Insulin Resistance & Metabolic Testing in Westminster, CO
Weight that will not move, energy that crashes after meals, cholesterol numbers nobody explains. Two panels show what a standard glucose check hides: how hard your body is working to keep blood sugar normal.
Why a Normal Glucose Reading Can Still Mean Trouble
Blood sugar is the last thing to go wrong. Long before glucose rises, the body pumps out more insulin to hold it down, leptin stops signalling fullness, inflammation creeps up and the lipid profile shifts in ways a basic cholesterol test does not show. A fasting glucose can read perfectly normal through all of that.
Our metabolic panels measure the effort, not just the result: fasting insulin, leptin, C-peptide, hemoglobin A1C, high-sensitivity CRP and advanced lipid particles. They also fold in thyroid and sex hormones, because metabolism is never running on one system.
Who this is for
- Weight loss that stalls no matter what you do
- Energy crashes and cravings after meals
- Belly weight, especially in men
- PCOS or irregular cycles
- A family history of diabetes or heart disease
- Cholesterol on a report you were never walked through
- Fatigue with a "normal" thyroid
Two Panels, Two Jobs
No Sugar Panel — $299.99 / $699.99
A comprehensive look at the roadblocks to weight loss, and our usual starting point. It is designed to prioritize what to test next.
- Fasting insulin, leptin, hemoglobin A1C
- Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) and CBC with differential
- Lipid panel and hs-CRP (inflammation)
- Thyroid: TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3
- Hormones: cortisol, DHEA-S, progesterone, estradiol, free and total testosterone, SHBG
- Ferritin
Cardiometabolic Panel — $465 / $865
Goes beyond normal cholesterol and blood sugar testing for the most specific picture of blood sugar regulation and cardiovascular risk we offer.
- Lipid panel plus small dense LDL and NMR particle analysis
- Apolipoprotein A and B, Lp(a)
- Homocysteine and hs-CRP
- Hemoglobin A1C, fasting insulin, C-peptide, leptin
- CMP
Both are blood draws. Fast for 9 to 12 hours beforehand, drink extra water, and keep taking prescribed medications; tell your doctor about all of them, because some interfere with these markers. Results typically return within three business weeks.
Why We Measure Particles, Not Just Cholesterol
A standard lipid panel gives total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides, and you can have normal numbers on it and still be building plaque. LDL is a carrier, not a villain; what matters is the size of the particle. Large, buoyant LDL floats past artery walls. Small, dense LDL slips through the vessel lining, where immune cells engulf it and turn into the foam cells that thicken arteries. That is why the Cardiometabolic Panel reports:
Small dense LDL and NMR
How many of your LDL particles are the small, dense kind that cause the damage.
Lp(a) and ApoB
Lp(a) marks higher heart risk from about 30 mg/dl, and it rises with blood sugar and other stressors rather than being purely genetic. Every LDL particle carries exactly one ApoB, so ApoB counts particles better than the LDL number does.
Homocysteine and hs-CRP
High homocysteine, often from poor methylation (B6, B12, folate, or an MTHFR variation), interferes with nitric oxide so arteries cannot relax. hs-CRP measures inflammation; men with the highest CRP had triple the heart-attack risk of men with the lowest.
What these panels are not
They do not diagnose diabetes or heart disease, and they are not a substitute for the care of a physician who is managing either. What they do is show the pattern early, while food, movement, sleep and targeted support can still change it, and give your doctor here the detail to build that plan.
The Process
- ConsultationWeight history, energy, cycle history, family history, current labs if you have them.
- Lab orderWe order the panel; you have blood drawn at a lab near you after a 9 to 12 hour fast. Draw fees at the lab are separate.
- ResultsTypically three business weeks.
- Results appointmentInsulin, leptin, lipids and hormones read together, connected to your symptoms.
- Metabolic planFood built around your insulin response, movement, sleep, targeted supplements and retesting to prove the change.
A Patient Story: The Panel That Changed the Plan
"In June 2020, I had a full blood panel done and discovered I had an inflamed liver, kidney damage, depleted adrenals, and low vitamin D. Dr. Shannon guided me through the process, and within three months of following her recommendations, my health had improved significantly. With no prescription drugs and a cleaned-up diet, I lost 30 pounds in six months, and another 20 over the following five months. I didn't realize how bad I had been feeling until I experienced what good health really feels like!"
— Collette B., patient
Who provides this care: Dr. Shannon Bundy, DC and Dr. Ivan Palou, DC at The Wellness Way Westminster. Testing is available in the clinic or remotely across Colorado and nationwide. New patient exam: $99 for a limited time (regularly $175).
Questions People Ask Us
Which panel should I start with?
Most people start with the No Sugar Panel; it covers insulin, thyroid and hormones together and tells us what to look at next. The Cardiometabolic Panel is for a detailed cardiovascular and blood-sugar picture, often as a second step or when heart risk is the main question.
Do I really have to fast?
Yes, 9 to 12 hours. Fasting insulin and lipids are only meaningful fasted. Water is encouraged.
Can this be done remotely?
Yes. We send the order to a lab near you, and the results appointment is by video.
Will you tell me to go on a diet?
We will build a food plan around what your insulin and leptin are doing, which is more specific than a diet. Most patients also get sleep, movement and supplement recommendations.
How is this different from the labs my doctor runs?
A standard screen is glucose and a basic lipid panel. These panels add fasting insulin, leptin, C-peptide, particle-level lipids, inflammation and hormones, then a dedicated appointment to read them.
Related Pages
Measure the Effort, Not Just the Number
Order the No Sugar Panel, or book a $99 exam and let your doctor choose between the two metabolic panels for your situation.
The Wellness Way Westminster · 12050 N Pecos St Ste 208, Westminster, CO 80023 · (720) 379-7255