Other names: HbA1C, A1C, glycohemoglobin, glycated hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin But with treatment and lifestyle changes, you can control your blood glucose levels. Diabetes can cause serious health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, and nerve damage.

High A1C levels are a sign of high blood glucose from diabetes. An A1C test measures the percentage of your red blood cells that have glucose-coated hemoglobin.Īn A1C test can show your average glucose level for the past three months because: As your blood glucose levels increase, more of your hemoglobin will be coated with glucose. Glucose in your blood sticks to hemoglobin, a protein in your red blood cells. As a result, glucose can't get into your cells, so your blood sugar levels increase. If you have diabetes your body doesn't make enough insulin, or your cells don't use it well. A hormone called insulin helps glucose get into your cells.

Glucose is a type of sugar in your blood that comes from the foods you eat. A hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) test is a blood test that shows what your average blood sugar (glucose) level was over the past two to three months.