405
  • mmol/L: (fasting insulin × fasting glucose) ÷ 22.5

Insulin is measured in µIU/mL (also written mIU/L). If your lab reports insulin in pmol/L, divide by 6 to get µIU/mL. A higher score means more insulin resistance. A lower score means your body is more sensitive to insulin.

Why Fasting Matters

Both blood values must come from the same fasting blood draw, taken after at least 8 hours with no food or drinks except water. Eating raises both insulin and glucose fast, so a non-fasting test will give a score that is too high and means nothing.

What Your Score Can Mean

Most labs treat a score under 2.0 as normal. Scores from 2.0 to 2.9 often point to early insulin resistance. Scores of 3.0 and up are linked to prediabetes and metabolic syndrome. Scores of 5.0 or higher suggest strong insulin resistance, which is common in type 2 diabetes, PCOS, and fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Cut-off numbers are not the same everywhere. They can shift with age, body weight, ethnic group, and the lab that ran your insulin test. Use your score as a clue, not a diagnosis.

What Can Lower a High Score

Insulin resistance often gets better with daily habits. Things that help include regular exercise (both walking and strength training), losing extra weight, eating fewer refined carbs and sugary drinks, adding fiber and protein, sleeping 7 to 9 hours, and lowering stress. Some people also need medicine, such as metformin.

Limits of HOMA-IR

HOMA-IR is an estimate, not a gold-standard test. It works best in people who still make their own insulin. It is less useful for people with type 1 diabetes, people taking insulin shots, or people with poor pancreas function. Insulin tests also vary between labs, so compare results from the same lab when you can.

Note: This tool is for learning only. It does not replace medical care. Talk with your doctor about your lab results and what to do next.

Formulas used

HOMA-IR (glucose in mg/dL)
\text{HOMA-IR} = \frac{I_{\mu\text{IU/mL}} \times G_{\text{mg/dL}}}{405}
HOMA-IR (glucose in mmol/L)
\text{HOMA-IR} = \frac{I_{\mu\text{IU/mL}} \times G_{\text{mmol/L}}}{22.5}
Insulin unit conversion (pmol/L to µIU/mL)
I_{\mu\text{IU/mL}} = \frac{I_{\text{pmol/L}}}{6}
Glucose unit conversion (mmol/L to mg/dL)
G_{\text{mg/dL}} = G_{\text{mmol/L}} \times 18
Gauge position (percent of 0–6 scale)
P = \frac{\min(\text{HOMA-IR},\, 6)}{6} \times 100\%

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal fasting insulin level?

Most labs list a normal fasting insulin as 2 to 25 µIU/mL (12 to 150 pmol/L). That range is wide because it covers almost everyone tested, not just healthy people.

Many doctors who watch metabolic health prefer a fasting insulin under 10 µIU/mL, and some aim for under 6. A number in the high teens or twenties often means your pancreas is working hard to keep blood sugar normal.

Why does the HOMA-IR formula divide by 405?

405 is a scaling number. It was picked so a healthy, insulin-sensitive adult scores about 1.0.

It comes from a normal fasting glucose of 90 mg/dL and a normal fasting insulin of 4.5 µIU/mL. 90 × 4.5 = 405. In SI units the same math uses 5.0 mmol/L × 4.5 = 22.5. That is why the two divisors are different but give the same score.

What is the difference between HOMA-IR and HOMA2-IR?

HOMA-IR is the original 1985 formula. It is simple math you can do by hand.

HOMA2-IR is an updated computer model from 1998. It accounts for things the old formula ignores, like how the liver handles glucose, how insulin is cleared, and sugar loss through urine at very high glucose levels.

The two do not give the same number. HOMA2-IR cut-offs are lower, with about 1.0 as average and roughly 1.8 or higher often called insulin resistant. Do not compare a score from one with a score from the other.

Can you have a normal A1C but a high HOMA-IR?

Yes, and it is common. A1C shows your average blood sugar over about 3 months. HOMA-IR shows how much insulin it takes to keep that sugar normal.

Early on, your pancreas pumps out extra insulin and holds blood sugar down. A1C and fasting glucose look fine while insulin is climbing. HOMA-IR can flag that problem years before A1C moves.

Does a high HOMA-IR mean I have diabetes?

No. HOMA-IR is not a diagnostic test. A high score means your body needs extra insulin to manage sugar, which is a risk factor, not a diagnosis.

Diabetes is diagnosed with fasting glucose (126 mg/dL or higher), A1C (6.5% or higher), or an oral glucose tolerance test. Many people with a HOMA-IR of 4 or 5 have completely normal blood sugar. Bring the score to your doctor as a warning light, not a verdict.

What is a normal HOMA-IR for kids and teens?

Children need different cut-offs than adults, and puberty raises insulin resistance naturally.

  • Before puberty: about 2.0 to 2.5 is often used as the upper limit
  • During puberty: up to about 3.0 to 3.4 can be normal
  • After puberty: values move back toward adult ranges

Cut-offs vary from one study to the next, so a child's score should always be read by a pediatrician.

How long does it take to lower HOMA-IR?

Faster than most people expect. Fasting insulin can start dropping within 2 to 4 weeks of steady diet and exercise changes.

Bigger drops show up over 3 to 6 months. Losing 5% to 10% of body weight often cuts HOMA-IR by a third or more. A single hard workout can improve insulin sensitivity for up to 48 hours, which is why regular activity matters more than perfect activity.

Does metformin lower HOMA-IR?

Yes. Metformin lowers both fasting glucose and fasting insulin, so HOMA-IR usually falls, often by about 20% to 30% after a few months.

It works mainly by telling the liver to release less sugar and by helping muscle cells take in more sugar. It works best when paired with diet and exercise changes.

Can I drink coffee before a fasting insulin test?

Stick to plain water. Even black coffee can raise blood sugar and insulin in some people, and caffeine can lower insulin sensitivity for a short time.

Skip food, juice, milk, sugar, cream, gum, and mints for at least 8 hours. Anything with calories will push both numbers up and make the score useless.

What is the difference between HOMA-IR and QUICKI?

Both use the same two fasting labs, but they run in opposite directions.

  • HOMA-IR: higher score = more insulin resistance
  • QUICKI: higher score = better insulin sensitivity

QUICKI uses logarithms: 1 ÷ (log insulin + log glucose). Healthy adults usually score around 0.45, and values under about 0.34 suggest insulin resistance. QUICKI numbers sit in a narrow band, which some researchers find easier to compare.

Is HOMA-IR used to check for PCOS?

HOMA-IR does not diagnose PCOS, but it is often measured in women who have it. Around 65% to 80% of women with PCOS have insulin resistance, including many who are not overweight.

PCOS is diagnosed by irregular periods, high androgen levels or symptoms like extra hair growth and acne, and ovary findings on ultrasound. A high HOMA-IR helps explain the symptoms and guides treatment, such as metformin or inositol.

Can medicines raise your HOMA-IR score?

Yes. Several common drugs push insulin or glucose up:

  • Steroids like prednisone, which can raise both a lot
  • Some antipsychotics, such as olanzapine and clozapine
  • Thiazide diuretics and some older beta blockers
  • Statins, with a small effect
  • Some hormonal birth control

Tell your doctor what you take before reading your score. Never stop a prescription to get a better number.

Can you be thin and still have insulin resistance?

Yes. It is sometimes called being metabolically obese but normal weight. Around 1 in 5 lean adults has insulin resistance.

The usual causes are fat stored inside the liver and around organs instead of under the skin, low muscle mass, poor sleep, high stress, or genetics. A normal BMI or waist size does not rule it out, which is why a fasting insulin test can be useful even for slim people.

What is the gold standard test for insulin resistance?

The hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Insulin is dripped into a vein at a fixed rate while glucose is added to keep blood sugar steady. The amount of glucose needed shows how sensitive you are.

It takes several hours, needs two IV lines and trained staff, and costs a lot, so it is used mainly in research. HOMA-IR gives a rough estimate from one blood draw and matches clamp results well enough for screening.

Is a high HOMA-IR linked to heart disease?

Yes. Higher HOMA-IR is tied to a greater risk of heart attack and stroke, even in people whose blood sugar is normal.

Extra insulin travels with other problems: high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and more inflammation. Together these make up metabolic syndrome, which damages blood vessels over time.

How often should you retest HOMA-IR?

If you are actively changing your diet, exercise, or medicine, retest in 3 to 6 months. That is enough time for real change to show.

If your score is fine and nothing has changed, once a year with your other bloodwork is plenty. Use the same lab each time, since insulin tests vary between labs and results are hard to compare across them.

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