The Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test measures the percentage of A1c hemoglobin proteins that have glucose attached. The higher your blood glucose is on average, the more glucose there is attached to the hemoglobin A1c protein.

Your HbA1c level correlates to and reflects your average blood glucose over the past 3 months. A healthy HbA1c is below 5.7% and above 5.7% indicates chronic elevated glucose.  HbA1c is now considered one of the best indicators for pre-diabetes. This is because while monitoring glucose solely monitors the last few days, HbA1c measures your average blood sugar over the last three months. A HbA1c test can therefore identify if you are prediabetic before being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. 

The HbA1c Test measures the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood. When glucose builds up in the blood, it binds to a protein called hemoglobin. Testing your hemoglobin A1c level is a great way to gain insight into your body’s ability to metabolize glucose.

Why Test Your HbA1c?

Balancing blood sugar levels in the body is a delicate task. Periodically making sure your blood sugar is within normal range can help stave off more serious health issues down the road such as diabetes, heart disease, cognitive issues, and kidney problems.

There are many factors that can affect blood glucose levels, primarily diet and lifestyle, but also medical conditions and medications. It is important to be aware if you have certain medical conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, thyroid conditions, iron deficiency, chronic liver disease, or sleep disorders that may affect your body’s ability to metabolize glucose.

Further, some medications and supplements may affect glucose levels such as antiretrovirals, sulfa antibiotics, high doses of certain vitamins, aspirin, or chronic opioid use. It is important to discuss your medications and medical history along with your test results with a healthcare provider.

What Happens When Blood Sugar Levels are High?

Glucose is the primary sugar found in your blood. It is also your body’s main source of energy. However, when there is too much in your blood over a period of time it can damage blood vessels, tissues and organs and potentially lead to serious health issues like diabetes, heart disease and cognitive disorders, as well as vision and nerve problems.

Some signs of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased hunger and thirst, fatigue, blurred vision, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, and unexplained weight loss.

What Happens When Blood Sugar Levels are Low?

Low blood sugar is also called hypoglycemia and it often happens to diabetics who have taken too much insulin, causing their blood sugar level to drop. This typically requires quick treatment with sugary drinks like orange juice or honey or candy. In severe cases, someone will require a shot of glucagon to bring the level back up.

Some of the signs of low blood sugar are an irregular or fast heartbeat, fatigue, sweating, irritability, and tingling or numbness on the lips, tongue and cheeks. In severe cases, hypoglycemia can also cause confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures and blurred vision.

Optimize Your HbA1C Level in 3 Easy Steps

 1 Measure

Testing your hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level is a great way to gain insight into your body’s ability to metabolize glucose.

 2 Modify

Knowing your HbA1c level will enable you to modify your diet and supplements/medication.

3 Monitor

Monitoring changes over time is important in assessing the effectiveness of any diet and lifestyle changes.

HOW OUR SERVICE WORKS 

Order: Choose the test service you would like. The sample collection kit typically arrives in 3 to 5 days.

Collect Sample: Follow the simple kit instructions to collect your blood sample from the comfort of home. Once you collect your sample, mail it back to our lab using the pre-paid envelope.

Get Results: In 2-4 weeks you will receive an email letting you know your personalised results are ready. You'll also get detailed advice with easy-to-understand graphics for your food, exercise, sleep, supplements, and much more. Take action and track your progress to take your health to new heights.