Glycated (or glycosylated, HbA1c) hemoglobin is a biochemical indicator that shows the average blood sugar level in the last three months. Hemoglobin is a protein that is contained in red blood cells. With long exposure to such proteins, they bind to a compound called glycated hemoglobin.
Determine the glycated hemoglobin as a percentage of the total hemoglobin in the blood. The higher the sugar level, the more hemoglobin, respectively, becomes bound, and the higher this value. And taking into account the fact that hemoglobin binds not at once, the analysis shows not the blood sugar level at the moment, but the average value for several months, and is one of the most common methods for diagnosing diabetes and pre-diabetic condition.
The norm of glycated hemoglobin in the blood
Normal range for a healthy person is considered to be a range of 4 to 6%, indices ranging from 6.5 to 7.5% may indicate a threat of developing diabetes or iron deficiency in the body, and a score above 7.5% usually indicates the presence of diabetes mellitus .
As can be seen, the normal values of glycated hemoglobin are usually higher than the norm for routine analysis for blood sugar (3.3 to 5.5 mmol / L fasted). This is due to the fact that the level of blood glucose in any person fluctuates throughout the day, and even after eating it can even reach 7.3-7.8 mmol / l, and on average within 24 hours a healthy person should remain within 3.9-6.9 mmol / l.
Thus, the glycated hemoglobin index of 4% corresponds to an average blood sugar of 3.9, and 6.5% to about 7.2 mmol / l. In patients with the same mean level of blood sugar, the glycated hemoglobin index may differ, up to 1%. Such discrepancies arise because the formation of this biochemical index can be influenced by diseases, stresses, lack of certain micronutrients (primarily iron) in the body. In women, the deviation of glycated hemoglobin from normal can appear in pregnancy, due to anemia or diabetes maternal.
How to reduce the level of glycated hemoglobin?
If the level of glycated hemoglobin is increased, this indicates a serious disease or the possibility of its development. Most often it is a case of diabetes, in which elevated blood sugar levels are observed regularly. Less often - the lack of iron in the body and anemia.
The life span of red blood cells is about three months, this is the reason for the period during which the analysis for glycated hemoglobin shows the average level of sugar in the blood. Thus, glycated hemoglobin does not reflect single differences in blood sugar level, but it shows the general picture and helps to determine if the blood sugar level exceeded the norm enough
To normalize this indicator, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle, follow a prescribed diet, take prescribed medications or make injections of insulin and monitor blood sugar levels.
With diabetes, the rate of glycated hemoglobin is slightly higher than for healthy people, and the figure is allowed up to 7%. If the indicator exceeds 7% as a result of the analysis, this indicates that the diabetes is not compensated, which can lead to the development of serious complications.