Prediabetes and Diabetes Risk Test Panel

This test may be right for you if any of the following are true:

• You want to better understand your blood sugar health
• You want to establish a baseline or track changes over time
• You want to test for underlying conditions that may indicate prediabetes, type 1, or type 2 diabetes
• You have made lifestyle changes and want to track if your lab results are different
• You are taking GLP-1 medication for type 2 diabetes or weight loss
• You have a family history of prediabetes or diabetes
• You are a woman with a history of gestational diabetes
• You are overweight and have additional risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or lack of physical activity
• You have polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)²
• You are in perimenopause or menopause
• You have signs or symptoms of diabetes (see Signs & symptoms section below)

For a more expanded view of your insulin and metabolic health, Quest also offers the Insulin Resistance & Metabolic Health Test Panelthat includes some markers from this test and adds insulin (intact), insulin resistance score, C-peptide, and more—see test for full list.

This test measures your glucose (blood sugar) levels at the time of testing, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) to determine your average blood sugar levels over the past 2-3 months, and cholesterol levels in your blood.

Glucose

Glucose is the primary sugar found in your bloodstream. The sugar comes from carbohydrates in the foods you eat and is also produced by your body. It is a source of energy for many cells throughout the body. Blood glucose levels are tightly controlled by hormones like insulin, which is produced in the pancreas. High glucose levels may increase the risk of diabetes and associated disorders, such as heart disease. In people with diabetes, insulin is either less effective or not produced in sufficient quantity, making it harder to manage the amount of sugar passing through the blood. In type 2 diabetes, the cells become resistant to insulin and ignore its message to absorb glucose, a condition known as insulin resistance. Insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes, is strongly associated with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries caused by plaque accumulation in the inner lining of an artery).

Hemoglobin A1c

Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs. Red blood cells float around and typically live in your bloodstream for 3 months. When you eat, sugar from that food enters the bloodstream; it attaches to the red blood cells and sticks to hemoglobin molecules to form hemoglobin A1c. The more sugar that stays in your blood over time, the more sugar sticks to the cells, increasing your HbA1c levels. HbA1c tests are an important tool used for the screening, diagnosis, and management of all types of diabetes, as it shows if a person's blood sugar has been healthy over a long time, rather than just at the time of testing.

Cholesterol (lipid) panel

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance found in everyone’s blood and is needed to make cell membranes, some hormones, and vitamin D. Cholesterol comes from some animal-based foods, such as eggs, meat, and dairy. It is also produced by the liver. Too much cholesterol in the blood can clog blood vessels, reducing the flow of blood to the heart, brain, and other organs. This can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions. This test can help give you a fuller picture of your heart health related to cholesterol levels. It measures total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density cholesterol (HDL), low-density cholesterol (LDL) (calculated), cholesterol/HDL ratio (calculated), and non-HDL cholesterol (calculated).

Signs and symptoms of diabetes may be hard to recognize or go unnoticed. You may consider discussing your risk factors for diabetes with your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Frequent urination
• Increased thirst
• Excessive hunger
• Extreme fatigue
• Dry mouth
• Dry eyes
• Blurred vision
• Yeast infections
• Unexplained weight loss
• Itchy skin
• Slow-healing cuts, bruises, or sores
• Pain, numbness, or tingling in the hands, feet, or legs
• Nausea and vomiting
• Extremely dry skin
• Frequent infections
• Darkening and thickening of the skin on the neck, elbows, underarms, knuckles, groin, or knees

Purchaser: You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase a test on questhealth.com.

Patient: This test can be performed on patients between 18 and 100 years old.

Sample collection: This test requires specimen collection at a Quest Diagnostics location or through Quest Mobile® where available, a convenient option for in-home sample collection*. Collection is not available in AZ, HI, or PR. 

*Check your zip code here for service availability, not available in all locations. Quest Mobile is currently only available for individuals ages 18+.

Results are typically available within 1-2 business days of providing your sample—this includes sample processing, testing, and a clinical review before release.

You will receive a secure link to your email when your results are ready. They will be available in a clear, easy-to-read report. If you have, or create, a MyQuest® account, your results may also be available there—and for larger panel tests, you may be able to see individual results as each becomes available.

You may receive an alert call from an independent healthcare coordinator if some of your test results are outside of the expected ranges. Included with your purchase, you have the ability to talk to an independent healthcare provider who can walk you through test results, address any questions or concerns you have, and help you think through next steps.