How does a blood sugar test work?
If you are interested in your average blood glucose levels or if you want to gain insight into your body’s glycemic control, an HbA1c blood test that you can perform from home is a simple, effective testing method. An HbA1c blood test is used, among other things, to diagnose diabetes and to monitor people with diabetes.
An HbA1c test is a blood test that measures the average blood glucose (blood sugar) value over the past 3 months. Glucose is a sugar in the blood that sticks to hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells. The more glucose there is in the blood, the more red blood cells will have glucose-coated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Red blood cells have a lifespan of approximately 3 months and are constantly renewing in the body. The test result will indicate whether your average blood glucose value over the past 3 months is within or outside the reference values. If your HbA1c value is too high, this can mean you may have diabetes or pre-diabetes.
What is HbA1c?
Assessing blood sugar level with an HbA1c test is different from using a blood glucose meter (or glucometer) to measure your blood sugar. A glucose meter measures your blood glucose levels at that moment, providing a snapshot of blood sugar level. However, blood sugar levels can change significantly during the day in response to the composition of the different meals you eat and your level of physical activity. Since an HbA1c test provides an average of blood sugar levels over the past three months, it can be useful for long-term preventive monitoring. HbA1c tests are often used to diagnose diabetes, as well as monitor the treatment of diabetes and pre-diabetes.
Another useful self test from our General Health Tests category is our Preventive Health Screening. With this test, you can not only check your HbA1c, but also many other important biomarkers!
What’s in the test kit?
This diabetes test kit contains
- Instructions for use
- Lancets to collect a small blood sample
- A dry blood spot blood collection card
- Alcohol wipes
- Band-aids
- A protective transport bag
- A return envelope to send your sample to a certified partner laboratory
What is the test process for Homed-IQ’s Blood Sugar Test?
Homed-IQ’s Blood Sugar Test comes with everything you need to successfully take a blood sample from home. Simply activate your test and follow the supplied instructions to collect the sample and then send it to our certified laboratory using the prepaid shipping label. The results will be available within a few days of arriving in the lab.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when blood sugar (glucose) is too high. This may be due to insufficient insulin production by the pancreas or insufficient use of insulin by the body. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to serious complications such as kidney damage, neuropathy, blindness and cardiovascular disease.
Diabetes comes in two forms type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which your body attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes needs to be managed by regularly taking insulin to control blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body is unable to make enough insulin or use insulin effectively. Type 2 diabetes may come on more gradually than Type 1, making it hard to recognise in the beginning. Type 2 diabetes can be managed with lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, and weight loss) or medication. People with type 2 diabetes can also take insulin.
What is prediabetes?
Prediabetes occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. People with prediabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as well as other health problems such as cardiovascular disease. An HbA1C level between 6.0% and 6.5% often indicates prediabetes, also known as the stage before type 2 diabetes.
Without lifestyle changes, both adults and children with prediabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Long-term damage from diabetes – particularly to the heart, blood vessels and kidneys – may have already begun in prediabetes. However, there is good news prediabetes is reversible through lifestyle changes, such as adequate exercise and weight loss.
