Glucose (Blood Sugar)

Fasting blood glucose measurement for diabetes screening.

Diabetes and metabolic screening tests measure how well your body processes glucose — your primary fuel source. Fasting glucose gives a snapshot of your blood sugar after an overnight fast, while HbA1c reveals your average blood sugar over the past 2–3 months by measuring the percentage of hemoglobin proteins coated with sugar. An insulin test can detect insulin resistance — where your cells stop responding efficiently to insulin — often years before blood sugar levels rise into the diabetic range. This early detection window is critical because prediabetes and insulin resistance are reversible with lifestyle changes, while advanced type 2 diabetes requires lifelong management.