I am researching labs in my area for a fasting insulin and the test they offer has a regular fasting insulin and also a free insulin. I didn’t see anything searching here about what free insulin is. Any ideas?
Fasting insulin test, what is free insulin
OldDoug
(Doug)
#2
Bound insulin is hooked to other proteins, versus “free insulin” which is not. Both of them together is ‘total insulin.’
I think it’s mostly a concern with diabetes patients who receive insulin from external sources. If they make antibodies to that insulin, the antibodies will bind it up, leaving it unable to accomplish what the intent is - to control blood sugar. If free and total insulin are the same, then there’s no problem with the antibodies.