Am I insulin resistant?
Insulin resistance is one of the most common — and most overlooked — drivers of weight gain, fatigue, and long-term disease. It builds quietly for years while a standard glucose test still reads normal, which is exactly why it's worth looking for early.
What insulin resistance is
Insulin moves fuel out of your blood and into cells. When cells respond less to it, your body makes more insulin to compensate. Blood sugar can stay normal for years while insulin runs high — and high insulin promotes fat storage, drives hunger, and quietly stresses your metabolism. Read the full explainer: understanding insulin resistance.
Signs worth taking seriously
- Weight that concentrates around the abdomen
- Energy crashes after meals and frequent hunger
- Difficulty losing weight despite real effort
- A family history of type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
Why early matters
Caught early, insulin resistance is highly responsive to changes in muscle, activity, nutrition, and — when appropriate — medication. Caught late, it has often already become prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
How NorthStar approaches insulin resistance
We look earlier than a single glucose value — combining the right metabolic markers with body composition and fitness to detect resistance before blood sugar rises. Then we target the factors that improve insulin sensitivity most: muscle, movement, and nutrition, with medication when it's warranted.
Frequently asked
Can I be insulin resistant with normal blood sugar?
Is insulin resistance reversible?
How is it different from diabetes?
One interconnected picture
Understand what is limiting you.
Not all services are available yet. Telehealth appointments are anticipated to begin in late November 2026 for select patients. Please contact our office for additional information regarding eligibility and availability. In-person appointments and diagnostic testing are planned to begin in January 2027 at our Edina clinic.