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What is a normal HbA1c?

Does anyone else find those Healthcentral blogs are annoyingly, frustratingly slow? I suspect I'm being punished for blocking Doubleclick or one of the other sites who insist on running scripts and sending cookies.

I am not a number, I am a free man . . .
 
Odd, isn't it, that something as significant to human health as HbA1c levels is so bloody hard to find consensus on? But Mendosa is right, there's surprisingly little information out there.
If non-diabetics aren't having the test done I suppose there must be very little data to work with? Even a sample of non-diabetics might not provide a truly representitive result, particularly in current circumstances where the majority of the population is perhaps eating more carbohydrate than at any previous time in our history? Normal today is almost certainly a good bit North of where normal would have been a few hundred years ago.
What would be most interesting would be a study of the HbA1c of indigenous tribespeople from around the world, people following diets that more closely resemble those of our ancestors. I'd guess they might be a bit lower than the 5's, but I've searched for the studies and drawn blanks so far.
Still, if the good 'ole ADA is going down to 6.5% for diabetics, it's probably safe to say the think 'normal' is a good bit lower than that.

fergus
 
Fergus

I read somewhere in one of your messages that you were losing some of your hypo awareness?
With your hba1c being so incredibly low, how have you managed to be ok with driving etc?
 
I lost most of my hypo awareness many years ago but I haven't given up trying to regain it somehow.
As for driving, I try to cycle whenever possible! When I do drive, I always test beforehand. My hypo-awareness is on record with the DVLA and my licence is on 3 year review like all insulin users.

fergus
 
I'm interested to read that, Fergus, 'cause it's been worrying me about renewing my licence next time. As you say, it's renewable every 3 years and I've not had problem before because I had full hypo awareness but I wouldn't ever lie about things and I wondered if I'd have my licence taken from me if I admitted that my hypo awareness seems to have lessened greatly now.I suppose I assumed if you say awareness is gone or lessened it would be a case of them automatically taking your licence. So, if I am truthful about this but confirm I always test before driving(which I do), will I still be able to keep my licence? This would be a huge relief to me, as I'd be lost without my car.
 
I think if your consultant understands the efforts you make to control your blood sugars, allied to a regime where you always test before driving, he should be able to support your renewal application chocoholic.

All the best,

fergus
 
fergus said:
Odd, isn't it, that something as significant to human health as HbA1c levels is so bloody hard to find consensus on? But Mendosa is right, there's surprisingly little information out there.
If non-diabetics aren't having the test done I suppose there must be very little data to work with? Even a sample of non-diabetics might not provide a truly representitive result, particularly in current circumstances where the majority of the population is perhaps eating more carbohydrate than at any previous time in our history? Normal today is almost certainly a good bit North of where normal would have been a few hundred years ago.
What would be most interesting would be a study of the HbA1c of indigenous tribespeople from around the world, people following diets that more closely resemble those of our ancestors. I'd guess they might be a bit lower than the 5's, but I've searched for the studies and drawn blanks so far.
Still, if the good 'ole ADA is going down to 6.5% for diabetics, it's probably safe to say the think 'normal' is a good bit lower than that.

fergus
Click to expand...

Yes I suspect that is true for anything which is worked out from the population "average" there are probably many undiagnosed diabetics and prediabetics currently skewing the numbers. Likewise for other tests. Even things like dress sizes have been increased so the same number is actually a larger size in inches/centimetres, and probably more so in the States
 
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