05/15/2026
A few weeks ago, Dr. Nicki Byrne took the stage at Livelong Media Women's Health Summit in San Francisco alongside Kayla Barnes-Lentz, Heidi Davis (Co-Founder of PERI), and Dorothy Kilroy (Chief Commercial Officer, Oura), moderated by Hillary Lin, MD
Dr. Byrne spoke about something that gets missed in nearly every routine lab panel: fasting insulin.
Most women get their fasting glucose checked. Some get an HbA1c. And when those come back "normal," they're told everything looks fine.
But Dr. Nicki shared a case that tells a different story.
A patient in her early 40s came in with unexplained weight gain, facial hair, and fatigue. Her glucose? Optimal. Her HbA1c? Optimal. Her fasting insulin? Through the roof, and with it came high triglycerides, elevated inflammation, elevated testosterone, and elevated liver enzymes.
None of that showed up on a standard panel.
Insulin resistance isn't just a glucose problem. It's a metabolic signal that touches hormones, inflammation, cardiovascular risk, and more, especially in women navigating perimenopause.
If you've had labs done and been told you're fine, it might be worth asking one more question: has anyone checked your fasting insulin?
Thank you to Livelong Media for hosting such an incredible and informative event!