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What is a Normal A1C Level?

An A1C blood test is a common blood test for diabetics, recommended to be taken at regular intervals. Results of this test can help determine how well your diabetes is being controlled.

  1. Diagnosing Diabetes

    • An A1C blood test is also used to diagnose diabetes. A non-diabetic usually has an A1C level of 4% to 6%. A reading of 6% may indicate pre-diabetes, while 6.5% or higher on more than one occasion indicates diabetes.

    Testing

    • If you have Type 2 diabetes and your blood sugar is usually under good control, your doctor may recommend an A1C test every six months. If you have Type 1 diabetes, he may recommend that you be tested quarterly.

    Test Results

    • An A1C above 7% indicates that your diabetes is not under good control. The higher the percentage, the more chance you will develop serious complications from your diabetes. For a diabetic, a level between 6.5% and 8.5% is considered good, while between 8.5% and 9.5% is considered fair. Greater than 9.5% is considered poor.

    More Frequent Testing

    • If you have trouble keeping your blood sugar within a target range, your doctor may order an A1C test more frequently. He may also test A1C more often if he changes your diabetes medication or treatment plan.

    Considerations

    • A1C levels may be high if you have an iron deficiency or are anemic.

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