C-Peptide

C-Peptide is useful in the evaluation of pancreatic beta cell function (e.g., helping distinguish type 1 from type 2 diabetes mellitus, or monitoring patients who have received islet cell or pancreatic transplants) and for determining the source of insulin in patients with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (e.g., distinguishing insulin-secreting tumors from exogenous insulin administration).

Sample type:

Serum

Preparation:

You do not need to do anything special to prepare for the sample collection. Fasting is not required for this test.

Test type:

In person or via trained mobile phlebotomist

Biomarkers

C-Peptide

Symptoms or conditions analyzed by this test

The C-Peptide test measures C-peptide levels in the blood, which helps assess how much insulin your body produces. Here are a few conditions and symptoms that it can help analyze:

Type 1 Diabetes – Low C-peptide levels suggest little to no insulin production, common in Type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes – Normal or high C-peptide levels indicate that the body is producing insulin but may not be using it effectively.
Insulin Resistance – Higher C-peptide levels may suggest the body is producing extra insulin to overcome resistance.
Hypoglycemia – Low blood sugar may be related to high insulin production, which C-peptide levels can help confirm.
Insulinoma – This rare tumor causes excessive insulin production, shown by high C-peptide levels.

The test is often used to distinguish between different types of diabetes and evaluate insulin-related conditions.

Question 1