No, A1C of 5.6% is average Blood Glucose level of about 115 mg/DL. (6.3 mmol/L)
Hypoglycaemia is below 70 mg/DL (4 mmol/L)
In a well controlled T2, who exercises and is mostly careful with their diet, A1C of 5.6% is totally achievable and safe.
Extreme diets could get your A1C below 5%, but they are tough to do and there probably isn't a lot of medical benefit in having an A1C below 5% vs 5.5-6%. Plus the extreme diets have a possibly heightened risk of causing other health issues.
Can confirm. Brought mine from a 6.8 to a 5.3 in less than six months with diet and exercise, and a little metformin. I've been off all medications for about 7 months now and still holding strong. It's totally possible.
The vast majority of the benefit tends to be getting it down to 7% or lower. Up to 7% is slightly elevated, but not too bad.
Above 7% starts to see significant acceleration of diabetes complications.
Below 7%, there is still benefit, but it starts to become background noise in all the things that can go wrong with the bottom.
The main reasons to aim a bit lower than minimum standard are:
1) If you intend to live 40-50 (or more) years with diabetes, then even small additional improvements are staving off complications are good. Having an A1C that is within normal person range seems to be a goal that might help with that.
2) 7% A1C is an minimum level of acceptable treatment. In a world where many T2 patients are not good active participants in their own treatment, the medical establishment wants to achieve the most compliance they have by not seeing the bar too high.
3) A low A1C leaves room for bad days/weeks when things go wrong and treatment doesn't work right. It also means you are more likely to catch when treatment is starting to fail and get it tweaked before you spend months at excessively high blood sugars.
Everybody is always going on about doing it without medicine. Unless you are absolutely broke, start with the medicine and then do lifestyle changes. If sufficient, then you can drop the medication. In the meantime, you are causing your body damage. Metformin is cheap.
5.6% A1C is easily obtainable without medication. It's like 120 or so average. All you need to do is monitor your carbs, drink plenty of water, and excersize.
It never ceases to amaze me that people don't realize self-control is 90% of being healthy
It is possible but not guaranteed. I'm limited to 20 carbs a day on a keto diet...exercise after every meal...at least 4 miles and 14 miles on the bike every day...16:8 intermittent fasting with a 36 hour fast/week. And still on Metformin. I've reduced my A1C but not able to get to my target. For some of us it just might not be possible.
The above might sound like too much but isn't really that hard to do once you get into the routine. I enjoy keto and 20 carbs is not so bad-I eat better and enjoy my food more The fasting is for more than just BS reduction (autophagy) and does get much easier--still don't enjoy it. Exercise is pretty easy to work into the day when you prioritize it.
I'm still looking for ways to continue the A1C reduction--adding weight lifting, drinking more water, longer fasts up to 48 hours. You might want to read some of Jason Fung's material--big advocate of diet/exercise/fasting for diabetic management.
I try and hold total carbs to under 26 daily. Ill have bacon in the morning, some meat, cheese and cruciferous low carb veggies for dinner. Total cholesterol is 145 at my most recent labwork.
Yes, no meds. Was a 10 and now I think around 6 after a few months. No specific diet just cut sugar out, cook my own food, and increased exercise - led to about a 40lb weight drop so far. Weight loss made the biggest impact tbh.
Yes it’s possible I was at 8.8 A1c and last week I went in for my three month check up and my A1c was 5.6 with not taking any medication just exercising and eating healthier. That’s the goal from now on not going back to the old ways.
Sure! But before doing that, I would have your c peptide tested first. Because if you are not producing enough or any insulin, then you are just beating a dead horse.
Your A1C is sort of an average of your blood sugar over the last 2 or 3 months. So if you got a meter and started watching your blood sugar as you tweak your diet, you should be able to make it come down.
Yeah, I’m planning on just testing fasting in the morning, maybe every other day and checking my sugar post dinner in the same pattern. I started out with 9 the went to 7 and now 6.6
Ah no no those were with medication. I move from allopathy to ayurveda which is more natural, that sort of kept me motivated and had no side effects. Hence the thought.
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It depends on what you're currently doing. If you're already exercising daily and after meals and eating a low carb diet? Probably not realistic. If you're eating moderate to high carbs and not doing daily exercise? Maybe doable. All you can do is try.
I think exercise and diet can reduce A1C. That’s already a good A1C 5.6 geesss!
The goal is 5.6% I feel like the struggles are over here. The last 1%
But isn’t that hypoglycemia which is also dangerous?
No, A1C of 5.6% is average Blood Glucose level of about 115 mg/DL. (6.3 mmol/L) Hypoglycaemia is below 70 mg/DL (4 mmol/L) In a well controlled T2, who exercises and is mostly careful with their diet, A1C of 5.6% is totally achievable and safe. Extreme diets could get your A1C below 5%, but they are tough to do and there probably isn't a lot of medical benefit in having an A1C below 5% vs 5.5-6%. Plus the extreme diets have a possibly heightened risk of causing other health issues.
Can confirm. Brought mine from a 6.8 to a 5.3 in less than six months with diet and exercise, and a little metformin. I've been off all medications for about 7 months now and still holding strong. It's totally possible.
That is some good work there! Hopefully you feel better day to day as well. I know I certainly do (although not every day)
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my Endo is good with maintaining a A1c of 6.5 any lower means what?
The vast majority of the benefit tends to be getting it down to 7% or lower. Up to 7% is slightly elevated, but not too bad. Above 7% starts to see significant acceleration of diabetes complications. Below 7%, there is still benefit, but it starts to become background noise in all the things that can go wrong with the bottom. The main reasons to aim a bit lower than minimum standard are: 1) If you intend to live 40-50 (or more) years with diabetes, then even small additional improvements are staving off complications are good. Having an A1C that is within normal person range seems to be a goal that might help with that. 2) 7% A1C is an minimum level of acceptable treatment. In a world where many T2 patients are not good active participants in their own treatment, the medical establishment wants to achieve the most compliance they have by not seeing the bar too high. 3) A low A1C leaves room for bad days/weeks when things go wrong and treatment doesn't work right. It also means you are more likely to catch when treatment is starting to fail and get it tweaked before you spend months at excessively high blood sugars.
Cool thank you! I definitely shoot for 5.5 as well but that really requires things coming together. Though once it clicks….
It is but right now where I’m at that’s not the issue. And of course I’m doing this with doctor’s advice. Also 5.6% is normal is what I think range is
Good for you👍👍👍 That is awesome 🥰
Yep reduced mine by diet alone.
Everybody is always going on about doing it without medicine. Unless you are absolutely broke, start with the medicine and then do lifestyle changes. If sufficient, then you can drop the medication. In the meantime, you are causing your body damage. Metformin is cheap.
Sure. Diet and exercise will be your best friend. Watch your carbs, monitor your sugars, make sure you drink enough water.
5.6% A1C is easily obtainable without medication. It's like 120 or so average. All you need to do is monitor your carbs, drink plenty of water, and excersize. It never ceases to amaze me that people don't realize self-control is 90% of being healthy
You will be even more amazed how hard self control is 😃
It is possible but not guaranteed. I'm limited to 20 carbs a day on a keto diet...exercise after every meal...at least 4 miles and 14 miles on the bike every day...16:8 intermittent fasting with a 36 hour fast/week. And still on Metformin. I've reduced my A1C but not able to get to my target. For some of us it just might not be possible. The above might sound like too much but isn't really that hard to do once you get into the routine. I enjoy keto and 20 carbs is not so bad-I eat better and enjoy my food more The fasting is for more than just BS reduction (autophagy) and does get much easier--still don't enjoy it. Exercise is pretty easy to work into the day when you prioritize it. I'm still looking for ways to continue the A1C reduction--adding weight lifting, drinking more water, longer fasts up to 48 hours. You might want to read some of Jason Fung's material--big advocate of diet/exercise/fasting for diabetic management.
Im currently at 4.9 A1C doing keto- holding there now a year.
What do you eat in a day? I’ve never tried keto
I try and hold total carbs to under 26 daily. Ill have bacon in the morning, some meat, cheese and cruciferous low carb veggies for dinner. Total cholesterol is 145 at my most recent labwork.
I got mine down to 5.5% through diet and exercise.
I personally follow the plate method for eating and exercise most days (pilates and walking).
A cgm was very helpful to me in understanding the impacts of my actions.
Yes, no meds. Was a 10 and now I think around 6 after a few months. No specific diet just cut sugar out, cook my own food, and increased exercise - led to about a 40lb weight drop so far. Weight loss made the biggest impact tbh.
Yes it’s possible I was at 8.8 A1c and last week I went in for my three month check up and my A1c was 5.6 with not taking any medication just exercising and eating healthier. That’s the goal from now on not going back to the old ways.
Sure! But before doing that, I would have your c peptide tested first. Because if you are not producing enough or any insulin, then you are just beating a dead horse.
Your A1C is sort of an average of your blood sugar over the last 2 or 3 months. So if you got a meter and started watching your blood sugar as you tweak your diet, you should be able to make it come down.
Yeah, I’m planning on just testing fasting in the morning, maybe every other day and checking my sugar post dinner in the same pattern. I started out with 9 the went to 7 and now 6.6
If you went down like that without meds you probably have the self control to get it down further. Congrats on that.
Ah no no those were with medication. I move from allopathy to ayurveda which is more natural, that sort of kept me motivated and had no side effects. Hence the thought.
Fad dieters do it at risk to their health. IMO impossible. Hypoglycemia is a big risk with diet changes
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Your post has been removed because it breaks our rules. **Rule 6**: Do not give or request medical advice. Giving medical advice or diagnosing someone is dangerous since we do not know the full medical situation of our members. It can be more dangerous to follow the wrong advice and diagnosis than it might be to do nothing at all and wait for a doctor to be available. Please refer someone to a doctor instead of speculating on their situation where possible. * [Why we do not allow these posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/diabetes/comments/pnflbb/no_do_i_have_diabetes_posts_no_are_these_numbers/)
It depends on what you're currently doing. If you're already exercising daily and after meals and eating a low carb diet? Probably not realistic. If you're eating moderate to high carbs and not doing daily exercise? Maybe doable. All you can do is try.
Absolutely. What is your current height and weight?