QUICKI Calculator

Use this QUICKI calculator to estimate insulin sensitivity from fasting insulin and glucose, convert mg/dL, mmol/L, µU/mL, or pmol/L lab units.

Health estimate

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This page is maintained against the site trust model for its topic and updated when formulas, sources, or guidance materially change.

Reviewed 1 April 2026 Updated 29 April 2026 Contact editorial team

QUICKI calculator for insulin sensitivity Use this QUICKI calculator to estimate insulin sensitivity from fasting insulin and fasting glucose, convert glucose units live, and cross-check the same sample against a HOMA-IR reading.

Fasting Lab Values

Estimate insulin sensitivity from one fasting sample

Enter fasting insulin and glucose from the same blood draw after roughly 8 to 12 hours without food or caloric drinks. QUICKI is a research-facing insulin sensitivity calculator, not a stand-alone diagnostic test.

Example fasting samples

Fasting Insulin (µU/mL)

Use the fasting insulin result from the same lab draw as glucose; switch units before or after entering the value.

Fasting Glucose (mg/dL)

Equivalent glucose is easiest to compare when both QUICKI and HOMA-IR are calculated from the same fasting sample and laboratory report.

Before you interpret the score

Use fasting insulin and fasting glucose from the same morning draw.
Compare repeats from the same laboratory whenever possible.
Do not treat QUICKI, HOMA-IR, or this page as a diagnosis of diabetes or insulin resistance on their own.

Result

QUICKI Score

0.3385

Interpretation

Insulin Resistant

0.25 (resistant)0.38+ (normal)

Reduced insulin sensitivity pattern. This range is often used in research to flag higher insulin resistance, but the meaning depends on assay method and the rest of the metabolic panel.

Compare with HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, lipids, blood pressure, waist measures, medication history, and repeat same-lab results.

HOMA-IR cross-check

2.22

Early insulin resistance

Glucose used

90 mg/dL

4.99 mmol/L

Fasting insulin used

10 µU/mL

69.5 pmol/L · same-draw fasting sample assumed

How to read this result

This sample falls below the 0.34 QUICKI threshold often used to flag insulin resistance in research settings.

QUICKI is most useful when fasting insulin and fasting glucose come from the same morning draw and are compared with repeat results from the same laboratory, because insulin assays vary between labs.

Use fasting insulin and fasting glucose from the same blood draw after an overnight fast of roughly 8 to 12 hours.

HOMA-IR and QUICKI are inverse views of the same fasting sample: higher QUICKI suggests better insulin sensitivity, while higher HOMA-IR suggests more resistance.

QUICKI range	Interpretation	Next step
0 to 0.3	Severely Insulin Resistant	Re-check the units and fasting status first, then discuss the result with a qualified clinician rather than treating the score as a diagnosis.
0.3 to 0.34	Insulin Resistant	Compare with HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, lipids, blood pressure, waist measures, medication history, and repeat same-lab results.
0.34 to 0.38	Borderline / Mildly Reduced	Use the paired HOMA-IR value and future same-laboratory fasting samples to see whether the signal is stable, improving, or worsening.
≥ 0.38	Normal Insulin Sensitivity	Keep the score in context with symptoms, family history, body composition, HbA1c, fasting glucose, and clinician guidance when metabolic risk is being assessed.

HOMA-IR range	Cross-reference
0 to 1	Optimal insulin sensitivity
1 to 2	Normal range
2 to 3	Early insulin resistance
≥ 3	Significant insulin resistance

Medical notice QUICKI is a research and educational tool for estimating insulin sensitivity. It is not a clinical diagnostic test and should not be used alone to diagnose insulin resistance or diabetes. Consult your GP or endocrinologist for interpretation in the context of your full clinical picture.

About this calculator

Health estimate Reviewed 1 April 2026 Updated 29 April 2026

Editorial responsibility

Calcipedia editorial team

This page is maintained against the site trust model for its topic and updated when formulas, sources, or guidance materially change.

Formula provenance

The methodology summary explains the formula family in use, and the source list points to the primary or authoritative references checked for this topic.

Methodology

The page calculates QUICKI as 1 / (log10 fasting insulin [µU/mL] + log10 fasting glucose [mg/dL]), converting pmol/L insulin into µU/mL and mmol/L glucose into mg/dL before calculation. It also calculates a HOMA-IR cross-reference from the same sample as (fasting insulin × fasting glucose mmol/L) / 22.5 so the user can compare insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance together.

Limitations

QUICKI is a fasting surrogate index for research and education, not a stand-alone clinical diagnostic test.
Fasting insulin assays vary across laboratories, so scores are best compared within the same lab and assay method.
The interpretation bands on this page are approximate research ranges rather than universal diagnostic cut points.
Acute illness, medication effects, pregnancy, major stress, and non-fasting samples can all distort the result.
The index is less useful when endogenous insulin production or fasting steady-state assumptions do not apply, such as insulin-treated diabetes or significant pancreatic disease.

Disclaimer

This calculator is for educational use only. QUICKI and HOMA-IR should be interpreted with a qualified clinician who can review your symptoms, laboratory context, and wider metabolic picture.

Primary health sources

Katz A, et al. (2000). Quantitative insulin sensitivity check index: a simple, accurate method for assessing insulin sensitivity in humans. — Original QUICKI validation paper showing strong correlation with clamp-measured insulin sensitivity.
Chen H, et al. (2005). Assessing the predictive accuracy of QUICKI as a surrogate index for insulin sensitivity using a calibration model. — Follow-up validation work comparing QUICKI with clamp-based insulin sensitivity estimates.
NIDDK. Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes. — High-trust patient-facing overview of insulin resistance, prediabetes, and why broader clinical context matters.
Endotext. Assessing insulin sensitivity and resistance in humans. — Specialist overview of clamp methods and fasting surrogate measures used to assess insulin sensitivity and resistance.

Change notes

Health change note: the formula, reference ranges, source set, disclaimer, and safety guidance for this calculator were last reviewed on 2026-04-01. Report a correction at contact@calcipedia.org; substantive source or guidance changes refresh both the reviewed date and the updated date shown on the page.

See our calculation methodology and editorial standards, plus the editorial contact route, for how this estimate is produced and corrected.

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Health — Diabetes

QUICKI calculator guide: insulin sensitivity score, formula, and HOMA-IR comparison

This QUICKI calculator estimates insulin sensitivity from fasting insulin and fasting glucose using the Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index. It works as a QUICKI score calculator, an insulin sensitivity calculator, and a practical cross-check against HOMA-IR when you want to understand the same fasting sample from both directions.

How to use this QUICKI calculator

Enter fasting insulin and fasting glucose from the same morning blood draw. The page accepts glucose in either mg/dL or mmol/L, converts the units automatically, and then applies the QUICKI formula in the original mg/dL format used in the Katz validation paper.

After calculation, the page shows the QUICKI score, an interpretation band, the equivalent glucose in both units, and a HOMA-IR cross-reference from the same sample. That makes the page more useful than a bare QUICKI formula calculator because it helps you compare insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance together instead of reading one number in isolation.

Units and calculation details

The original QUICKI formula expects fasting insulin in µU/mL and fasting glucose in mg/dL. If your laboratory reports insulin in pmol/L, the calculator converts it to µU/mL before applying the formula. If glucose is reported in mmol/L, the calculator converts it to mg/dL before applying the same base-10 logarithm equation.

This unit handling matters because a unit mismatch can make a QUICKI index look dramatically better or worse than it really is. The result panel therefore shows the converted glucose and insulin values alongside the QUICKI score, so you can check whether the calculation reflects the lab report you intended to enter.

What QUICKI measures

QUICKI stands for Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index. It is a fasting surrogate measure of insulin sensitivity built from two laboratory values: fasting insulin and fasting glucose. Higher QUICKI values indicate better insulin sensitivity, while lower values indicate more insulin resistance.

The appeal of QUICKI is that it uses a simple fasting sample rather than a hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp, which is the research gold standard but is far more expensive and time-consuming. That makes QUICKI useful in metabolic research, large population studies, and educational comparisons when only routine fasting labs are available.

QUICKI = 1 / (log₁₀[fasting insulin in µU/mL] + log₁₀[fasting glucose in mg/dL])

Original QUICKI formula described by Katz et al.

Why the same fasting sample matters

QUICKI is only meaningful when fasting insulin and fasting glucose come from the same blood draw after an overnight fast, usually about 8 to 12 hours. Mixing glucose from one date with insulin from another can produce a mathematically valid score that is clinically meaningless.

The same-lab rule matters too. Fasting insulin assays vary between laboratories, and that can shift both QUICKI and HOMA-IR. If you are monitoring trend rather than just reading a single score, repeat testing from the same laboratory is usually more informative than comparing results across different assay systems.

QUICKI vs HOMA-IR

QUICKI and HOMA-IR are derived from the same fasting insulin and fasting glucose sample, but they frame the result differently. QUICKI measures insulin sensitivity, so higher is generally better. HOMA-IR measures insulin resistance, so lower is generally better. They are inverse views of the same metabolic snapshot.

That is why a useful QUICKI calculator should show a HOMA-IR comparison instead of pretending the QUICKI score stands alone. If the QUICKI score looks reduced and the HOMA-IR cross-check also looks elevated, both measures are pointing in the same direction. If the result is borderline, the paired view gives more context for discussion with a clinician.

Worked example: fasting insulin 10 and fasting glucose 90 mg/dL

With fasting insulin of 10 µU/mL and fasting glucose of 90 mg/dL, QUICKI equals 1 divided by the sum of log10(10) and log10(90). The score is about 0.3385. In the interpretation system used on this page, that sits near the insulin-resistant threshold rather than in a clearly normal band.

The same sample converts to roughly 4.99 mmol/L glucose and about 2.22 for HOMA-IR. That side-by-side result shows why the page pairs QUICKI with HOMA-IR: you can see the same fasting sample as both reduced insulin sensitivity and mildly elevated insulin resistance without doing a second manual calculation.

What this QUICKI calculator can and cannot tell you

This insulin sensitivity calculator is useful for education, research-style interpretation, and structured discussion of fasting insulin and glucose. It can help explain why a person with a 'normal' fasting glucose may still have reduced insulin sensitivity if the insulin value required to maintain that glucose is relatively high.

It cannot diagnose diabetes, pre-diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or insulin resistance on its own. Clinical interpretation still depends on the broader context: symptoms, HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, body composition, medication use, pregnancy status, liver disease, assay method, and the clinician's judgement.

Why QUICKI thresholds are approximate

There is no single universal QUICKI cut point that applies perfectly across all populations, assays, and clinical settings. Many papers use values around 0.34 to flag insulin resistance and values around 0.38 or above to suggest normal insulin sensitivity, but those thresholds are still population-level approximations rather than diagnostic rules.

That is why this page frames the ranges as interpretation bands instead of absolute categories. The score is most useful as a structured estimate, especially when you compare it with HOMA-IR, repeated fasting labs from the same laboratory, and formal clinical follow-up when the metabolic picture is concerning.

How this page improves on a simple QUICKI index calculator

Many QUICKI index calculators stop after returning one number. This page adds same-sample warnings, live glucose and insulin unit conversion, HOMA-IR cross-checking, reference-band tables, and next-step interpretation so the result is easier to audit before you take it to a clinical conversation.

The added context is especially important for people comparing fasting insulin, fasting glucose, HbA1c, PCOS risk discussions, metabolic syndrome concerns, or lifestyle-change tracking. QUICKI can be a useful insulin sensitivity marker, but it is strongest when treated as one structured signal inside a broader metabolic review.

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal QUICKI score?

A QUICKI score above about 0.38 is often described as normal insulin sensitivity in general research populations, while values below about 0.34 are commonly used to flag insulin resistance. Those thresholds are approximate, not diagnostic, and they vary with population and assay method.

Is QUICKI better than HOMA-IR?

Neither is universally better. QUICKI and HOMA-IR use the same fasting insulin and glucose values and often tell a similar story. QUICKI expresses insulin sensitivity, while HOMA-IR expresses insulin resistance. Some researchers prefer QUICKI because the log transformation can behave better statistically, but both are fasting surrogate measures rather than gold-standard clamp tests.

Do I need fasting values to calculate QUICKI?

Yes. QUICKI should be calculated from fasting insulin and fasting glucose measured after an overnight fast, typically 8 to 12 hours. Non-fasting values can distort the score and should not be interpreted as equivalent.

Can I enter glucose in mmol/L?

Yes. This page accepts glucose in either mg/dL or mmol/L. The calculator converts mmol/L into mg/dL internally because the original QUICKI formula was published using mg/dL glucose units.

Can I enter fasting insulin in pmol/L?

Yes. The calculator accepts fasting insulin in µU/mL or pmol/L. When pmol/L is selected, it converts the insulin value into µU/mL before calculating QUICKI, then shows both insulin units in the result so you can check the unit conversion.

Can QUICKI diagnose insulin resistance or diabetes?

No. QUICKI is a research and educational index, not a stand-alone diagnostic test. A clinician still needs the broader context, including HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, symptoms, medication use, and other metabolic markers.

Why can two people have the same fasting glucose but different QUICKI scores?

Because fasting glucose only shows the blood sugar level, not how much insulin the body needed to hold it there. If one person keeps a glucose of 90 mg/dL with 5 µU/mL of insulin and another needs 15 µU/mL, the glucose looks the same but insulin sensitivity is very different.

Can medications, illness, or stress affect QUICKI?

Yes. Corticosteroids, some antipsychotics, metformin, GLP-1 medicines, acute illness, poor sleep, recent exercise, and major physiological stress can alter fasting insulin or glucose and change the QUICKI score. That is one reason why single results should be interpreted cautiously.

Why should I compare repeat QUICKI results from the same laboratory?

Fasting insulin assays vary between laboratories, and that can move both QUICKI and HOMA-IR even if your biology is unchanged. Trend comparison is more reliable when the sample handling and assay method stay consistent.

Why do QUICKI normal ranges differ between calculators?

QUICKI ranges differ because studies use different populations, insulin assays, and cut-point choices. Some calculators use a simple below-or-above threshold, while others separate borderline and severe insulin resistance bands. Treat the range as orientation, not a universal diagnostic rule.

Can QUICKI track lifestyle or medication changes?

QUICKI can help track insulin sensitivity trends when fasting insulin and fasting glucose are measured under similar conditions and preferably at the same laboratory. A rising QUICKI score may point toward improving insulin sensitivity, but medication changes, illness, weight change, exercise timing, sleep, and assay variation can all affect the trend.

Is QUICKI useful for PCOS, prediabetes, or metabolic syndrome discussions?

It can be useful as supporting context because insulin resistance is often part of PCOS, prediabetes, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver risk, and type 2 diabetes risk. QUICKI should not replace established diagnostic tests, but it can help frame questions about fasting insulin, fasting glucose, HbA1c, lipids, blood pressure, waist measures, and follow-up testing.

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