Maybe you’ve heard of A1C before but don’t really know what it means. Or maybe your doctor has recently told you that you need to monitor your A1C levels and you are a bit concerned. In any case, it’s important to know what A1C is, how it works, and what it means in order to continue living a happy and healthy life.
A1C is a blood test that is done to determine a person’s average blood sugar level throughout a period of about two to three months. It can also be called glycated hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, hemoglobin A1C, and HbA1c. This test can not only diagnose both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but it can also be used to monitor how well someone previously diagnosed is managing the disease and identify people who are pre-diabetic and at risk of developing diabetes in the future.
Who Needs an A1C Test?
A doctor will order an A1C test for you if they feel that you are potentially showing symptoms of diabetes or are potentially at risk of developing diabetes.
Some symptoms of type 1 diabetes include:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Extreme hunger
- Unexplained weight loss
- Irritability and sudden mood changes
- Fatigue and weakness
- Blurred vision
Some symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
- Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands and feet
- Cuts and bruises that don’t heal regularly
- Unexplained dark patches on the skin, specifically in the armpits, neck, and groin areas
How to Measure and Test A1C Levels?
A1C is a simple blood test that doesn’t require any additional preparations like fasting! All you have to do is show up and have a small amount of blood drawn from your arm or fingertip. Blood drawn from a fingerprick can be sent to your doctor’s office and immediately analyzed for same-day results. Blood drawn from your arm needs to be sent to a laboratory for analysis that may need a few days before the results come back. After the test, you can immediately return to your regular activities with no extra precautions needed.
When it comes to your results, they can be hard to read if you don’t know what to look for. Thankfully, your doctor should be able to easily read them, interpret them, and prescribe treatment accordingly. However, if you want to gain more understanding about this test, here are some key numbers that you need to know:
- An A1C level of 6% corresponds to a blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL
- An A1C level of 7% corresponds to a blood sugar level of 154 mg/dL
- An A1C level of 8% corresponds to a blood sugar level of 183 mg/dL
- An A1C level of 9% corresponds to a blood sugar level of 212 mg/dL
- An A1C level of 10% corresponds to a blood sugar level of 240 mg/dL
- An A1C level of 11% corresponds to a blood sugar level of 269 mg/dL
- An A1C level of 12% corresponds to a blood sugar level of 298 mg/dL
A “normal” A1C range is below 5.7%. A prediabetic A1C range is between 5.7% and 6.5%. If your A1C level is above 6.5%, then you likely have already developed diabetes. Generally speaking, the target A1C level for a person diagnosed with diabetes will be around 7% or 154 mg/dL. Of course, a doctor can set a higher or lower target depending on a person’s unique health circumstances, so always make sure to consult a doctor and vigilantly follow their directions.
As you can see, an A1C test is a vital part of maintaining your health. So make sure to get tested as often as your doctor recommends!
