Aa
a1c test
i am 51 years old
Not diabetic
Every year i have my blood fasting sugur done
it is always between 75-90
Recently i had a A!C test done
it was 6.2
My doctor told me not to worry
i thought normal A!c was 6.00
Not diabetic
Every year i have my blood fasting sugur done
it is always between 75-90
Recently i had a A!C test done
it was 6.2
My doctor told me not to worry
i thought normal A!c was 6.00
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hello,
A totally normal HBa1c for someone with absolutely no signs of nor risk of diabetes is 4.3 - 4.6 (this is according to Bernstein - and I have followed him for about 6 years now and find him and the research his work is based on very rational). Typically average blood sugar for such a person is in the low 80s-90s and with very little variability (75 - 105 range). This is based on a recent paper I read which continuously monitored the blood sugar people with diabetes).
Once Hba1c rises above 5 (average blood sugar of about 100), it will likely keep rising over time and there is a high rate of deterioration and progression to overt diabetes.
The labs need to use some cutoff and this is determined by a pannel of doctors and insurers.
If you are worried about diabetes it would be wise to take efforts to keep your Hba1c below 5 if you can do so safely without having low blood sugars.
If you are already diabetic, it would be best to try to use medications (oral, insulin, diet, exercise) to keep your blood sugars as close to normal as possible (Optimally in the low 5s, though some would say that < 5.7 is great, or at worst < 6.5).
A totally normal HBa1c for someone with absolutely no signs of nor risk of diabetes is 4.3 - 4.6 (this is according to Bernstein - and I have followed him for about 6 years now and find him and the research his work is based on very rational). Typically average blood sugar for such a person is in the low 80s-90s and with very little variability (75 - 105 range). This is based on a recent paper I read which continuously monitored the blood sugar people with diabetes).
Once Hba1c rises above 5 (average blood sugar of about 100), it will likely keep rising over time and there is a high rate of deterioration and progression to overt diabetes.
The labs need to use some cutoff and this is determined by a pannel of doctors and insurers.
If you are worried about diabetes it would be wise to take efforts to keep your Hba1c below 5 if you can do so safely without having low blood sugars.
If you are already diabetic, it would be best to try to use medications (oral, insulin, diet, exercise) to keep your blood sugars as close to normal as possible (Optimally in the low 5s, though some would say that < 5.7 is great, or at worst < 6.5).
Okay, I see they won't let me put the name in.
Just google "Normal A1C and Curt Rohlfing. Hopefully you will get what you need to know.
Just google "Normal A1C and Curt Rohlfing. Hopefully you will get what you need to know.
For some reason my article link didn't come out right.
It should be www.*************.com. ************* is the word that should be where the asterisks are.
It should be www.*************.com. ************* is the word that should be where the asterisks are.
I also found this. Please note this quote from Curt Rohlfing of the NGSP:
"They also see 'a little skew toward the high end of the range, a bit of tailing at the high side,' Curt continued. In fact, levels below 4.5 are 'quite unusual,' and usually are only when people have anemia or other abnormalities of the red blood cells."
Taken from: http://www.*************.com/diabetes/c/17/59130/normal-a1c-level
Waverider, with all due respect is your idea of normal coming from Bernstein, per this article?
Waverider, you said "Each year they keep raising the normal limit in order for drug firms to increase their sales. Sad but true. The higher one believes is normal the more drugs they depend on to 'help' lower their glucose. "
I can appreciate not trusting drug companies, but your statement about raising the upper limits to sell drugs makes no sense to me. If you raise the upper limits, that makes more people normal, which would mean NOT selling drugs to them.
"They also see 'a little skew toward the high end of the range, a bit of tailing at the high side,' Curt continued. In fact, levels below 4.5 are 'quite unusual,' and usually are only when people have anemia or other abnormalities of the red blood cells."
Taken from: http://www.*************.com/diabetes/c/17/59130/normal-a1c-level
Waverider, with all due respect is your idea of normal coming from Bernstein, per this article?
Waverider, you said "Each year they keep raising the normal limit in order for drug firms to increase their sales. Sad but true. The higher one believes is normal the more drugs they depend on to 'help' lower their glucose. "
I can appreciate not trusting drug companies, but your statement about raising the upper limits to sell drugs makes no sense to me. If you raise the upper limits, that makes more people normal, which would mean NOT selling drugs to them.
Then why does Web MD and other standardized places say normal is below 5.7%
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/A1CTest/
http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/glycated-hemoglobin-test-hba1c
I wish I could find it but there was a forum where someone said under 5 is based on some rogue doctor who wants everyone to be in the 4 range, but that it's really difficult to achieve, even for healthy non-diabetics who watch their weight!
I had an A1C done recently. It came out at 5.1 and the endocrinologist office thought that was very good!
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/A1CTest/
http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/glycated-hemoglobin-test-hba1c
I wish I could find it but there was a forum where someone said under 5 is based on some rogue doctor who wants everyone to be in the 4 range, but that it's really difficult to achieve, even for healthy non-diabetics who watch their weight!
I had an A1C done recently. It came out at 5.1 and the endocrinologist office thought that was very good!
"Recently i had a A!C test done it was 6.2. My doctor told me not to worry i thought normal A!c was 6.00"
Boo on your doctor, your A1c is not at normal levels. Primary care physicians are so busy they don't have time to research diabetes. Instead, they rely on the ADA [American Diabetes Association] web site for their info. The problem with the ADA web site is that it is sponsored by major drug firms. Sure it provides whelms of valuable information and resources regarding diabetes, but it fails hard on normal glucose and A1c levels. Each year they keep raising the normal limit in order for drug firms to increase their sales. Sad but true. The higher one believes is normal the more drugs they depend on to 'help' lower their glucose. The more drugs you need, the more you buy, the more $$ they make. The old fox watching the chicken coop. Ever hear of someone getter healthier by taking more drugs?
So now what? This is where you have an excellent chance of reversing your diabetes back to normal before it escalates. [Below you will see why I say diabetes]. You do this with lifestyle changes - eating a diabetic nutrition sans sugar and high carbohydrates, maintain normal body weight, and perform 30 mins to 1 hour of physical exercise daily. The latter doesn't have to be strenuous. You will be amazed what walking does to your glucose levels and cardio system. Please read other threads on this forum as the number one topic discussed and answered often is food - what to eat and what to avoid.
Regarding your A1c test result, in essence 6.2% A1c equates to a daily average of 131 mg/dl, a tad into diabetes land. Here are the reference ranges you should go by:
1. - Normal fasting glucose is between 60/70 to 99 mg/dl
2. - Normal A1c is <5%
3. - Prediabetes is considered between 100 to 125 mg/dl, or A1c of 5.1% to 6%.
4. - Diabetes is considered above 126 mg/dl
Post back if you have further questions. Good luck
Boo on your doctor, your A1c is not at normal levels. Primary care physicians are so busy they don't have time to research diabetes. Instead, they rely on the ADA [American Diabetes Association] web site for their info. The problem with the ADA web site is that it is sponsored by major drug firms. Sure it provides whelms of valuable information and resources regarding diabetes, but it fails hard on normal glucose and A1c levels. Each year they keep raising the normal limit in order for drug firms to increase their sales. Sad but true. The higher one believes is normal the more drugs they depend on to 'help' lower their glucose. The more drugs you need, the more you buy, the more $$ they make. The old fox watching the chicken coop. Ever hear of someone getter healthier by taking more drugs?
So now what? This is where you have an excellent chance of reversing your diabetes back to normal before it escalates. [Below you will see why I say diabetes]. You do this with lifestyle changes - eating a diabetic nutrition sans sugar and high carbohydrates, maintain normal body weight, and perform 30 mins to 1 hour of physical exercise daily. The latter doesn't have to be strenuous. You will be amazed what walking does to your glucose levels and cardio system. Please read other threads on this forum as the number one topic discussed and answered often is food - what to eat and what to avoid.
Regarding your A1c test result, in essence 6.2% A1c equates to a daily average of 131 mg/dl, a tad into diabetes land. Here are the reference ranges you should go by:
1. - Normal fasting glucose is between 60/70 to 99 mg/dl
2. - Normal A1c is <5%
3. - Prediabetes is considered between 100 to 125 mg/dl, or A1c of 5.1% to 6%.
4. - Diabetes is considered above 126 mg/dl
Post back if you have further questions. Good luck
I also recently had an A1c done and had questions about my results (mine was 6.0) - I posted a question here on this forum and received a wonderful answer from one of the members - WaveRider. Here is what I was told:
"Normal ranges for A1c are 3.8 - 5% [60 - 99 mg/dl], or 4.1 - 5% [70 - 99 mg/dl] depending on the doctor. At 6% it equates to a daily average of 125 mg/dl, borderline diabetes by a very slim margin. By slim I mean that diabetes begins at 126 mg/dl."
I hope this information is as helpful to you as it was to me. My guess is that Waverider will also be by at some point to answer your question and correct me in case I've provided you the wrong info. Of course, the 6% that was mentioned in the answer was in response to my A1C reading, so yours being 6.2, I honestly don't know what that would work out to as a daily average.
"Normal ranges for A1c are 3.8 - 5% [60 - 99 mg/dl], or 4.1 - 5% [70 - 99 mg/dl] depending on the doctor. At 6% it equates to a daily average of 125 mg/dl, borderline diabetes by a very slim margin. By slim I mean that diabetes begins at 126 mg/dl."
I hope this information is as helpful to you as it was to me. My guess is that Waverider will also be by at some point to answer your question and correct me in case I've provided you the wrong info. Of course, the 6% that was mentioned in the answer was in response to my A1C reading, so yours being 6.2, I honestly don't know what that would work out to as a daily average.
it is an accumulation fo about 3 months I think. You should be fine. Be aware when you do the test again to see if it stays the same or goes down. Everyone has a "normal" and that might be yours.
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