What analyzes to do to see if intermittent fasting works

The answer lies not only in the scales or the mirror, but also in the medical analyzes that gives a clear picture of what's going on inside your body.

In this article we show you the most useful analyzes you can do to monitor the progress and real impact of intermittent fasting.

1. Blood sugar (basal glucose)

One of the most frequently monitored analyzes. Normal values indicate a correct regulation of sugar in the blood, while a progressive decrease in blood sugar can be a sign that insulin sensitivity is improving.

➡️ Ideal:between 70—99 mg/dL (before meals)

2. Basal insulin

A less demanded, but highly relevant analysis. A decrease in basal insulin indicates that your body no longer needs to produce excess insulin to control blood sugar.

➡️ Ideal:less than 10 µU/ml (at fasting)

3. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)

This test gives an overview of the average blood sugar level over the past 2-3 months. It is extremely useful to assess long-term progress.

➡️ Ideal:less than 5.7% for people without diabetes

4. Full lipid profile

Intermittent fasting positively influences HDL (good) cholesterol, lowers triglycerides and can reduce oxidized (bad) LDL. A lipid profile shows you whether your blood fats have balanced.

➡️ Follow:HDL > 50 mg/dL, Triglycerides < 150 mg/dL

5. C-reactive protein (CRP)

CRP is a marker of inflammation. Fasting can reduce levels of this protein, a sign that systemic inflammation is decreasing, which is important for preventing chronic diseases.

➡️ Ideal:less than 1 mg/L (values below 0.5 are excellent)

6. Weight, body fat percentage and abdominal circumference

Although they are not “blood tests”, these physical measurements are essential. Decreased visceral fat (especially around the abdomen) is a clear sign that fasting is working.

➡️ Measures:waist circumference below 94 cm (men) /under 80 cm (women)

7. Ketone level (optional)

If you want to find out if you have entered ketosis (the metabolic state in which you burn fat), you can use urine tests or blood ketone measuring devices.

➡️ Indicative values:0.5—3.0 mmol/L (indicative of nutritional ketosis)

Conclusion

Intermittent fasting isn't just about losing weight — it's about optimizing metabolic, hormonal, and inflammatory functions. Medical tests can confirm that you are on the right track, even if visible results appear more slowly. Always talk to your doctor about the correct interpretation of the results, especially if you are undergoing treatments or have pre-existing conditions.