Ways To Lower A1c And Manage Your Blood
An A1C test measures the amount of glucose in your blood over the previous 12 weeks. This is important because it provides a long-term measure of blood-sugar levels, which are used to diagnose and manage diabetes or prediabetes.
Those with type 1 or type 2 diabetes should have their A1C levels measured about every three months. If youre at an increased risk, you should have A1C measured twice a year, says Dr. Charles Richardson, the CEO of Cleveland Diabetes Care.
Through an A1C test, early detection of elevated blood-sugar levels can help reduce the risk of health complications from diabetes, like heart disease or kidney disease. Heres what you need to know about A1C levels and how to lower them.
What Is A Good A1c For Type 1 Diabetes
Your target A1C goal may vary depending on yourage and various other factors, but the American DiabetesAssociation generally recommends that A1C levels be below 7percent, which translates to an estimated average glucose of154 mg/dL .
Correspondingly, what is a good a1c for a Type 1?
For someone who doesn’t have diabetes, a normalA1C level is below 5.7 percent. If your A1C level isbetween 5.7 and 6.4 percent, you have prediabetes , which means you have a high risk ofdeveloping diabetes in the future.
Secondly, how can I lower my a1c type 1 diabetes? The medications that lower fasting blood sugars willalso lower your A1C level. Some medications primarily affectyour blood sugars after a meal.
Here are six ways to lower your A1C:
Consequently, what is a normal blood sugar level for type 1 diabetes?
For most people without diabetes, blood sugarlevels before meals hover around 70 to 80 mg/dL. For somepeople, 60 is normal for others, 90 is the norm. SOURCES:National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: “Your Guide toDiabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.”
Is 7.0 A good a1c?
The A1C green-light score is between 6.0% and6.9%. The A1C yellow-light score is between 7.0% and8.9% on the high end, or below 5.9% on the low end. The A1Cred-light score is more than 9.0%.
Reasons Your A1c Might Be High When Youre Not Diabetic
Are you worried youâre at risk of diabetes because of high blood sugar levels on your A1C test? Does your blood sugar spike even when youâre eating healthy foods like apples and pears?
While high blood sugar is a common sign of diabetes, itâs not exclusive to those with the health condition. In fact, people often encounter high levels even if they donât have a history of diabetes.
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What To Do If Your A1c Is 74
An A1c of 7.4 falls into the diabetic range between 6.5 and 10.0.
Reducing an A1c of 7.4 will take a combination of medication and lifestyle modifications. Seek medical advice to gain control of your blood sugar and avoid further damage to critical organs.
Keep an eye on your blood sugar by testing at home. Its easier than ever and there are a variety of affordable blood glucose monitors available.
Diabetes is manageable but only if you stick to a plan and monitor your progress with the help of your doctor.
How The Test Works
The sugar in your blood is called glucose. When glucose builds up in your blood, it binds to the hemoglobin in your red blood cells. The A1c test measures how much glucose is bound.
Red blood cells live for about 3 months, so the test shows the average level of glucose in your blood for the past 3 months.
If your glucose levels have been high over recent weeks, your hemoglobin A1c test will be higher.
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Learning you or your child has type 1 diabetes means taking an active role in health 24/7. Luckily, there are more low-key ways to track blood sugar and administer insulin than ever. From glucose monitoring to meal planning, were here to empower you with clear answers to all your pressing questions.
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What Are The Complications Of Diabetes
If your blood glucose level remains high over a long period of time, your bodys tissues and organs can be seriously damaged. Some complications can be life-threatening over time.
Complications include:
- Dental problems.
Complications of gestational diabetes:
In the mother:Preeclampsia , risk of gestational diabetes during future pregnancies and risk of diabetes later in life.
In the newborn: Higher-than-normal birth weight, low blood sugar , higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes over time and death shortly after birth.
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What Is A1c And Why Is It Used
A1c estimates a persons average blood sugar levels over a 2 to 3-month span. It is the best measure we have of how well blood glucose is controlled and an indicator of diabetes management.
Though A1c doesnt provide day-to-day information, keeping A1c low has been proven to lower the risk of microvascular complications like kidney disease , vision loss , and nerve damage . The relationship between A1c and macrovascular complications like heart disease is harder to show in clinical trials, but having high blood sugar is a major risk factor for heart disease.
A1c is usually measured in a lab with routine blood work, or with a countertop machine in a doctors office using a fingerstick.
A1c measures the quantity of glycated hemoglobin, which refers to sugar attached to a red blood cell protein called hemoglobin. The number is reported as a percentage of the total hemoglobin in the blood. If a person consistently has higher blood glucose levels over time, A1c levels go up because more red blood cells are coated with sugar. The test is representative of a 2 to 3-month average because once a red blood cell becomes coated with sugar, the link is irreversible. It is only when the red blood cell is “recycled” that the sugar coating disappears.
What Is A1c And What Does It Measure
The A1C test is a blood test that measures a persons average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. In particular, it measures the percentage of hemoglobin in the blood with an attached molecule of glucose.
When glucose attaches to hemoglobin, experts refer to the resulting compound as glycosylated hemoglobin. The name of the test derives from the fact that about 9598% of the hemoglobin present in the body is type A1. Type A1 hemoglobin has subtypes, including A1C. As this is the most abundant subtype, it is a good marker for glucose control.
The test uses a 3-month average because RBCs typically live for about 3 months. Therefore, this timeframe reflects the sugar exposure to the cells over that time. The test does not require any specific preparations, so a person does not need to fast prior to the test, and a doctor can perform it at any time of the day.
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How To Calculate Your A1c
The Hemoglobin A1c test is a blood test used to measure the average blood glucose concentration in your body in the past 1-3 months. For diabetics, this is the standard way of determining how well the diabetes is controlled. An A1c of less than 7% is considered good. Getting the test every 3 months is usually enough. But sometimes you may want to just estimate your A1c level based on the data from your regular self-tests. The formula below could help in this case. Accuracy, of course, could vary depending on how often and when you check your blood sugar. I found it pretty accurate last time I used it. My calculation was off only by 0.1%. This is the same formula GlucoseTracker uses in the app’s dashboard. Glucose in mg/dL: A1c = / 28.7 Glucose in mmol/L: A1c = / 1.59 So, for example, if your average blood glucose level in the past 3 months is 130 mg/dL , your estimated A1c is 6.15%. There are also cheaper devices you can buy that will allow you to do the actual A1c tests yourself, like this one. If you need to do these tests more often, say every month, then it could save you money in the long run as lab tests could get expensive. It may not be as accurate as the lab tests, but my guess is it’s probably good enough.Continue reading > >
Is The A1c Test Used During Pregnancy
Health care professionals may use the A1C test early in pregnancy to see if a woman with risk factors had undiagnosed diabetes before becoming pregnant. Since the A1C test reflects your average blood glucose levels over the past 3 months, testing early in pregnancy may include values reflecting time before you were pregnant. The glucose challenge test or the oral glucose tolerance test are used to check for gestational diabetes, usually between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. If you had gestational diabetes, you should be tested for diabetes no later than 12 weeks after your baby is born. If your blood glucose is still high, you may have type 2 diabetes. Even if your blood glucose is normal, you still have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes in the future and should get tested every 3 years.
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How To Set A Reasonable A1c Target
Remember these are the ranges obtained by the people who set the standards for A1C tests. Sadly, however, not every laboratory or home test kit meets those standards. Maybe the lab that Dr. Bernstein uses doesn’t. Does yours? Curt suggests that you ask your doctor if the lab running the test uses a method that is certified by the NGSP. The first conclusion of the research for me is that we need to shoot for a normal A1C level of no more than 6.0 instead of trying what may be impossible, a level of 4.2 to 4.6.
However, an A1C level of 6.0 can cause people who take insulin injections or one of the sulfonylureas to go hypo. That’s why the American Diabetes Associations sets the goal conservatively at 7.0 and the American Academy of Clilnical Endocrinologists uses 6.5. People with diabetes whose A1C values creep over these cuttoff values are at increasesd risk of developing long-term complications, such as nerve and eye damage.
Still, a lower A1C level among people who take those medications is possible without hypos. Dr. Bernstein has amply shown that both in his own life and that of thousands of his patients.
“I’m going to aim to be in the lower end of the normal A1C range,” my favorite CDE tells me, “because that is what I believe is optimal for human health.” And now that I know my A1C is in the normal range I am still going to do my best to bring it down as much as possible. Are you?
Take Medications As Directed
Medications for diabetes can assist you in your efforts to lower your A1c levels, and you should take them as directed in order to get the most benefit out of them. Because your needs may change over time, its good to visit your doctor if you notice your levels changing. A simple schedule change or tweak in dosage may be all you need to get back on track.
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You Have Low Thyroid Levels
Quick review: thyroid hormones regulate the rate at which your body burns calories. The number of thyroid hormones in the bloodstream can affect your A1C level. This will cause the reading to fluctuate or give you false results. For example, hypothyroidism, or a low thyroid hormone levels, can lead to an elevated level of A1C.
Can The A1c Test Result In A Different Diagnosis Than The Blood Glucose Tests
Yes. In some people, a blood glucose test may show diabetes when an A1C test does not. The reverse can also occuran A1C test may indicate diabetes even though a blood glucose test does not. Because of these differences in test results, health care professionals repeat tests before making a diagnosis.
People with differing test results may be in an early stage of the disease, when blood glucose levels have not risen high enough to show up on every test. In this case, health care professionals may choose to follow the person closely and repeat the test in several months.
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Some Medications Such As Opioids Can Cause High A1c Levels
Several different medications can interfere with A1C test results. Some can even cause errors in readings or bring up inaccurate results. Some opiates and even over-the-counter drugs can increase your A1C levels. According to a study by the NIH, common drugs like aspirin also cause high or low A1C levels.
Of course, taking the occasional aspirin wonât affect your levels too much. It usually only starts to skew the results of an A1C test if you are taking these medications at regular, larger doses over a long period. This isnât a one size fits all rule, though. For example, among those with type 2 diabetes, aspirin didnât show any elevated levels at all.
Who Should Get An A1c Test And When
Testing for diabetes or prediabetes:Get a baseline A1C test if youre an adult over age 45or if youre under 45, are overweight, and have one or more risk factors for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes:
- If your result is normal but youre over 45, have risk factors, or have ever had gestational diabetes, repeat the A1C test every 3 years.
- If your result shows you have prediabetes, talk to your doctor about taking steps now to improve your health and lower your risk for type 2 diabetes. Repeat the A1C test as often as your doctor recommends, usually every 1 to 2 years.
- If you dont have symptoms but your result shows you have prediabetes or diabetes, get a second test on a different day to confirm the result.
- If your test shows you have diabetes, ask your doctor to refer you to diabetes self-management education and support services so you can have the best start in managing your diabetes.
Managing diabetes:If you have diabetes, get an A1C test at least twice a year, more often if your medicine changes or if you have other health conditions. Talk to your doctor about how often is right for you.
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What Are Medications For Diabetes
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What Is The Normal Range For Hemoglobin A1c Test
normal rangehemoglobin A1c levelHemoglobin A1c levelsLevels
An A1C level below 5.7 percent is considered normal. An A1C between 5.7 and 6.4 percent signals prediabetes. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when the A1C is over 6.5 percent. For many people with type 2 diabetes, the goal is to lower A1C levels to a healthier percentage.
Additionally, what is the normal range for HbA1c? The normal range for level for hemoglobin A1c is less than 6%. HbA1c also is known as glycosylated, or glycated hemoglobin. HbA1c levels are reflective of blood glucose levels over the past six to eight weeks and do not reflect daily ups and downs of blood glucose.
In this way, what is a dangerous level of a1c?
A normal A1C level is below 5.7%, a level of 5.7% to 6.4% indicates prediabetes, and a level of 6.5% or more indicates diabetes. Within the 5.7% to 6.4% prediabetes range, the higher your A1C, the greater your risk is for developing type 2 diabetes.
How can I lower my hemoglobin a1c?
Here are six ways to lower your A1C:
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What Is A Good A1c Level For Type 1 Diabetes
Your target A1C goal may vary depending on your age and various other factors, but the American Diabetes Association generally recommends that A1C levels be below 7 percent, which translates to an estimated average glucose of 154 mg/dL .
Similarly, you may ask, how can I lower my a1c Type 1?
Here are six ways to lower your A1C:
Furthermore, what are the new guidelines for a1c? An A1C of 7 to 8 percent is recommendedAs the ACP explain, the current rationale behind the existing recommendations of a score of 6.5 percent or below 7 percent is that keeping blood sugar this low would decrease the risk of microvascular complications over time.
Subsequently, question is, what is a dangerous level of a1c?
A normal A1C level is below 5.7%, a level of 5.7% to 6.4% indicates prediabetes, and a level of 6.5% or more indicates diabetes. Within the 5.7% to 6.4% prediabetes range, the higher your A1C, the greater your risk is for developing type 2 diabetes.
Is 7.5 a1c dangerous?
For patients who want to live a long and healthy life and try to avoid the complications of diabetes, they will need to keep their blood sugars as normal as possible that means an A1c under 6.5%. And heart disease is a serious and common complication of diabetes.
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