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What Is a Normal A1C Reading?

The A1C, a laboratory blood test for people with diabetes, measures the average of the extra glucose in your blood during the last 2 to 3 months. The lab reports your A1C results as the percentage of your hemoglobin molecules that have glucose bound to them.

  1. Identification

    • If you don't have diabetes, your body produces enough insulin to keep your A1C between 4 and 6 percent.

    Significance

    • If you have type 1 diabetes, you take insulin to move glucose into your cells. If you take in more glucose than you need to match your injected insulin, your A1C will rise.

    Target

    • The American Diabetes Association (ADA) wants adults with diabetes to keep their A1C below 7 percent. A1C targets for children are based on age: 7.5 to 8.5 percent for kids under 6 years, below 8 percent for 6 to 12 year-olds, and under 7.5 percent for adolescents from 13 to 19 years.

    Considerations

    • Your doctor may set a different A1C target based on your medical history. If you have diabetes and heart failure, an A1C between 6.4 and 7.1 percent increases your risk of death, compared to a healthier A1C between 7.1 and 7.8.

    Tip

    • Collaborate with your doctor to come up with an A1C range that reflects your medical history and lifestyle.

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