HbA1c - What your number means

When you have diabetes, your home blood glucose testing kit tells you what your level is at the moment you stick your finger to get a drop of blood to test. But to get the whole story, you need to know how well you're doing over a longer period of time, extending from two to three months. That's what your HbA1c (hemoglobin A1c value) is for. It indicates your average blood glucose for that extended period, like a "batting average" does for a professional baseball player.

A person without diabetes will have an HbA1c value that ranges between 4-6%. Your goal should be an HbA1c value of less than 7%. The closer it is to this normal level, the better you're doing at managing your diabetes. If your HbA1c value is greater than 8%, you and your doctor need to take action to reduce this value.

Because different laboratories use different techniques to measure the HbA1c value, there may be small differences in their actual values. The important thing is to use the same laboratory when comparing one measurement with another and speak to you doctor about your results.

In this table, you can find how the average blood glucose translates to an HbA1C value. Normal blood glucose levels is less than 110 mg/dL before meals and is less than 140 mg/dL after a meal. If, for example, you have an HbA1c value of 8%, it would mean that your average blood glucose would be about 180 mg/dL, which is too high and needs to be reduced. According to published studies, the lower your blood glucose level, the more likely you are to reduce or prevent your risk of diabetes complications like kidney failure and eye and nerve damage.

Ask your doctor to tell you what your HbA1c level is. Knowing your actual level will help you appreciate how well you are doing or how far you have to go. When your HbA1c is over 8%, ask your physician what you need to do to get it down closer to normal. And make sure you have your HbA1c level tested at least twice a year.

Reproduced with permission from Diabetes Forecast (March, 2001). Copyright ©2001 American Diabetes Association.