What is cumulative blood sugar?
And when should it be measured?
What are its normal levels?
How can it be reduced without drugs?
And when do we need medicines?
The answer is in this report.
What is cumulative blood sugar?
The cumulative blood sugar test is one of the tests performed to assess the level of glucose in the blood, in order to diagnose diabetes and assess blood sugar control in patients.
The scientific name for the test is the glycated hemoglobin test (Glycated hemoglobin HbA1c, hemoglobin A1c), also known as the "glycemic hemoglobin test".
In contrast, the name "cumulative blood sugar test" is a common name indicating that the test measures blood sugar control over a long period (3 months), unlike other blood sugar tests, such as the fasting glucose test, which measures the level of blood sugar 8 hours after Fasting.
The glycosylated hemoglobin test measures the amount of "glucose" blood sugar that binds to hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells.
During the normal life cycle - which is 90 days for a red blood cell - glucose binds faster in people with high blood sugar levels.
The glycosylated hemoglobin test measures the percentage of red blood cells that contain hemoglobin that is coated with sugar, an important indicator of blood sugar.
With the glycosylated hemoglobin test, high blood sugar levels can be detected early, which helps control it, and thus reduces the risk of health complications caused by diabetes, such as heart disease, kidney disease, vision loss and amputations.
Diabetes is a metabolic disease caused by a lack of the hormone insulin or a weakening of the normal response from the body's cells to insulin, which enters the blood sugar (glucose) into the cells, and in both cases the result is similar, as blood glucose levels rise above the normal limit, and this leads to negative effects On the body sooner or later.
How long is the time to take it?
The glycosylated hemoglobin levels of anyone with diabetes should be measured every 3 months, and the examination should also be performed if the person does not have diabetes but has risk factors for the disease, such as family history, obesity and lack of movement.
What are normal glycosylated hemoglobin levels?
5.6% or less is normal.
From 5.7% to 6.4% pre-diabetes (Prediabetes), a condition that means that the blood sugar level of the patient is lower than his diagnosis of diabetes, but at the same time it is higher than the normal level, and when not dealing with this condition, the person will develop diabetes from Type 2 in 10 years or less.
5.6% or higher have diabetes.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes, your doctor will work with you to set an individual target for your glycosylated hemoglobin levels.Most diabetics have a target glycosylated hemoglobin level below 7%, and doctors may set another target for people with other health conditions such as heart disease. According to a report published by Insider.
The report says that if you have diabetes or pre-diabetes, it is important to lower your glycosylated hemoglobin level, and in fact, every percentage point reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin levels can reduce the risk of long-term complications from diabetes by 40%.
How can glycosylated hemoglobin be lowered naturally without drugs?
1- Weight loss. Shedding extra pounds can help you better control blood sugar and lower glycosylated hemoglobin levels.
2- Exercising regularly. Exercise helps the body absorb glucose from the bloodstream, and can help make the body more efficient in accessing and using glucose.
3- Control the amount of carbohydrates.Working with a dietitian to develop a nutritional plan can help you reduce glycosylated hemoglobin levels, and people with diabetes or pre-diabetes need to monitor the amount of carbohydrates they eat, because carbohydrates have a significant effect on blood sugar.
It is therefore necessary to obtain information from a doctor or dietitian, to understand how eating certain foods affects blood sugar.
And carbohydrates (starches) are one of the three main food groups that also include fats and proteins, and starches are the most important source of energy for the body.
Carbohydrates are divided, depending on their chemical composition, into:
Simple carbohydrates, such as white sugar, fruit sugar, brown sugar, and sugars found naturally in foods, such as fruits and vegetables, milk and dairy products, and sugars added during food processing and refining.
Complex carbohydrates: such as wholegrain bread and cereals, starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and legumes, and bread, rice and pasta.
Complex carbohydrates are better for controlling cumulative blood sugar, and the amount depends on a person's weight, age, sex, activity, and blood sugar levels.
pharmaceutical
If the glycosylated hemoglobin is too high, or in certain cases, or if the previous methods did not reduce it, the doctor may recommend the use of medications, including:
Oral diabetes medications (taken by mouth), such as metformin.
2- Insulin, if your initial glycosylated hemoglobin levels are higher than 9%, your doctor may recommend that you start insulin immediately.
Insulin is a hormone that helps the body use glucose for energy. It is produced by beta cells in the pancreas, and insulin enters blood sugar (glucose) into cells.
In the case of using insulin as a treatment, it is injected from special needles, and treatment with it is necessary for every person with type 1 diabetes and some people with type 2 diabetes, and different types of insulin are available, and they differ in terms of speed and period in which they are effective.