Diabetes, also called diabetes mellitus, is a condition that affects millions of people all over the world.
It can be difficult to manage, but with the right tools and information, it is possible to live a healthy life with diabetes.
One of the most important tools for managing diabetes is understanding fructosamine levels and hemoglobin A1C levels.
In this article, we will explain what fructosamine and hemoglobin A1C are, and discuss the relationship between these two measures.
We will also provide tips on how to test your fructosamine and hemoglobin A1C levels correctly.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects your body’s ability to process blood sugar also known as glucose.
There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile-onset diabetes, is usually diagnosed in children and young adults and occurs when the cells in your pancreas stop producing insulin.
If you have type 1 diabetes, you will need to take insulin for the rest of your life. Type 2 diabetes, which is more common, can develop at any age and is usually diagnosed in adults.
With type 2 diabetes, your body does not produce enough insulin or the cells in your body are resistant to the effects of insulin, which is also known as insulin resistance.
Insulin is a hormone that your body uses to take glucose from your bloodstream and convert it into energy.
The best way to treat diabetes is through continuous glucose monitoring and taking any insulin or medications your doctor prescribes.
If left untreated or if you have undiagnosed diabetes, it can lead to chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, heart disease, stroke, and other serious health problems.
What is fructosamine?
Fructosamine is a glycation product and it forms when glucose binds to proteins.
Fructosamine levels reflect average blood sugar levels over the past two to three weeks and are used to help manage diabetes.
When your fructosamine levels are high, it means that you have too many glycated proteins and your blood sugar levels have been high over the past two to three weeks and this can be a sign that your diabetes is not under control.
Conversely, when your fructosamine levels are low, it means that your blood sugar levels have been low over the past two to three weeks and this can be a sign that you have an average blood glucose level.
Average glucose levels are between 210 to 421 millimoles per liter (mmol/L) while if you are diabetic and do not control your fructosamine, your levels may stray from the normal range and be anywhere from 268 to 870 millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
What is hemoglobin A1C?
Hemoglobin A1C is a measure of your average blood sugar levels, also called HbA1c levels, over the past three months.
After ingesting food or drink, your body produces glucose that attaches itself to a protein called hemoglobin in your red blood cells.
The hemoglobin A1C test measures what percentage of your blood cells have glucose attached to them. When your hemoglobin A1C levels are high, it means that your blood sugar levels have been high over the past three months and this can be a sign that your diabetes does not have glucose control.
Similar to your fructosamine levels, when your hemoglobin A1C levels are low, it means that your blood sugar levels have been low over the past three months and this can be a sign that your diabetes is under control. Whether you have diabetes or not, a normal hemoglobin A1C level is under 5.7%.
If you are in the range of 5.7 to 6.4% then you have prediabetes, which is a condition where your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.
If you have a hemoglobin A1C level of over 6.4% then you are diagnosed with diabetes.
What is the relationship between fructosamine to A1C?
The fructosamine to hemoglobin A1C conversion is used to estimate the average plasma glucose concentration, which is the amount of blood sugar in the liquid portion of your blood and not the red blood cells, over a period of time that corresponds to the life span of erythrocytes.
Erythrocytes, which are your red blood cells and contain hemoglobin, have a life span of approximately 120 days, therefore fructosamine and hemoglobin A1C have a linear correlation that can be used as an estimate for plasma glucose concentrations over the past four months.
The fructosamine to hemoglobin A1C conversion is used by clinicians to help make treatment decisions in patients with diabetes.
How do you test your fructosamine levels?
Fructosamine concentration levels can be measured with a simple blood test and are used to help manage diabetes as a measure of glycemic control, meaning how much control you have over your blood glucose levels.
Your doctor will take a sample of your blood and then send it to a lab where it will be tested for fructosamine measurements which can be used to help with the diagnosis of diabetes or the management of diabetes and how you will proceed with your diabetes care.
How do you test your hemoglobin A1C levels?
Hemoglobin A1C levels can also be measured with a blood test, also called glycated hemoglobin test, HbA1c, or glycohemoglobin test, which helps determine how well your diabetes is being controlled by measuring your glycated hemoglobin levels.
Just like with your fructosamine blood sample, a sample of your blood will be taken and then sent to a lab where it will be tested for hemoglobin A1C levels.
The test can also be done in the office with some machines that measure hemoglobin A1C levels if your doctor or health care provider has one available.
What is the difference between a hemoglobin A1C test and a fructosamine test?
The main difference between a fructosamine test and a hemoglobin A1C test is the time frame that each test covers.
A fructosamine test measures your average blood glucose levels over the past two to three weeks while a hemoglobin A1C test measures your average blood sugar levels over the past three months. Fructosamine tests are used to help manage diabetes on a short-term basis while hemoglobin A1C tests are used to measure long-term glycemic control.
However, there is a correlation between fructosamine and hemoglobin A1C, which means that if your fructosamine levels are high, your hemoglobin A1C levels are likely high as well, meaning that your blood sugar levels have been elevated over the past three months.
Both fructosamine and hemoglobin A1C tests are important in helping to manage and determine the treatment of diabetes.
Are there other tests to check blood glucose levels?
Yes, there are other tests to check blood glucose concentration levels.
The most common test is the fasting blood sugar test, which measures your blood sugar after you have fasted for at least eight hours.
There is also the random blood sugar test, which measures your blood sugar at any time of day, and the oral glucose tolerance test, which measures your blood sugar after you have fasted for at least eight hours and then drink a sugary liquid.
All of these tests can help to diagnose diabetes or prediabetes. If you have any concerns about your blood sugar levels, be sure to talk to your doctor.
Summary
Diabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Fructosamine and hemoglobin A1C tests are both used to help manage diabetes.
The fructosamine to hemoglobin A1C conversion is used to estimate the average plasma glucose concentration over a period of time that corresponds to the lifespan of erythrocytes, also called red blood cells with the protein hemoglobin, with the average erythrocyte lifespan being 120 days.
Both can be measured by blood tests which help determine how well your diabetes is being controlled.
The main difference between a fructosamine test and a hemoglobin A1C test is the time frame that each test covers. A fructosamine test measures your average blood glucose levels over the past two to three weeks while a hemoglobin A1C test measures your average blood sugar levels over the past three months.
If you have any more questions about fructosamine, hemoglobin A1C, or their corresponding tests, please consult with your doctor, health care provider, or diabetes management team.
References and sources:
BMJ Journals
CDC
Verywell Health
Medscape
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Diabetic.org is devoted to producing expert and accurate articles and information for our readers by hiring experts, journalists, medical professionals, and our growing Diabetic.org community. We encourage you to read more about our content, editing, and fact checking methods here. This was fact checked by Jacqueline Hensler and medically reviewed by Dr. Angel Rivera.
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