What is hemoglobin A1c?
Hemoglobin A1c, often abbreviated as HbA1c, is a hemoglobin linked with glucose. The bond between them is a non-enzymatic connection. The sugar binds to the NH2-terminal of amino acid of the beta chain of the hemoglobin [1]. The process of bonding is non-reversible and is called glycation. Therefore, glucose stays attached to the red blood cell for up to 3 months. It is the longest time a red blood cell lives [2].
Typically, HbA1c levels reach around 5% of the total hemoglobin [1, 3]. The concentration of glycated hemoglobin rises proportionally to the duration and degree of high blood sugar levels.
What is hemoglobin A1c used for?
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What are normal values of hemoglobin A1c?
The normal range for the HbA1c level is generally between 4% and 5.6%. Level of 5.7% to 6.4% are considered as prediabetes, and a level of 6.5% or more indicates diabetes. In diabetes management, the therapeutic objective is to keep the HbA1c levels below 6.5% to reduce the risk of chronic complications. However, these values can vary slightly depending on the laboratory that analyzes the blood sample [1, 7, 8, 9, 2].
What does hemoglobin A1c 5.5 mean?
A hemoglobin a1c 5.5 means that 5.5% of the whole hemoglobin in blood is glycated. It is a normal level, below the 5.6% threshold of the national institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases [1, 2].
However, the level of 5.5% is on the upper limit of the normal range. Keep in mind that according to the American diabetes association one-quarter of people with HbA1c levels 5.5 - 6% are at risk of developing diabetes in the next 5 years [10, 11, 12, 13].
Therefore, while an HbA1c level of 5.5% is not indicative of diabetes, you should still pay more attention to your lifestyle and diet. Due to the close-to-the-limit result, you should control your hemoglobin A1c again after some time.
Should I see a doctor with hemoglobin A1c 5.5?
No, you do not have to see a doctor with levels 5.5%. It is a normal range [2]. Nevertheless, you should pay more attention to your lifestyle and diet. If you are worried about you have diabetes, then you should see a doctor. A healthcare professional will thoroughly examine you to exclude diabetes as your diagnosis.
If your A1C levels are 5.5%, but you experience symptoms such as increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, and unintentional loss of weight, you should consult a doctor.