BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuAnti-insulin antibody testInsulin antibodies - serum; Insulin Ab test; Insulin resistance - insulin antibodies; Diabetes - insulin antibodiesThe anti-insulin antibody test checks to see if your body has produced antibodies against insulin.AntibodiesAn antibody is a protein produced by the body's immune system when it detects harmful substances, called antigens. Examples of antigens include micr...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Antibodies are proteins the body produces to protect itself when it detects anything "foreign," such as a virus or transplanted organ. How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. Blood sampleVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test No special preparation is needed. How the Test will Feel When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away. Why the Test is Performed This test may be performed if:You have or are at risk for type 1 diabetes Type 1 diabetesType 1 diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there is a high level of sugar (glucose) in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You appear to have an allergic response to insulin Insulin no longer seems to control your diabetes You are taking insulin to control your diabetes and your blood sugar level varies a lot, with both high and low numbers that can't be explained by the food you are eating relative to the timing of your insulin injections Normal Results Normally, there are no antibodies against insulin in your blood. Antibodies can be found in the blood of many people who are taking insulin to control diabetes.Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your health care provider about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean The presence of IgG and IgM antibodies against insulin can be part of the testing that diagnoses you with type 1 diabetes.If you develop anti-insulin antibodies, insulin may not work as well, or it may not work at all. As a result, your blood sugar can be very high. Or the antibodies can also put you at risk for low blood sugar.Your health care provider may suggest a different form of insulin to which your body may be less likely to form antibodies.If the test shows a high level of IgE antibody against insulin, your body has developed an allergic response to the insulin.This could put you at risk for skin reactions where you inject insulin. You can also develop more severe reactions that affect your blood pressure or breathing. Medicines, such as antihistamines or low-dose injectable steroids, may help. Or you may need a treatment process called desensitization or a treatment to remove the antibodies from your blood. Risks There is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.Other risks of having blood drawn are slight, but may include:Excessive bleeding Fainting or feeling lightheaded Multiple punctures to locate veins Hematoma (blood building up under the skin) Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken) Open ReferencesReferencesAtkinson MA, Mcgill DE, Dassau E, Laffel L. Type 1 diabetes mellitus. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 36.Chernecky CC, Berger BJ. Insulin and insulin antibodies - blood. In: Chernecky CC, Berger BJ, eds. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:682-684.Kahn CR, Ferris HA, O'Neill BT. Pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 34.AllVideoImagesTogBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustrationBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustrationA Closer Look Hypothyroidism - InDepth(In-Depth)Fibromyalgia - InDepth(In-Depth) Tests for Anti-insulin antibody test Anti-insulin antibody testRelated Information Diabetes(Condition)Allergies(Condition)Antibody(Special Topic)Diabetes - type 1 - InDepth(In-Depth)Allergic rhinitis - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 1/9/2022 Reviewed By: Robert Hurd, MD, Professor of Endocrinology and Health Care Ethics, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. 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Anti-insulin antibody testInsulin antibodies - serum; Insulin Ab test; Insulin resistance - insulin antibodies; Diabetes - insulin antibodiesThe anti-insulin antibody test checks to see if your body has produced antibodies against insulin.AntibodiesAn antibody is a protein produced by the body's immune system when it detects harmful substances, called antigens. Examples of antigens include micr...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Antibodies are proteins the body produces to protect itself when it detects anything "foreign," such as a virus or transplanted organ. How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. Blood sampleVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test No special preparation is needed. How the Test will Feel When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away. Why the Test is Performed This test may be performed if:You have or are at risk for type 1 diabetes Type 1 diabetesType 1 diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there is a high level of sugar (glucose) in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You appear to have an allergic response to insulin Insulin no longer seems to control your diabetes You are taking insulin to control your diabetes and your blood sugar level varies a lot, with both high and low numbers that can't be explained by the food you are eating relative to the timing of your insulin injections Normal Results Normally, there are no antibodies against insulin in your blood. Antibodies can be found in the blood of many people who are taking insulin to control diabetes.Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your health care provider about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean The presence of IgG and IgM antibodies against insulin can be part of the testing that diagnoses you with type 1 diabetes.If you develop anti-insulin antibodies, insulin may not work as well, or it may not work at all. As a result, your blood sugar can be very high. Or the antibodies can also put you at risk for low blood sugar.Your health care provider may suggest a different form of insulin to which your body may be less likely to form antibodies.If the test shows a high level of IgE antibody against insulin, your body has developed an allergic response to the insulin.This could put you at risk for skin reactions where you inject insulin. You can also develop more severe reactions that affect your blood pressure or breathing. Medicines, such as antihistamines or low-dose injectable steroids, may help. Or you may need a treatment process called desensitization or a treatment to remove the antibodies from your blood. Risks There is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.Other risks of having blood drawn are slight, but may include:Excessive bleeding Fainting or feeling lightheaded Multiple punctures to locate veins Hematoma (blood building up under the skin) Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken) Open ReferencesReferencesAtkinson MA, Mcgill DE, Dassau E, Laffel L. Type 1 diabetes mellitus. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 36.Chernecky CC, Berger BJ. Insulin and insulin antibodies - blood. In: Chernecky CC, Berger BJ, eds. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:682-684.Kahn CR, Ferris HA, O'Neill BT. Pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 34.