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Diabetes Blood Test Panels: A1c, Glucose & Insulin Monitoring

Eight tiered lab panels that look beyond blood sugar, tracking glucose control alongside kidney, lipid, insulin, and inflammation markers.

Affiliate disclosure: we earn a commission when you purchase lab tests through links on this site, at no extra cost to you. Learn more

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Eight panels from $23.16 to $296.76 with the 20% promotion applied (promotional pricing at time of writing; list prices $28.95-$370.95).

At a glance

Diabetes Smart Checks is a set of eight lab panels that measure the markers most relevant to blood sugar control, hemoglobin A1c, glucose, insulin response, kidney function, lipids, and inflammation. The panels are designed for adults managing diabetes or prediabetes who want to track how these numbers move over time and review the results with their doctor. Tiers range from a simple two-test glucose and A1c check to a comprehensive 72-biomarker workup.

Best suited for

  • Adults managing type 1 or type 2 diabetes who want structured lab tracking between doctor visits
  • People with prediabetes or a family history of diabetes watching their glucose and A1c trends
  • Anyone whose doctor has recommended regular monitoring of blood sugar, kidney, and lipid markers
  • Budget-conscious testers who want tiered options, from a basic A1c check to a 72-biomarker panel
  • Data-driven self-trackers who retest quarterly to see how lifestyle changes show up in their labs

What's included

Diabetes Management - Comprehensive

9 tests, 72 biomarkers: glucose control, kidney function, lipid metabolism, and inflammation

Diabetes Management - Advanced

7 tests, 68 biomarkers: glucose control, kidney function, lipid metabolism, and insulin levels

Diabetes Management - Basic Plus

5 tests, 65 biomarkers: adds blood health and lipid metabolism to the basic markers

Diabetes Management - Basic

3 tests, 25 biomarkers: metabolic status, glucose control, and kidney function

Advanced Blood Sugar Monitoring - Comprehensive

7 tests, 17 biomarkers: adiponectin, 5-specimen glucose tolerance, GAD-65 and IA-2 antibodies, HbA1c, insulin response, proinsulin

Advanced Blood Sugar Monitoring - Advanced

5 tests, 14 biomarkers: adiponectin, 4-specimen glucose tolerance, GAD-65 antibody, HbA1c, insulin response

Advanced Blood Sugar Monitoring - Basic Plus

4 tests, 10 biomarkers: 3-specimen glucose tolerance, GAD-65 antibody, HbA1c, insulin response

Advanced Blood Sugar Monitoring - Basic

2 tests: glucose and hemoglobin A1c

Deep-dive the key markers: Fasting Glucose, HbA1c, Fasting Insulin, eGFR, LDL-C, HDL-C, Triglycerides, hs-CRP

Key biomarker ranges

Commonly used adult reference ranges for markers this panel measures, labs vary, so always interpret results against your lab's stated ranges and with your doctor.

Fasting Glucose (mg/dL)

Commonly used reference ranges place fasting glucose at 70–99 mg/dL; results vary with sleep, stress, and recent illness, and labs differ slightly.

Fasting Glucose reference ranges (mg/dL)
ZoneRange
Low50–70 mg/dL
Optimal70–100 mg/dL
Prediabetic range100–126 mg/dL
Diabetic range126–160 mg/dL
Hemoglobin A1c (%)

Commonly used reference ranges place HbA1c below 5.7%; conditions affecting red blood cells can skew results, so labs and clinicians interpret in context.

Hemoglobin A1c reference ranges (%)
ZoneRange
Optimal4–5.7 %
Prediabetic range5.7–6.5 %
Diabetic range6.5–10 %
Fasting Insulin (µIU/mL)

Commonly used reference ranges accept up to ~25 µIU/mL, but many clinicians view single-digit fasting insulin as the more informative target; assays vary by lab.

Fasting Insulin reference ranges (µIU/mL)
ZoneRange
Low0–2 µIU/mL
Optimal2–10 µIU/mL
Above optimal10–25 µIU/mL
High25–30 µIU/mL

The importance of testing

Blood sugar is only part of the picture. These panels are built around whole-body monitoring: alongside glucose and hemoglobin A1c, the larger tiers measure kidney function, lipid metabolism, insulin, and inflammation, the marker categories most often discussed in diabetes management plans because they are associated with heart and kidney health.

Each marker answers a different question. Glucose is a snapshot of where your blood sugar is right now, while hemoglobin A1c reflects average glucose over roughly the past three months. Kidney and lipid markers add context about the organ systems a diabetes care plan typically keeps an eye on, and the Advanced Blood Sugar Monitoring tiers go deeper into glucose metabolism itself, with multi-specimen glucose tolerance testing, insulin response, adiponectin, and antibody markers associated with autoimmune forms of diabetes.

The real value is in the trend line. The partner page emphasizes quarterly tracking: repeating the same panel at regular intervals shows whether your numbers are stable, improving, or drifting, and gives you and your healthcare provider concrete data for adjusting your management plan.

Choose the tier that matches your situation. A basic glucose-plus-A1c check works as a low-cost recurring checkpoint, while the comprehensive panels, up to 9 tests and 72 biomarkers, suit people who want a fuller set of results to bring to their next appointment.

Part of our complete guide to Diabetes & Blood Sugar Lab Tests — browse every panel and biomarker guide in this hub.

Promo code

ULTADBS

Save 20% with code ULTADBS, current promotion; confirm final pricing on the partner page.

Ready to get your numbers? Order online, visit a nearby draw site, and receive private results to review with your doctor.

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Frequently asked questions

What do the Diabetes Smart Checks panels measure?

The panels measure markers of blood glucose control, including hemoglobin A1c and glucose, along with kidney function, lipid metabolism, insulin, and inflammation markers, depending on the tier you choose. The Advanced Blood Sugar Monitoring tiers add glucose tolerance testing, insulin response, adiponectin, and antibody markers associated with autoimmune forms of diabetes. All results are meant to be reviewed with your doctor.

What is the difference between the Diabetes Management and Advanced Blood Sugar Monitoring panels?

Diabetes Management panels focus on whole-body monitoring, glucose control plus kidney function, lipids, and inflammation, while Advanced Blood Sugar Monitoring panels take a deeper look at glucose metabolism itself. The Advanced series uses multi-specimen glucose tolerance and insulin response testing, adiponectin, proinsulin, and GAD-65 and IA-2 antibodies to show how your body handles sugar over time, not just where a single reading lands.

Can I order these tests without a doctor's visit?

Yes, the panels can be ordered directly online through the partner page and added to your cart without booking a doctor's appointment first. Ulta Lab Tests is a direct-to-consumer lab testing service: you choose a panel, pay online, and have your sample collected at a local draw location. Results are delivered to you so you can share and discuss them with your own doctor.

How often should I repeat this testing?

The partner page highlights quarterly tracking, and many people retest every three months so results line up with the roughly three-month window that hemoglobin A1c reflects. Regular retesting turns individual results into a trend you and your healthcare provider can use to adjust your management plan. Your doctor can advise on the cadence that fits your situation.

Is this testing available in every US state?

No, direct-to-consumer lab testing is restricted or prohibited in New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, so residents of those states may be blocked at the partner's checkout. If you live elsewhere in the US, you can typically order online and visit a nearby patient service center for your blood draw.

Which panel should I start with?

If you want a simple recurring checkpoint, the Advanced Blood Sugar Monitoring - Basic panel pairs glucose with hemoglobin A1c at the lowest price point. If you are managing established diabetes with your doctor and want the fuller picture, the Diabetes Management - Comprehensive tier covers 72 biomarkers across glucose control, kidney, lipid, and inflammation markers. None of these panels replaces medical advice, use the results as a starting point for a conversation with your healthcare provider.

References

  1. [1] Hidden Risks behind Normal Fasting Glucose: Is It Significant? — Diabetes & Metabolism Journal (Korean Diabetes Association, via PMC)
  2. [2] Good to Know: Factors Affecting Blood Glucose — Clinical Diabetes, American Diabetes Association (via PMC)
  3. [3] Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
  4. [4] Interpreting A1C: Principles of the A1C Assay — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
  5. [5] Interpreting A1C: Diabetes and Hemoglobin Variants — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
  6. [6] The A1C Test & Diabetes — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
  7. [7] What Is Diabetes? — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
  8. [8] Surrogate markers of insulin resistance: A review — World Journal of Diabetes (via PMC)
  9. [9] Insulin Assay Standardization: Leading to Measures of Insulin Sensitivity and Secretion for Practical Clinical Care — Diabetes Care, American Diabetes Association (via PMC)
  10. [10] Physiology, Glomerular Filtration Rate — StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf (NIH)
  11. [11] Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) — National Kidney Foundation
  12. [12] What Is Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults? — NIDDK (NIH)
  13. [13] Is It Time for a Requiem for Creatine Supplementation-Induced Kidney Failure? A Narrative Review — Nutrients
  14. [14] Estimated GFR (eGFR) Test: Kidney Function Levels, Stages, and What to Do Next — National Kidney Foundation
  15. [15] LDL: The 'Bad' Cholesterol — MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine, NIH)
  16. [16] Low-density lipoproteins cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: A consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel — European Heart Journal
  17. [17] Familial Hypercholesterolemia — GeneReviews, NCBI Bookshelf (NIH)
  18. [18] Hypercholesterolemia — StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf (NIH)
  19. [19] Low HDL Cholesterol — StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf (NIH)
  20. [20] HPS2-THRIVE, AIM-HIGH and dal-OUTCOMES: HDL-cholesterol under attack — Global Cardiology Science & Practice
  21. [21] Metabolic syndrome — MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine, NIH)
  22. [22] Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know — MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine, NIH)
  23. [23] Triglycerides — MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine, NIH)
  24. [24] Hypertriglyceridemia — StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf (NIH/NLM)
  25. [25] High Blood Triglycerides — National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH)
  26. [26] C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test — MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine, NIH)
  27. [27] Assessing Cardiovascular Risk with C-Reactive Protein — Johns Hopkins Medicine
  28. [28] C-Reactive Protein: Clinical Relevance and Interpretation — StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf (NIH/NLM)

Reviewed by

Jason August

Jason August

Founder & Editorial Lead

Jason August is the founder of Metabolic Markers and its parent company, Advancing Development. He has spent his career building and scaling real-world ventures, including as a founding team member at Build-A-Bear Workshop during its growth from startup to global public company, and since then across capital, real estate, adaptive reuse, and hospitality. He founded Metabolic Markers to make blood-biomarker testing easier to understand and access, and oversees the site’s content and editorial accuracy. Jason is not a medical professional; all content on this site is educational, reviewed for accuracy, and never a substitute for advice from a licensed physician.

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