Metabolism & Weight Loss Panel

CMP (glucose, electrolytes, liver + kidney), Lipid Panel, A1c and Fasting Insulin (insulin resistance), TSH (thyroid output), Cortisol AM (stress hormone), Leptin (satiety signaling), and Vitamin D. About 20 individual biomarkers covering the metabolic-syndrome pillars.

Diabetes Panel focuses on glucose (3 tests: A1c, Glucose, Insulin). Metabolism Panel adds lipid, thyroid (TSH), stress (Cortisol AM), satiety (Leptin), and vitamin D markers on top of the liver + kidney chemistries in CMP — capturing the broader metabolic picture. Use Diabetes Panel for prediabetes screening alone; Metabolism Panel for a full metabolic-health evaluation.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now called MASLD (Metabolic dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease) because it's driven by insulin resistance. Elevated ALT with normal alcohol intake is often the earliest sign of metabolic dysfunction — especially in lean people with insulin resistance.

On TestWell, the Metabolism Panel is $119.99. Ordering the same tests separately would be about $180. Quest Direct lists comparable bundles at $310, walk-in hospital labs typically bill $600-900 for the same biomarkers without insurance.

HOMA-IR = (Fasting Insulin × Fasting Glucose) / 405. Values under 1.0 are optimal; 1.0-2.0 is normal; 2.0-2.5 suggests insulin resistance; above 2.5 is established insulin resistance. This calculation requires both Fasting Glucose and Fasting Insulin (both included in this panel).

Yes — 9-12 hours of fasting (water only) is required for accurate fasting glucose (in the CMP), Fasting Insulin, and Lipid Panel results.

Yes if you have hormonal symptoms with metabolic concerns. The pattern of low testosterone + insulin resistance + central obesity is common in men. PCOS in women involves hormonal + metabolic factors. Add Men's Hormone Panel or Women's Hormone Panel for the complete picture.

Annually as baseline for adults 30+. Every 3-6 months during active metabolic interventions (diet, exercise, GLP-1, statin). Every 3 months on GLP-1 medications.

Metabolism & Weight Loss Panel results are typically ready in 2–5 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.

Keto and high-protein diets, eating before the draw and caffeine can change a Metabolism & Weight Loss Panel result without anything being wrong. Keto and high-protein diets can raise LDL Cholesterol and HDL Cholesterol and 2 more markers on this test and can lower Triglycerides, Sodium and Glucose — recheck with ApoB; discuss cardiovascular risk rather than dismissing the rise as 'diet noise'. Eating before the draw can raise Glucose, Insulin and Triglycerides and can lower LDL Cholesterol — fast 8–12 hours; water only. Caffeine can raise Cortisol and Glucose and 2 more markers on this test — no caffeine the morning of a cortisol draw. 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 Metabolism & Weight Loss Panel online from TestWell for $119.99 (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 2–5 business days.