Blood draw
Adiponectin
Adiponectin; metabolic status.
€ 98,00
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Sugar and metabolism · Blood
Adiponectin
A hormone from fat tissue that is linked to insulin sensitivity; the value actually falls with more belly fat.
At a glance
- Measured in blood
- In 1 test panel
- No special preparation
Explanation
Adiponectin: what is measured?
Adiponectin is made by fat cells. Unlike most substances from fat tissue, the value is lower the more belly fat someone has. Adiponectin improves the action of insulin in the liver and muscles and slows inflammatory processes in the blood vessel wall. In scientific research, a low value is linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease; a high value is not always favorable.
What can it detect?
- Link with insulin resistance and too much belly fat
- Risk marker for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in scientific research
Result
What does the result mean?
Adiponectin too high
A higher value is more common in slim people and in women, and rises with weight loss and with some diabetes medicines. A raised value also occurs with reduced kidney function, with heart failure and at an older age; in those situations, a high value is not a sign of health. A raised value causes no symptoms itself.
Adiponectin too low
A low value fits overweight with a lot of belly fat, little physical activity, insulin resistance and an unfavorable lipid profile (high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol). Smoking and, in men, an older age also go together with lower values. A low value causes no symptoms itself and is not a diagnosis; it is a sign of the same risks that also show from weight, waist size, blood sugar and cholesterol.
After an abnormal result
With an abnormal value, the GP looks at weight, waist size, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol and, if needed, has fasting glucose or HbA1c measured. An abnormal adiponectin on its own does not lead to further testing or treatment.
Reliability
How reliable is the test?
The meaning of an abnormal adiponectin value for one person has been little studied, there are no agreed cut-off values and the measurement is not standardized between laboratories. According to the Dutch GP guideline (NHG) on cardiovascular risk management, the risk of cardiovascular disease is estimated using age, sex, smoking, blood pressure and cholesterol; adiponectin adds little to this for an individual. Diabetes is diagnosed with fasting glucose (the NHG guideline on type 2 diabetes). An abnormal value does not change the advice: it remains focused on weight, exercise, diet and not smoking.
What can affect the result?
- There are no agreed cut-off values; measurement methods differ and results from different laboratories are hard to compare.
- Reduced kidney function and heart failure raise the value, so a high result can look misleadingly favorable.
- The value differs between men and women and changes with age, weight and medicines such as pioglitazone.
Who it is for
Who is the test useful for?
Useful for
The result is most meaningful in scientific research on groups of people, not for one individual. For questions about overweight, diabetes or the heart and blood vessels, waist size, blood pressure, fasting glucose, HbA1c and cholesterol say more. In people without symptoms, a single value says little.
How common is it?
About half of adults in the Netherlands are overweight, and in 2024 more than 1.1 million people with type 2 diabetes were known to their GP. How often an abnormal adiponectin occurs has not been recorded, because there is no agreed cut-off value.
VZinfo (RIVM), Overweight and Diabetes mellitus
Drawbacks and risks
- Without an agreed cut-off value, a 'too low' adiponectin can cause unnecessary worry, while the advice is no different from that for overweight.
- A high value can give false reassurance; with reduced kidney function or heart failure, the value is actually higher.
Get tested
Adiponectin: test panels
Adiponectin is part of these test panels. You order online and have your blood drawn at a collection point or collect the sample at home.
Evidence
Sources
This explanation is based on Dutch guidelines and independent information. It is general information, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal result with your GP.
More about risks and results