615. A1C Testing and Hardening of Arteries

Hemoglobin A1C is a simple blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. Every time you breathe, red blood cells go through your lungs and hemoglobin attaches to oxygen, circulating it throughout your body. Sugar also attaches to hemoglobin, and the hemoglobin can’t get rid of it, and this is how A1C is tested for. What a recent study is saying is that atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries, is happening a lot sooner than we thought. Previously if you had an A1C below 5.7 you were considered normal. Now, if your A1C is 4.8 or higher, hardening of your arteries has already begun. Dr. Martin stresses the significance of this finding and reminds listeners that diabetes is a lagging indicator. Many of us are already diabetic despite blood tests coming back as normal.  Don’t miss this very informative episode!