HbA1c, or glycated hemoglobin, is a product from glucose sticking to the hemoglobin on the red blood cells. The more glucose you have in your bloodstream, the more glucose will stick to hemoglobin. Since red blood cells are active for 2-3 months, your level of HbA1c will reflect on your glucose levels for the past 2-3 months, hence the street name “long-term sugar”.
Normal levels of HbA1c indicate that your blood sugar levels and blood sugar metabolism are in balance.
By measuring HbA1c, you can get a good understanding of your glucose levels for the past 2-3 months. For this reason, HbA1c can be measured when you want to screen for diabetes, when you want to identify people with an increased risk of developing diabetes later on, when you want to diagnose diabetes and when you want to evaluate treatment and lifestyle changes in diabetes patients.
High levels of HbA1c means that you have more sugar in your bloodstream than what is optimal for your cardiovascular health. Depending on level this could mean increased risk of developing diabetes or even be a confirmation of existing diabetes.
Low HbA1c levels indicate chronically low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. There may be an increased risk of liver disease in people with low HbA1c, as well as an increased risk of all-cause morbidity and all-cause mortality.