Insulin Random

Insulin Random is a test that measures the Insulin levels in the blood at a random time of the day. Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta cells in the pancreas.

What is Insulin?

Insulin helps in promoting the absorption of glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into the cells of the body. In these cells, glucose is used for the production of energy, which is utilized by the body. In healthy individuals, insulin production is high when the glucose levels in the blood are high and insulin production is low when the glucose levels in the blood are low.

Insulin maintains blood glucose levels and prevents hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels) as well as hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels). Insulin converts the excess sugar in the blood into glycogen for storage.

If insulin secretion is abnormal or if the body is unable to produce insulin, it may lead to an increase in the blood sugar levels; this may cause Diabetes mellitus. If the body is unable to produce insulin, it may lead to type 1 diabetes mellitus. If the body produces an insufficient amount of insulin or if the body cells are resistant to insulin, this may lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Why this test is Performed?

Your doctor may ask you to perform this test if you are suffering from symptoms such as frequent urination, hunger, blurred vision, fatigue, increased thirst or dry mouth, unexplained weight loss or weight gain, poor wound healing, foot pain and numbness, frequent infections, itching around penis or vagina, sweating, fast heart rate, sleepiness, headache, nausea, vomiting, etc. which are common symptoms of diabetes mellitus. In some cases, such as the removal of an insulinoma (a tumor of the pancreas), your doctor may ask you to perform this test to determine the effectiveness of the treatment. This test may be performed either alone or in a combination with other tests for better diagnosis.

This test is also performed to understand whether an individual is having pancreatitis (inflammation in the pancreas), Cushing syndrome (pink and purple stretch marks along with round face and large tummy), acromegaly (enlargement of the face, hand, and feet), insulinomas (excess production of insulin due to tumor in the pancreas). Along with this test, some other insulin and glucose tests may be recommended by a physician to confirm the diagnosis.

Precautions:

Drugs like corticosteroids, levodopa, oral contraceptives may change the levels of Insulin in the blood. So inform your doctor prior to the test if you are on these medications.

Frequency:

For individuals above 45 years of age, this test is suggested once a year. The frequency of this test depends on various factors like body weight, history of a heart disease, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, imbalance of female sex hormones, a family member with diabetes, physically inactive, and polycystic ovary disease, etc.

There are no specific preparations required for the Insulin random test.