A1C Calculator - Hemoglobin A1C to Average Blood Glucose

For people with diabetes: If blood sugar control is stable, test every 6 months. If treatment plan changes or blood sugar is not at target, test every 3 months. For prediabetes: test once a year. For healthy individuals: consider testing every 3 years as screening.

No. A1C testing is not affected by short-term diet, exercise, or stress, and can be performed at any time of day without fasting preparation. This is one of the advantages of A1C testing compared to fasting blood glucose testing.

The following factors may cause falsely high or low A1C results: Anemia or bleeding may cause falsely low A1C. Iron deficiency may cause falsely high A1C. Kidney failure may affect A1C accuracy. Pregnancy: red blood cell turnover increases during pregnancy, A1C may be low. Certain blood disorders: such as thalassemia, hemolytic anemia, etc. Racial differences: certain racial groups may have slight differences.

General adults: Most diabetes patients have an A1C target of <7.0%. More strict target (<6.5%): May apply to younger patients with short disease duration, no history of severe hypoglycemia, no cardiovascular disease. Less strict target (<8.0%): May apply to elderly patients or multiple chronic diseases, high hypoglycemia risk, limited life expectancy, history of severe hypoglycemia. Specific targets should be set by doctors based on individual conditions.

Lowering A1C requires comprehensive management: Healthy diet: control carbohydrate intake, choose low GI foods. Regular exercise: at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Weight management: losing 5-10% of body weight can significantly improve A1C. Take medication on time: take hypoglycemic medications or inject insulin as prescribed by doctor. Monitor blood sugar: regular self-monitoring of blood sugar to understand fluctuations. Stress management: learn to cope with stress, ensure adequate sleep. Quit smoking and limit alcohol: quit smoking and limit alcohol intake. Any lifestyle changes or treatment adjustments should be done under medical guidance.

Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c or simply A1C) is a blood test indicator used to assess average blood sugar levels over the past 2-3 months. Unlike single blood glucose tests, A1C can reflect long-term blood sugar control. The formation principle of A1C is: glucose in the blood reacts with hemoglobin (the protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells) to undergo glycation. Since the average lifespan of red blood cells is about 120 days, A1C can reflect the average blood sugar level over the past 2-3 months. A1C test results are expressed as a percentage, representing the proportion of glycated hemoglobin to total hemoglobin. Normal A1C values are usually below 5.7%.