Diabetes A1c Tests
If you are meeting your blood sugar control goals and you are relatively stable, A1c testing is recommended twice a year. However, if you are currently struggling for control of your blood glucose levels, testing four times a year is advisable.
The beauty of managing diabetes by monitoring A1c levels is that it reflects the average glucose level over several months. it is not affected by spikes in exercise or sloth, fasting or gorging, or other temporary behaviors. It very accurately reflects the big picture of efforts to control blood sugar. Unlike the morning fasting blood glucose reading, it is impossible to fool!
Home A1c testing is now practical because tests have become accurate, convenient and affordable.
A doctor’s prescription is not necessary.
No need to even mail in blood samples.
We recommend either an A1c test meter with enough media to perform ten tests (which results in a lower cost per A1c test), or an initially less expensive one time A1c test kit. Perhaps, you know a fellow diabetic to share the cost of the A1c test meter with?
What are normal A1c readings? The answer to this question varies slightly depending on which diabetic group answers the question.
The American Diabetes Association states a goal of less than 7.0 is desirable. Others think that too high.
A UK Prospective Diabetes Study group recommends a reading of less than 6.2.
The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial regards 6.0 as the upper end of normal.
More to the point, an electronics engineer who helped design A1c test meters, Ron Sebol, sums it all up.
“I posted some calculations based on DCCT (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial) and in them found that a person with an A1c of 6.0 had a 98.5% chance of being complication free over a 15 year term…”
Another author, from the same article at www.mendosa.com, states that with supplements known to reverse glyciation damage, A1c s of 6.0-6.5 may be safe. Those supplements are:
- alpha lipoic acid
- acetyl-L-carnitine
- benfotiamine
- pycnogenol
Just what does an A1c test measure?
When glucose mixes with red blood cells (hemoglobin) it slowly forms a measurable hemoglobin component called “glyciated hemoglobin”. This component accumulates with time until the red blood cell dies. The average life of a red blood cell is 4 months, so your A1c reading gives you an average of your blood glucose content over the last 4 months.
Interestingly, research suggests that what you did during the last month is more important than what you did four months ago.
Ron Sebol also states that ”One week will change your reading 50%- by your 47th day 99% (of your A1c reading is a done deal)”
Any recommended ways to lower my A1c?
Volumes are written with differing approaches to reaching this goal. Here is a link to one person who got their A1c reading down to 4.7. A very normal and desireable A1c place to be!
http://www.diabetesdaily.com/forum/testing-blood-sugar/17160-a1c-home-test-kit
Our recommended A1c test meter is the A1cNow.
Our recommended A1c test kit is the Accu-Base.