Blood sugar

HbA1c: what it measures and why lifters track it

Usually reported in % by US labs. Check the unit on your own report before comparing two results.

What it is

HbA1c measures how much of your hemoglobin has sugar attached. Red blood cells live for about three months, so it reflects your average blood sugar over roughly that time.

Why lifters track it

It does not depend on one morning, so it is a steadier view than fasting glucose. It is a good number to compare test to test.

What can change the reading

  • Anything that changes how long red blood cells live, such as a recent blood donation or a large change in red blood cells.
  • It does not need fasting, but it is usually drawn with fasting tests.

Questions for your doctor

What a result means for you is a question for your own doctor. These are worth taking with you:

  • Could anything in my blood count skew my HbA1c?

Where is my number?

Every lab prints its own range next to each result, and ranges differ between labs and methods. That printed range is the one to compare with, which is why this page gives none. If a result sits outside it, talk to your doctor.

Before your next test
  1. Follow your lab's or your doctor's instructions first. Most say to fast overnight (water is fine) for blood sugar, insulin and cholesterol.
  2. Book an early-morning draw, and keep the same time of day every test. Several hormones, testosterone among them, change through the day.
  3. Skip hard training for a couple of days before. A heavy session can raise AST, ALT, creatinine and hs-CRP for days.
  4. Drink water as normal. Being dehydrated makes your blood more concentrated, which pushes up hematocrit and hemoglobin.
  5. If you take biotin (vitamin B7, common in hair and skin supplements), tell your doctor and lab before the test. It can upset the results of many hormone and thyroid tests.
  6. Use the same lab and the same tests each time where you can. Different methods give different numbers for the same blood.
  7. Write down anything unusual: a cold, a bad night's sleep, alcohol, a big change in diet or training. It explains a lot when you look back.

Read it with

Coaching built around your blood tests

With CoachAk Full Panel, you add your results to the CoachAk app, see each marker's trend, and every 12 weeks CoachAk reviews your latest test with you and adjusts your training and nutrition around it.

See Full Panel

Coaching feedback, not medical advice. CoachAk is not a doctor and does not diagnose or treat conditions. Review all results with your doctor.

All blood test markers