What Is a Normal A1C Reading?

A1C levels measure excess glucose in your blood.

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.

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.

References

• Kids Health
• Bella Online
• Children with Diabetes

Resources

• Mayo Clinic