Blood sugar
What is HbA1c?
long-term blood sugar
- Unit
- mmol/mol
- Sample
- Whole blood
- Fasting
- No fasting needed
- Turnaround
- 2 days
HbA1c shows your average blood sugar over the last 8-12 weeks. It is the primary diabetes screen and the standard measure of diabetes control.
Glucose attaches to haemoglobin in red blood cells and stays for the life of that cell (about three months). HbA1c therefore gives a smoothed picture of blood sugar over time. Fasting is not required and a single meal will not skew the result.
What does low HbA1c mean?
Very low HbA1c is uncommon and can reflect conditions affecting red cell lifespan, such as haemolysis or pregnancy.
What does high HbA1c mean?
Raised HbA1c means average blood sugar has been higher than ideal. Values of 42-47 mmol/mol are pre-diabetic; 48 and above meet the diagnostic threshold for diabetes. HbA1c responds to lifestyle change within months.
Panels that measure HbA1c
- Heart Test Base
- Blood Sugar Base
- Health Check Base
- Liver Test
- Blood Sugar Test Plus
- Performance Test Plus
- Health Check Plus
- Stress Test Plus
- Heart Test Plus
- Performance Test Complete
- Heart Test Complete
- Female Hormone Test Complete
- Stress Test Complete
- Blood Sugar Test Complete
- Health Check Complete
- Health Check Man
- Health Check Kvinna
Reading
- Tired all the time? The blood values that can explain why
- PCOS and blood tests: the values that bring clarity
- Men's health after 40: values worth following every year
- What is included in a blood test health check?
- HbA1c: what your value means
- Blood tests without a referral: how it works in Sweden
- How we work with reference intervals
More markers in the same area
Launching in Stockholm in 2026.
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This is general information about the marker, not an assessment of your values and not medical advice. Last updated: August 2026.