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How Do I Find My Insulin Sensitivity Factor?

Knowing your insulin sensitivity factor helps you determine how much insulin to take before eating, or when lowering blood glucose levels to a target range.



Determining your insulin sensitivity factor is appropriate only in treatment of type 1 diabetes. If you have type 2 diabetes, your pancreas may still produce some insulin. Type 2 diabetics are also likely to have some degree of insulin resistance.

Things You'll Need

  • Calculator
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Instructions

  1. Regular Insulin

    • 1

      Calculate the total units of regular insulin you take daily.

    • 2

      Calculate the total units of long-acting insulin you take daily.

    • 3

      Add the two totals to calculate the total units of insulin you take daily.

    • 4

      Divide 1,500 by the total units of insulin you take daily. The result is the insulin sensitivity factor, or the decrease in blood glucose that will result from each unit of insulin you inject.

      For example, a person who takes 15 units of regular insulin per day, along with 25 units of long-acting insulin (e.g., NPH), will see a 37.5 milligram per decimeter (mg/dl) drop in blood glucose level per unit of insulin taken (1,500 divided by 40 equals 37.5).

    Humalog, NovoLog and Apidra

    • 5

      Calculate the total units of rapid-acting insulin analog you take daily.

    • 6

      Calculate the total units of long-acting insulin you take daily. (Skip this step if you are on an insulin pump, and do not take long-acting insulin.)

    • 7

      Add the two totals to calculate the total units of insulin you take daily.

    • 8

      Divide 1,800 by the total units of insulin you take daily. The result is your insulin sensitivity factor. For example, a person taking 15 units of Humalog and 25 units of long-acting insulin (e.g., Lantus) would see a 45 mg/dl drop in blood glucose points for each unit of Humalog taken (1,800 divided by 40 equals 45).

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