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Why your A1C Matters

If you’re diabetic, then your A1C is one of the most important tests you can take, and it’s one you’ll need to pass.

This article from WebMD talks about how diabetes care has improved in the last years. If you’re diabetic, then your goal should be to get (and keep) your A1C below 7.

What is an A1C?

The A1C is a measure of your blood sugar over the last two or three months. It’s beneficial because it reflects your overall blood sugar control while your daily blood sugar tests reflect your immediate control. So, while your daily tests may vary a bit due to diet, exercise, illness, etc., your A1C is a better indicator of your blood sugar control in general.

What’s “normal”?

For a diabetic, an A1C of under 7 percent is considered good control. However, that isn’t really normal. A normal blood sugar is between 70 and 120, and that translates to an A1C of roughly 5-6 percent.

Estimate your A1C

If you’re diabetic, you should be testing your blood sugar daily (several times a day) anyway. Most meters will keep at least a couple week’s worth of readings, if not more. An easy way to “guesstimate” your A1C is to look at your average blood sugar and use a conversion tool to see what the A1C would be. This chart will help.

So, a 7 on the A1C would equate to something around a 170 blood sugar. That’s well above normal, as you can see.

For example, I’m not diabetic, and my blood sugar varies from about 80 to about 110. So, my A1C would vary somewhere between 4.5 and 5.5.

What you should do?

Talk to your doctor and find out what your goal A1C should be. The closer you can get your blood sugar to normal, the less the risk of diabetes complications.