What is the normal value of insulin

Many people are not so clear about the normal value of insulin. So even if they check themselves, they cannot find out that their insulin index is not at the normal value. If the index is below 5, it means that their insulin is low, which will cause disease to their body. Therefore, further examination should be carried out so that the most suitable treatment method can be developed.

Normal value

5～20μU/ml.

Clinical significance of test results

(1) The plasma insulin levels of patients with type 1 diabetes are mostly below 5 μU/ml, while those of patients with type 2 diabetes may be normal, slightly lower, or higher than normal. Those with a significant increase in levels show hyperinsulinemia, suggesting insulin resistance. Plasma pancreatic insulin concentration is measured while performing OGTT to understand pancreatic β-cell function and to distinguish type 1 diabetes from type 2 diabetes.

The insulin levels of patients with type 1 diabetes are low both in the fasting state and after sugar stimulation, showing a flat curve; patients with type 2 diabetes may show a delayed or increased peak insulin secretion, a decreased or absent first phase of insulin secretion, and low insulin secretion compared to the blood sugar levels in the same phase. Serum C-peptide can also be measured simultaneously for identification.

(2) Decreased plasma insulin levels can also be seen in secondary diabetes caused by pheochromocytoma, somatostatinoma, aldosteronism, primary hypoparathyroidism, etc., and hypoglycemia caused by pancreatic B-cell tumors, extrapancreatic tumors, adrenal insufficiency, and hypopituitarism.

(3) Syndrome X patients often suffer from obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and hyperinsulinemia.

Notes

Most of the insulin secreted from pancreatic beta cells is inactivated in the liver and kidneys, of which about 40% to 50% enters the liver through the portal vein and is inactivated. Therefore, the state of liver and kidney function, especially liver function, is an important factor affecting the level of insulin in circulating blood. Diabetic patients often produce insulin anti-antibodies in their bodies after using insulin, especially animal insulin. Since insulin and insulin anti-antibodies can produce a high immune response, they can affect the determination of plasma pancreatic insulin.

In addition, the levels of proinsulin and preproinsulin in the blood, endocrine system diseases such as the anterior pituitary gland, adrenal cortex, hyperthyroidism, various drugs such as thiazide diuretics and glucocorticoids, and stress states such as infection, fever, and surgery are all common factors affecting insulin determination.

Related diseases

Type 1 diabetes, diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes, pheochromocytoma, hypoparathyroidism, hypoglycemia, syndrome X, hyperlipidemia[3]