What does HbA1C Test Measure? What is an Ideal Hemoglobin Level?

You can check your average blood sugar level over the last 2-3 months by getting your hemoglobin level tested. This test is known as the glycated hemoglobin test or HbA1C test in Gurgaon. If you are pre-diabetic or have diabetes, you should go for this test every once in a while to keep your levels in check. It can help you adjust your medications and diagnose diabetes.

For your information, hemoglobin is a protein that gives the red color to your blood as it is found in RBCs and carries oxygen in the body.

Why do you need an HbA1c Test?

The HbA1c test is one of the first tests recommended to test and manage type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It can also predict whether you are vulnerable to diabetes. It measures glucose levels in your hemoglobin. The higher the glucose levels, the higher the HbA1c levels. The best part of the HbA1c test is-

• No fasting is required
• It gives a clear insight into your blood sugar levels over a few weeks or months.
• Doctors can easily make accurate decisions as they can be done at any given time.

What does HbA1c Test Result Mean?

The average HbA1c level should be around 4% to 5.6% if you don’t have diabetes. If you are vulnerable, HbA1c levels would be from 5.7% to 6.4%, which means you need to control your diet and change your lifestyle to avoid complications. If you have levels above 6.5%, it means you have diabetes.

If you are pre-diabetic, you might develop type 2 diabetes within the next ten years to come. But you can delay or avoid diabetes with some steps. You should retest every year if you are tested positive.

In some cases, you may use a home monitor if you are diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes. This way, you can keep your blood sugar tested yourself. Ask your doctor and learn what you can do if you get results too low or too high.

How to Control HbA1c Levels?

The risk of getting complications is higher due to higher A1c levels. You can keep your levels under control with exercise, diet, and medications. If you have diabetes, you should get your HbA1c levels tested every 2-3 months to ensure that blood glucose is in an ideal range. You need to go for blood tests less often if you keep your diabetes under control. You should check your blood glucose levels at least twice a year.

If you have anemia, you may get false results, as it affects hemoglobin. If you have high cholesterol and take vitamin E and C supplements, hemoglobin A1c results may vary. The test results may also be affected due to liver and kidney diseases.

Steps to get in Control

You should know your ideal levels if you are taking medications to lower blood sugar levels and you have diabetes. For example, keeping A1C level under 7% may be harmful to people with low blood sugar. The medications you take to get your fasting blood sugars down may also bring your A1C levels down. There are some medications that may affect blood glucose after having meals.

Here are some of the steps to control your A1C levels-
Keep Track of your Goals and Challenges

Make a plan to know your most significant challenges and goals like exercise, stress management, weight loss, and a healthy diet.  Making the right plan can also be helpful to set goals. You can take small steps to achieve your goals in the given time.

Create a Plan to Manage your Diabetes

You should come up with a diabetes management plan if you have diabetes. A doctor should help you make a plan which includes-

• Medical steps
• When to call for an emergency?
• List of medications
• Ideal blood glucose levels to target
• Testing at home
• How often do you need to test?
• How to fix low blood sugar levels?

Keep everyone in the know to manage your diabetes properly and keep your A1C levels down.

Find out what you should eat

You may print a chart or use a mobile app to track what you should eat and when. It makes you aware of behaviors and foods you need to change to lower your A1C levels. You can also keep track of your carbs to manage blood sugar.

Keep Moving

Having a little bit of exercise is much better than no exercise at all. You can walk for 20 minutes after lunch and add up to 150 minutes of exercise per week. Before choosing any workout, ask your doctor. It is helpful to reduce the risk of having complications later.

Book an online appointment for the HbA1C test for type 1 and type 2 diabetes at MDRC India, one of the best blood test centers in Gurgaon.