Specialist marker · Metabolic health
An adiponectin blood test measures a hormone made by fat tissue that makes your body more sensitive to insulin and helps burn fat. Unusually, levels go down as visceral (belly) fat goes up, so low adiponectin is an early sign of insulin resistance, fatty liver and higher heart risk. Adiponectin is included in TrueVitals Signature (£799), with an adiponectin to insulin ratio.
Fat tissue is an active organ that releases hormones. Adiponectin is the helpful one: it improves how muscle and liver respond to insulin, encourages the burning of fat for fuel and has anti-inflammatory effects on blood vessels.
Healthy, smaller fat cells make plenty of it. Enlarged fat cells, especially around the organs, make less. That is why adiponectin is low in people carrying visceral fat even when their weight looks normal.
Signature reads adiponectin with fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, the adiponectin to insulin ratio, HbA1c, fructosamine, triglycerides and liver enzymes. Together they show whether insulin resistance is starting, and how far it has gone.
| Option | Includes it | Price | What else you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| TrueVitals Signature | Yes | £799 incl. draw | Adiponectin and the adiponectin to insulin ratio with insulin, HOMA-IR, C-peptide and fructosamine among 230 biomarkers. Clinician-reviewed report. |
| TrueVitals Ultimate | No | £399 incl. clinic draw | Fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, C-peptide and HbA1c, but not adiponectin. |
| NHS GP | Rarely | Free | Not used in routine NHS care. |
TrueVitals prices checked 5 November 2026. Every TrueVitals report is clinician-reviewed. Pay in instalments with Klarna or Clearpay. Signature is drawn at one of 70 Randox Health clinics; Ultimate at one of 103 partner clinics or with a home visit.
A research-grade marker: adiponectin has strong evidence as a risk signal but no single agreed target, and it is not used to diagnose anything on its own. Your report reads it as part of the metabolic picture rather than as a verdict.
A private panel is a good way to get a baseline, understand a result in context and track it over time. It does not replace your GP for symptoms, and anything that needs follow-up is flagged in plain words in your report.
Adiponectin on its own rarely tells the whole story. In TrueVitals panels it is reported with these related markers:
No. Ultimate includes fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and C-peptide. Adiponectin is included in Signature.
Healthy fat cells make plenty of it. As fat cells enlarge, especially around the organs, they make less, so low adiponectin is a sign of unhealthy fat rather than too little fat.
Losing visceral fat, regular aerobic and resistance exercise, better sleep and stopping smoking all raise it. Retesting after a few months shows the change.
Signature includes fasting insulin and glucose, so an overnight fast with water only is advised.
Yes. Women usually have higher levels. Your report uses ranges appropriate to you.
How this page was written: by James Smillie, founder of TrueVitals, reviewed by the TrueVitals clinical review team, using NHS and laboratory reference sources. Ranges are typical values; your report uses your lab's own ranges. TrueVitals sells the panels named on this page, so we have stated plainly what this test cannot do. Last updated 5 November 2026.
Signature: 230 biomarkers including adiponectin, insulin and fructosamine, £799 including the draw. Clinician-reviewed report.
Clinical trust, built in
Included in the price, never an add-on. We consider it essential.
We've had GPs, surgeons and specialist doctors trust us for their own bloods.
Metabolic health, menopause specialists and more, ready if your results need a closer look.
Meet our specialists →We use cookies to help improve your experience. Learn more
Keep you signed in and let checkout work. The site needs these.
Help us see which pages are useful and where people come from. No advertising, nothing sold.
.png)