On your lab requisition: Quest “IGF-1, LC/MS” (test code 16293)Labcorp “IGF-1 with Z-Score” (test no. 010540)
The short answer
Measures IGF-1, a key marker of growth hormone activity linked to aging, muscle health, and metabolic function, measured from a standard blood draw. At TestWell it costs $37.99 plus a $6 lab processing fee, needs no fasting, and results post in 3–5 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; draw at Quest or Labcorp.
Hospital Lab
$200
cash pay
Other Labs
$50
+ lab fees
TestWell
$37.99
+ $6 lab processing fee
IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1) is produced by the liver in response to growth hormone and mediates many of its effects on muscle, bone, and tissue repair. It is a key biomarker in longevity research — both deficiency and excess are associated with health risks. Low levels may indicate growth hormone deficiency, malnutrition, or liver disease. Elevated levels have been associated with certain cancer risks. Optimal levels support lean body mass, bone density, and cognitive function. Because normal IGF-1 falls steadily with age and differs by sex, the report includes a Z-score — how many standard deviations your value sits from the mean for your age and sex — alongside the ng/mL result and reference range.
Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 — the stable downstream marker of growth hormone activity. Used to evaluate suspected GH deficiency or excess (acromegaly), monitor GH/peptide therapies, and assess longevity status.
Anyone on or considering growth hormone or GH-secreting peptides (sermorelin, ipamorelin, CJC-1295, MK-677), patients evaluated for acromegaly or pituitary disease, longevity protocols, athletes monitoring recovery markers.
Sample Type
Blood draw
Fasting
Not required
Results In
3–5 business days
Performed At
Quest or Labcorp
Your IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor) results will include values for each of the 1 biomarker tested, along with reference ranges. Results are reviewed by a licensed physician before being released to your secure portal.
If any values fall outside the normal range, your report will include guidance on what that may mean and recommended next steps. You'll receive an email notification when your results are ready, typically within 3–5 business days.
Typical reference range layout
Lab reports show where your value sits relative to established reference intervals—your physician interprets this in context for you. Already have results? Analyze them with your AI assistant against our physician-reviewed ranges.
No fasting required.
What can throw off this result
Physician-reviewed “Before your test” pages — what each factor does, for how long, and what to do about it.
The short answer
Worth it if you're monitoring growth-hormone-axis therapy (GH, secretagogues, or GH-releasing peptides) or investigating a possible GH excess or deficiency with your clinician. IGF-1 is the standard proxy for growth hormone activity because it's stable through the day - one $37.99 draw, no special timing.
We would rather you order the right test than the most expensive one.
Standard venous draw at Quest or Labcorp - IGF-1 is stable through the day (unlike growth hormone itself, which pulses), so no fasting and no timing requirements. $37.99 self-pay vs $50 at Quest's consumer store; results in 3-5 business days.
An at-home draw is not recommended for this test — it needs a lab-based collection to be accurate.
The markers that matter most and what an out-of-range value can mean. Reference ranges vary by lab, age and sex.
| Marker | Typical range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| IGF-1 | Age-dependent - labs report an age-adjusted range | IGF-1 naturally peaks in adolescence and declines steadily with age, so results only mean something against your age bracket's range (the report shows it). Within-range and feeling fine = the GH axis is doing its job. Persistently high warrants clinical evaluation (GH excess); low with symptoms is a conversation with a clinician about whether formal GH-deficiency workup makes sense. |
This section medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD — updated August 2026. General health information, not medical advice; interpret results with a qualified clinician.
An IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor) test costs $37.99 at TestWell — $43.99 all-in when ordered alone, because the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order, with no draw fee or physician fee added. Ordered directly from the labs' own consumer sites, the same test lists at $139.00 at Labcorp OnDemand (list prices checked Sep 12, 2026). Hospital outpatient labs typically bill around $200.00 self-pay for the same test, and often more. With insurance, what you pay depends on your deductible and your plan's negotiated rate; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and is HSA/FSA-eligible. Full cost breakdown →
| Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TestWell (drawn at Quest or Labcorp) | $37.99 | $43.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order |
| Labcorp OnDemand (Labcorp's own site) | $139.00 | $139.00 | list price checked Sep 12, 2026 |
| Hospital outpatient lab, self-pay (typical) | $200.00 | $200.00 | Reference figure; hospital charges vary widely by facility and are often higher |
68% less than the lower lab-direct list price, for the same draw at the same lab. Lab test codes: Quest test code 16293 · Labcorp test no. 010540 · BioReference code 1072-8. Competitor prices are read from the linked public pages and re-checked regularly; the labs' sites may add taxes or change prices without notice.
Compare more: Quest Diagnostics price list · Labcorp price list · Quest vs Labcorp · Lab test price checker
Growth hormone is released in short pulses, mostly at night — a random GH measurement is meaningless. IGF-1 is produced by the liver in response to GH and stays stable across the day, making it the standard surrogate for GH activity. One IGF-1 draw replaces multi-hour GH stimulation testing in most cases.
Highly age-dependent. Adults 20-30: 200-400 ng/mL. 30-50: 130-300. 50-70: 100-225. Above 70: 80-180. Always interpret against the age-specific Z-score on your report. Above the age range can indicate acromegaly; below suggests adult GH deficiency.
Yes. At Quest (IGF-1 by LC/MS, test code 16293) and Labcorp (IGF-1 with Z-Score, test code 010540) the report includes a numerical age- and sex-adjusted Z-score alongside the IGF-1 concentration in ng/mL and its reference range. A Z-score of 0 is the mean for your age and sex; roughly −2 to +2 covers about 95% of healthy people. Endocrinologists ask for it because IGF-1 declines with age, so the same ng/mL value can be normal at 55 and low at 25 — it is the number used in growth hormone deficiency and acromegaly work-ups and in pre-operative evaluations. Orders drawn at BioReference (New York and New Jersey) report the concentration and reference range without a Z-score.
GH-releasing peptides (sermorelin, ipamorelin, CJC-1295, MK-677) work by stimulating endogenous GH release. IGF-1 is the only reliable way to confirm the peptides are actually working and to titrate dose. Baseline + 8-12 weeks on therapy is the standard protocol.
On TestWell, IGF-1 is $37.99. Quest Direct lists the same test at $50, walk-in hospital labs and endocrinology clinics typically bill $150-200 without insurance.
Usually not necessary. IGF-BP3 was historically used as a confirmatory marker but rarely changes management vs IGF-1 alone. Order it only if your endocrinologist specifically requests it for an acromegaly workup.
Draw a baseline BEFORE starting, then retest after a consistent interval on-protocol (commonly 8-12 weeks) under the same conditions. The delta is your objective answer to 'is this doing anything?'. Timing relative to your last dose matters less than for testosterone because IGF-1 integrates GH activity over days - but keep it consistent anyway.
On GH-axis therapy it usually means the therapy is having a strong effect - worth discussing dose with whoever supervises your protocol, since chronically supraphysiologic IGF-1 is the parameter clinicians watch. Without any therapy in the picture, a persistently elevated IGF-1 deserves clinical evaluation for GH excess.
Ordered directly, an IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor) test lists at $139.00 at Labcorp OnDemand (prices checked September 2026). TestWell orders the same test at the same Quest or Labcorp patient service centers for $37.99 — $43.99 all-in with the $6 per-order lab processing fee — paid out of pocket at checkout with no insurance, doctor's visit or draw fee; HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor) test results are typically ready in 3–5 business days after your draw at Quest or Labcorp. TestWell emails you the moment they post, and your results dashboard shows each marker against its reference range with a plain-English explanation.
No, fasting is not required for an IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor) test — you can eat normally and book any time of day.
Peptides and GLP-1s can change an IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor) test result without anything being wrong. Peptides and GLP-1s can raise IGF-1 — the marker that shows the peptide is working — and the one to keep inside the age-adjusted reference range. Each factor is covered on our physician-reviewed "Before your test" pages; when one applies, the fix is usually to remove it and retest.
Order the IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor) test online from TestWell for $37.99 (plus a $6 per-order lab processing fee) — no doctor's visit, referral or insurance needed. A licensed physician authorizes the order, then you walk into any Quest or Labcorp patient service center near you for the draw (the lab locator on our site lists the closest ones by ZIP code), and results arrive in 3–5 business days.
The CPT code for an IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor) test is 84305. You can order it from TestWell for $37.99 — no doctor's visit or insurance required, with results in 3–5 business days.
The IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor) test is Quest Diagnostics test code 16293 ("IGF-1, LC/MS"), Labcorp test number 010540 ("IGF-1 with Z-Score"), BioReference code 1072-8 (CPT 84305). TestWell orders it under those codes for $37.99 at Quest, Labcorp or BioReference — no doctor's visit or insurance required, results in 3–5 business days. Codes verified against the labs' catalogs in 2026.
Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD · Last reviewed September 2026
TestWell Price
$37.99
+ $6 lab processing fee at checkout
No insurance needed · HIPAA compliant
Better value: the Peptide Essentials Panel
Save $17.97This test is part of the Peptide Essentials Panel — 4 tests · 33 biomarkers for $89.99, $17.97 less than à la carte.
$89.99$107.96
4 tests · 33 biomarkers
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IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor)
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