Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Test for Diabetes - WebMD

For people without diabetes, the normal range for the hemoglobin A1c level is between 4% and 5.6%. Hemoglobin A1c levels between 5.7% and 6.4% ... MenuMedicalReferenceFeaturesNewsArchiveNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesBlogsVideosMedicationsFindanEndocrinologistBook:TakeControlofYourDiabetesRiskOverview&TypesSymptoms&DiagnosisTreatments&CareLiving&ManagingRelatedConditionsGeneralDiabetesType1DiabetesType2DiabetesGestationalDiabetesPrediabetesBloodGlucoseTrackerBloodSugarControlDiabeticNeuropathyEyeProblemsAssessmentHeartDiseaseInsulinInsulinomaLivingHealthyMetabolicSyndromeOralCareMoreRelatedTopicsDiabetesGuideMenuMedicallyReviewedbyMichaelDansinger, MDonNovember06,2020InthisArticleWhatIsanA1cTest?WhatIsHemoglobin?HowtheTestWorksWhat'saNormalHemoglobinA1cTest?SettingGoalsforA1cLevelsHowOftenDoYouNeedtheTest?WhatIsanA1cTest?ThehemoglobinA1ctesttellsyouyouraveragelevelofbloodsugaroverthepast2to3months.It'salsocalledHbA1c,glycatedhemoglobintest,andglycohemoglobin.It’salotlikeabaseballplayer'sseasonbattingaverage.Asinglegamedoesn'ttellyouhowaplayerisperformingintheircareer.And1day'stestresultsdon'tgiveyouthecompletepictureofhowyourtreatmentisworking.Peoplewhohavediabetesneedthistestregularlytoseeiftheirlevelsarestayingwithinrange.Itcantellifyouneedtoadjustyourdiabetesmedicines.TheA1ctestisalsousedtodiagnosediabetes.WhatIsHemoglobin?Hemoglobinisaproteinfoundinredbloodcells.Itgivesblooditsredcolor,anditsjobistocarryoxygenthroughoutyourbody.HowtheTestWorksThesugarinyourbloodiscalledglucose.Whenglucosebuildsupinyourblood,itbindstothehemoglobininyourredbloodcells.TheA1ctestmeasures howmuchglucoseisbound.Redbloodcellsliveforabout3months,sothetestshowstheaveragelevelofglucoseinyourbloodforthepast3months.Ifyourglucoselevelshavebeenhighoverrecentweeks,yourhemoglobinA1ctestwillbehigher.What'saNormalHemoglobinA1cTest?Forpeoplewithoutdiabetes,thenormalrangeforthehemoglobinA1clevelisbetween4%and5.6%.HemoglobinA1clevelsbetween5.7%and6.4%meanyouhaveprediabetesandahigherchanceofgettingdiabetes.Levelsof6.5%orhighermeanyouhavediabetes. SettingGoalsforA1cLevelsThetargetA1clevelforpeoplewithdiabetesisusuallylessthan7%.ThehigherthehemoglobinA1c,thehigheryourrisk ofhavingcomplicationsrelatedtodiabetes. Someonewhohashaduntreateddiabetesforalongtimemighthavealevelabove8%.Ifyouhavediabetesandyourlevelisaboveyourtarget,yourdoctormaychangeyourtreatmentplantogetyourleveldown.Acombinationofdiet,exercise,andmedicationcanbringyourlevelsdown.PeoplewithdiabetesshouldhaveanA1ctestevery3monthstomakesuretheirbloodsugar isintheirtargetrange.Ifyour diabetesisundergoodcontrol,youmaybeabletowaitlongerbetweenthebloodtests.But expertsrecommendcheckingatleasttwotimesayear.Peoplewithdiseasesaffectinghemoglobin,suchasanemia,maygetmisleading resultswiththistest.OtherthingsthatcanaffecttheresultsofthehemoglobinA1cincludesupplementssuchasvitaminsCandEandhighcholesterollevels.Kidneydiseaseandliverdiseasemayalsoaffectthetest.HowOftenDoYouNeedtheTest?YourdoctorprobablywillhaveyoutaketheA1ctestassoonasyou’rediagnosedwithdiabetes.You’llalsohavethetestifyourdoctorthinksyoumaygetdiabetes.Thetestwillsetabaselinelevelsoyoucanseehowwellyou’recontrollingyourbloodsugar.Howoftenyou’llneedthetestafterthatdependsonseveralthings,like:ThetypeofdiabetesyouhaveYourbloodsugarcontrolYourtreatmentplanYou’llprobablygettestedonceayearifyouhaveprediabetes,whichmeansyouhaveastrongchanceofdevelopingdiabetes.Youmaygettestedtwiceeachyearifyouhavetype2diabetes,youdon'tuseinsulin,andyourbloodsugarlevelisusuallyinyourtargetrange.Youcouldgetitthreeorfourtimeseachyearifyouhavetype1diabetes.Youmayalsoneedthetestmoreoftenifyourdiabetesplanchangesorifyoustartanewmedicine.It’snotafastingtest.Youcantakeitanytimeofday,beforeoraftereating. Peoplewithdiseasesaffectinghemoglobin,suchasanemia,maygetmisleadingresultswiththistest.OtherthingsthatcanaffecttheresultsofthehemoglobinA1cincludesupplements,suchasvitaminsCandE,andhighcholesterollevels.Kidneydiseaseandliverdiseasemayalsoaffectthetest.NextArticleDiabetesandUrineTestingDiabetesGuideOverview&TypesSymptoms&DiagnosisTreatments&CareLiving&ManagingRelatedConditionsHowtoStartExercisingWithDiabetesDiabetesManagementin10MinutesImagesofDiabeticRetinopathyandOtherVisionProblemsIsYourType2DiabetesUnderControl?WhyAmIAlwaysHungry?BestandWorstFoodsforDiabetesDoYouKnowYourA1cTarget?DoINeedanOralGlucoseToleranceTest?DiagnosisofDiabetesTeststoDiagnoseDiabetesDiabetesandUrineTestsTheHemoglobinA1cTest&ChartHeartTestsYouMayNeedIfYouHaveDiabetesTestsforDiabetesTopicsGettingPasttheGuiltofType2Seehowonepatientlearnedtomanageherweightanddiet.ManagingYourDiabetesAreyour'good'habitsdoingharm?3TypesofExerciseHowtheyhelpdiabetes.Type2DiabetesAreyouatrisk?VideoSmallStepstoManageYourBloodSugarSlideshowBestDietsforDiabetesSlideshowBestExercisesforDiabetesVideoHowtoStartExercisingWithType2ArticlePrediabetes:7StepstoTakeNowSlideshowType2Diabetes:WhatIsIt?SlideshowTipsforDealingWithNervePainSlideshowWhatYourFeetSayAboutYourHealthSurprisingHabitstoBreakforDiabetesIsYourDiabetesUnderControl?10-MinuteDiabetesTipsDiabetes:HowtoCountCarbsDiabetesDietDosandDon'tsVideo:Type1DiabetesMythsHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads