Hemoglobin A1c

If you have diabetes you may have heard your provider talk about your hemoglobin A1c results.

By looking at your hemoglobin A1c, your provider can tell what your sugar has been most of the time for the past three months. Let’s take a closer look.

When you see a high blood sugar on your finger stick that means that there is too much sugar in your blood and not enough sugar in the tissues that need it for energy.

Too much sugar in your blood is not good for other parts of your body like your eyes, your kidneys, your blood vessels and your heart.

For most people with diabetes, we want this hemoglobin A1c number between 6% - 7%.

Why do we want your hemoglobin A1c between 6 - 7%? Because if your hemoglobin a1c is between 6 - 7%, let’s say it is 6.5%, this means that for the past three months your blood sugar has been about 140 most of the time. Probably, it is a little lower than 140 when you wake up and higher than 140 after you eat.

But, if your hemoglobin A1c is 9.5% this is not good. This means that for the past three months your blood sugar has been about 226 most of the time. Probably it is a little lower than 226 when you wake up most days and higher than 226 after you eat.

Since your hemoglobin A1c can tell us so much about your sugar over the last three months, it’s important to check your hemoglobin A1c every 3 months and talk to your provider about any questions that you have or changes you might need to make.