HOMA-IR & Beta-Cell Function
Enter fasting insulin and fasting glucose. Get your HOMA-IR (insulin resistance), HOMA-β (beta-cell function), and a plain-language interpretation using the validated Matthews 1985 homeostatic model with functional-medicine thresholds.
Patient Parameters
Glucose in mg/dL · Insulin in μIU/mL (most US lab reports)
Normal <100 · Pre 100–125 · Diab ≥126
Optimal <6 · Typical 6–12 · Elevated >12
Formulas used
(Insulin μIU/mL × Glucose mg/dL) / 405 (20 × Insulin μIU/mL) / (Glucose mmol/L − 3.5) 100% = population-reference beta-cell function
Enter a fasting glucose and fasting insulin, then tap Calculate.
HOMA-IR Result
–Where your HOMA-IR sits
Result Interpretation
Ways to improve insulin sensitivity
Want a deeper look at what's driving your insulin resistance?
HOMA-IR is one data point. A full functional-medicine workup looks at the complete hormonal and metabolic picture, fasting insulin trajectory, continuous glucose, cortisol rhythm, body composition, and translates it into a plan rather than a number.
Evidence & Sources
- Matthews DR, Hosker JP, Rudenski AS, et al. Diabetologia. 1985;28(7):412-419. Homeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance and β-cell function from fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in man.
- Wallace TM, Levy JC, Matthews DR. Diabetes Care. 2004;27(6):1487-1495. Use and abuse of HOMA modeling.
- Gayoso-Diz P, Otero-González A, Rodriguez-Alvarez MX, et al. BMC Endocr Disord. 2013;13:47. Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) cut-off values and the metabolic syndrome in a general adult population.
- Tang Q, Li X, Song P, Xu L. Drug Discov Ther. 2015;9(6):380-385. Optimal cut-off values for the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and pre-diabetes screening.
- Crofts C, Schofield G, Zinn C, et al. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2016;118:50-57. Identifying hyperinsulinaemia in the absence of impaired glucose tolerance.
- Kim SH, Reaven GM. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(7):1433-1438. Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia: you can't have one without the other.
- Tahapary DL, Pratisthita LB, Fitri NA, et al. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2022;16(8):102581. Challenges in the diagnosis of insulin resistance: focusing on the role of HOMA-IR and the triglyceride/glucose index.
Clinical Disclaimer: This calculator applies the Matthews 1985 homeostatic model to fasting glucose and fasting insulin values that you enter yourself. HOMA-IR and HOMA-β are statistical estimates, not direct measurements, and carry meaningful uncertainty intervals. They are most reliable when both samples are drawn fasting (≥ 8 hours) on the same blood draw and when the patient is not on medications that acutely alter insulin or glucose (e.g., exogenous insulin, GLP-1 agonists, recent corticosteroids). This tool is for educational and decision-support use only and does not substitute for individualized clinical judgment.
About HOMA-IR
What is HOMA-IR?
HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) is a calculated score that estimates how well your body responds to insulin using only a fasting glucose and a fasting insulin. It was developed by Matthews and colleagues at Oxford in 1985 and has been validated against the euglycemic clamp (the gold standard for measuring insulin resistance) in hundreds of studies since.
What is considered a normal HOMA-IR?
Conventional medicine typically uses HOMA-IR < 2.5 as the cutoff for insulin resistance. Functional medicine aims lower, typically < 1.0, because insulin resistance often develops silently for years with normal glucose and A1c before anything shows up on standard labs.
Why do I need both glucose AND insulin?
Fasting glucose alone can look normal for a decade while the pancreas pumps out more and more insulin to keep it there. By the time fasting glucose rises, the metabolic window for easy reversal has usually closed. Insulin is the early warning. HOMA-IR combines the two.
How do I get a fasting insulin test?
It's a standard blood draw, no special prep beyond a true fast (≥ 8 hours). Most commercial labs offer it, but many primary-care visits don't include it by default. Our Focused Hormone Evaluation and Weight Loss Evaluation both include fasting insulin.
Can HOMA-IR be reversed?
Yes, especially in the early and significant ranges. The most reliable levers are sleep ≥ 7 h, resistance training, reduced carbohydrate load, and post-meal movement. For people with HOMA-IR above 3.0, pharmacologic support (metformin, GLP-1 agonists) is often added to lifestyle changes.
What does HOMA-β tell me that HOMA-IR doesn't?
HOMA-β estimates how hard your pancreas is working to secrete insulin. A high HOMA-β with high HOMA-IR means your pancreas is compensating, still keeping up, but working overtime. A low HOMA-β with high HOMA-IR is a more worrying pattern: pancreatic fatigue, and typically the point at which fasting glucose starts to rise.