Fasting glucose reading without medication between 5.4 to 6.4 is that normal ?

[Thyroiddiabetic]

This is why the HbA1c is an unreliable marker for good control and should be used in conjunction with other tests.

https://chriskresser.com/why-hemoglobin-a1c-is-not-a-reliable-marker/

Personally my HbA1c is always higher than expected, and significantly so. I rely on my Libre sensor and finger pricks to see how well I'm doing.

Not Good news if the tests we rely upon are not accurate

 

[Bluetit1802]

Not Good news if the tests we rely upon are not accurate

In what way not accurate? I was referring to the OGGT and Fructosamine tests, combined with fasting and post meals.

The HbA1c isn't accurate in itself (I believe 4% plus or minus is acceptable) and is only useful if you have red blood cells that live for the standard 120 days, which of course isn't the case. If your red blood cells are either abnormal in some way such as in anaemia, or have longer or shorter lives than 120 days, the HbA1c will be incorrect. It is also only a weighted average, so any highs such as the ones you see are negated by any acceptable lower levels you have, producing an HbA1c that does not reflect your peaks and troughs.

Glucose meters have a 15% tolerance for accuracy, as does the Libre sensor I believe, but frequent testing produces patterns, and using a second meter from time to time for comparisons and accuracy checks gives a better indication of how well controlled you are. Spikes are what cause the damage. Being well controlled is to eliminate spikes and keep BS variances as small as possible.

 

[asparagusp]

The range for fasting- 4-7 so you are within range and because you are not on medication, doing very well indeed!

 

[kokhongw]

The current mainstream view of T2D is very glucose centric. We are looking only at the glucose side of the problem...simply because it can be tested easily and readily.

What most of us are not aware it that impaired fasting glucose for T2D is preceded by years of elevated insulin levels commonly due to high carbs/fructose diet. That is the key reason for the beta cells dysfunction and exhaustion by the time of T2D diagnosis.

So while our numbers may not be clinically "diabetic", we already have impaired insulin/glucose response. The guide for clinical diagnosis is centered on the necessity for prescription medication to reduce obvious/immediate complications due to high glucose level. The mainstream approach does little to nothing for restoring the beta cells dysfunction. Understanding this will save us years of grief.

Dr Jason Fung's recent discussion on this will give some addtional insights on why a carbs lite fats friendly approach is often effective for halting the progression of T2D, allowing some recovery. Because dietary fats requires the least insulin response.

https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/understanding-joseph-kraft-diabetes-in-situ-t2d-24/

 

[micksmixxx]

Interestingly I get post meal spikes over 8.5 10 to 11 but strangely hba1c of 5.4

Those figures PROBABLY were considered 'normal' some 20 years or more ago, sir.

 

[micksmixxx]

The range for fasting- 4-7 so you are within range and because you are not on medication, doing very well indeed!

Sorry, asparagusp, but there is nowhere on this planet that considers a fasting blood glucose level of up to 7.0 mmol/l as being acceptable ... unless you are already diabetic.