The hemoglobin A1C test is a routine procedure performed to show your average glucose level. An A1C test can be used to diagnose diabetes and prediabetes; however, its primary purpose is to help diabetics and physicians note any significant increase in glucose levels between 2 to 3 months. Results can provide valuable information about whether or not you're managing your diabetes well.
What Do A1C Results Mean
When glucose spills into your bloodstream, it affects an oxygen-carrying protein known as hemoglobin. Excess glucose coats hemoglobin, producing glycated hemoglobin. Over time, glycated hemoglobin can cause your blood sugar level to rise. By measuring how many hemoglobin molecules are coated in sugar, an A1C blood test can provide insight into how choices in diet and exercise affect you over a period of time. If you've recently received a high A1C reading, you can make changes now in order to prevent similar readings in the future.
A normal A1C reading is between 4.5% and 6%[1]. However, someone with poorly controlled diabetes may have a reading as high as 9%. For diabetics, their target goal should be 7%. This percentage means that your blood sugar, while higher than normal, is manageable. Not only does a hemoglobin A1C test tell you how well you are managing your diabetes, but it can also help people gauge their risk for the disease. If you receive an abnormal reading, you may at risk for prediabetes or diabetes. Modifying your diet and exercise plan can reduce the likelihood that you will develop one of these conditions. Whether you're trying to control your diabetes or wanting to reduce your risk for the disease, an A1C blood test offers useful information.
Who Should be Tested
In addition to helping control your diabetes, a hemoglobin A1C test can help prevent diabetes complications. A higher A1C level means you're at a greater risk for diseases associated with diabetes like heart disease, cancer, and hypertension. Performing annual tests can ensure your A1C levels remain consistently stable, reducing your risk for other diseases.
Since Type 1 diabetics are insulin dependent, they should expect to be tested four times a year. Non-insulin dependent Type 2 diabetics only need to receive an A1C test twice a year. If you're at risk for diabetes, you may also want to have your hemoglobin tested every year. Knowing your A1C reading allows you to make lifestyle adjustments before it's too late.
Glucose Testing vs. A1C Testing
While glucose testing offers a glimpse at how food, exercise, stress, and medication affect your blood sugar on a daily basis, an A1C blood test provides a bigger picture of how these factors affect you. A1C testing, in combination with regular glucose testing, can indicate how your health decisions will affect you in the long run. However, a balanced diet, exercise, and medication can prevent you from receiving an alarming A1C reading.
In the end, A1C testing can provide recommendations for how to achieve a successful diabetes management plan. With a hemoglobin A1C test, you and your physician can devise a plan that helps keep you healthy.
[1] http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/a1c-test/MY00142/DSECTION=results