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Hba1c Levels - how quick to lower?

MKD75

Well-Known Member
Messages
156
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Was wondering how quickly people have lowered their a1c levels with diet alone? I have been pretty good with diet (LCHF & cut out sugary foods) and lost 1 stone since November. I am due back for my next a1c yes in February and wondered how much people have dropped. I was 51 originally then after a 2 week re-test dropped to 49. Nurse said if I get under 48 in Feb I won't need tablets and can control with diet alone. I'm hoping to be back in pre-diabetes range or even normal range or am I being too hopeful?
 
Well I went from 90 to 44 in a short space of time - diet alone so I would expect your goals are pretty achievable, given I think I can get there from a much worse starting point!
I decided to go this route after checking out this article (which I took with me to my doctor when I told him I didn't want meds) - check out the charts .

http://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-6-21

I took particular note of this line
"One female patient had an increased physical activity level during the study period in spite of our instructions. However, her increase in physical activity was no more than one hour of walking per day, four days a week. She had implemented an 11%-carbohydrate diet without any antidiabetic drug, and her HbA1c level decreased from 14.4% at baseline to 6.1% after 3 months and had been maintained at 5.5% after 6 months."

I figured is she can do it so can I- and it turns out I CAN

Note also that few of these subject were actually very overweight BMI range 20-27% and also how quickly it went pear shaped for the two who gave up. (I'm still BMI 30%+)
 
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Went from 96 (11%) to 36 (5.5%) within 3 mths. 8 Sep 2015 - 3 Dec 2015.

 
Hi @MKD75, well done on your bs and weight reductions since November. It is possible that you could reduce to pre-diabetic or even non-diabetic levels by your next test. Some people have got spectacular reductions in 3 months. But our bodies are all different. It took me a year to get from 49 to 39. But I wasn't strictly LCHF.
So don't count on it, it might take a bit longer.
 
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Everybody's results will vary, I have my next HbA1C test in Feb, this will incorporate the Festive period so I'll be interested in the outcome.

As long as the tests back up what I know I've been eating, I'll be happy.
 
I dropped from 140 to 57 in 4 months.

I have, however, been around that for a year now. (57, 58, 57). I've maintained weight for the last four months so reckon it's time to try harder to shift the last few pounds to see if that will help to shift it down. I still don't tolerate occasional forays into higher carb (minor experiment with a cookie last night has resulted in a not unexpected 13.3 fasting.) so am talking myself into an VLC period of a few weeks to see how I go on that.
 
from june 16 till nov.16 I went from a HcA1b of 56 to 34....

I were also low calorie, still am but not as low as excercising really a lot, so next HcA1b I think will be higher..
 
I'm a honeymooning type 1 (but at the moment can control through metformin & diet - so my pancreas is putting up a reasonable fight) and went from 84 to 31 in 3 months. Now 32 after 6 months.

I went from 84 to 56 in 6 weeks.

I eat low carb and what I call "healthy fat". I counted carbs strictly for a few weeks, then just stuck with what works and I use my metre for guidance. I realise that carb counting will need to come back in when my pancreas loses the battle.
 
Diagnosed in October 2016 Good morning I went from HcA1b 114 /12.6 in October 2016 (3 months to) 50 in 3 months I am not sure of the percentage value in m/mols

Moderate carb 80/100 per day,I am thinking of lowering my carb intake,my next assesment is in March

I make that a drop of 57%

 
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I went from 69 to 38 in approx. 3 months - most of that time diet only after coming off meds - on diagnosis I asked my GP the same question you ask - ie how quick can I get it down - I was told don't expect much more than 10% reduction in the first 6-12 months - whilst we all react differently - so there is no prescribed timescale/rate of reduction - but you do have considerable choice in how much you affect the drop - and that in my view is all about what level of carbs you want to take on board.
 
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