7 replies to this topic

[brosci]

In this study: http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC3447844/ the lowest mortality risk is mentioned at an a1c of 5.0 - 5.7%.

 

In this study: http://care.diabetes...4-1787.abstract the lowest mortality risk is mentioned at an a1c of 5.4-5.6%.

 

In this study: http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/21505211, the lowest mortality risk is mentioned at an a1c of 6.0 - 9%.

 

This study mentions increased mortality with fasting glucose under 5mmol/l (90 mg/dl) with a lower risk of mortality with fasting glucose up around 99mg/dL: http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC2911067/

 

Currently, my fasting glucose upon waking is in the 80's (at the doc's office, I've seen it at 87, and on my home glucometer, I've seen at 81.)  Before breakfast and after exercise, I've seen it around 70-75 mg/dL (with no real feelings of hypoglycemia or hunger.)  My A1C currently tests at 5.3%, and I eat upwards of 200g of carbohydrate in my meals, with upwards of 300-400g of carbohydrates in the day, and ~100 grams of fat.

 

I'm wondering if it would be more optimal for heart-health / longevity to try to get my A1C closer down to 5.0%, by increasing fat well over 100 grams per day and cutting back on fruits / starches.  Would it be more optimal to further restrict these and get it down below 5.0%?  I currently eat 2 to 3 square meals in a 8hr eating window.  Occasionally with a meal, I see blood glucose spike over 140 mg/dL and stay up around 105 mg/dL for several hours, other times, I don't see a spike too much higher than 110 mg/dL and I'm back down in the 70-80's within an hour or two with a meal containing greater amounts of similar carbohydrates -- I'm not sure what's going on there.

 

Would it be more optimal to cut back closer to a 4hr eating window?  Or 1 meal a day?  Or increase this to several small meals per day?  Am I better combining fats with insulinogenic carbohydrates / proteins, or am I better eating low-carb meals or high-carb meals?

 

I'm looking for any tips to try to optimize my numbers.

Edited by brosci, 03 November 2015 - 10:50 PM.

[TheFountain]

Mine was 4.2 Last time I had it tested, and my post prandial glucose was like 93. 

 

The reason it was 93 is because I forgot I was suppose to fast for the blood work and I ate a nice meal like an hour prior to the testing. I think my resting glucose is like 80 or something. 

 

I think you have nothing to worry about with A1C unless you're well beyond the 7% range or close to it. 

[ForeverBulking]

Mine was 4.2 Last time I had it tested, and my post prandial glucose was like 93. 

 

The reason it was 93 is because I forgot I was suppose to fast for the blood work and I ate a nice meal like an hour prior to the testing. I think my resting glucose is like 80 or something. 

 

I think you have nothing to worry about with A1C unless you're well beyond the 7% range or close to it. 

 

What and how much do you eat? Are you on a low or high carb diet? Restricted calories? Exercise?

 

I am an athlete, super lean, and I consume 400 grams of carbs from beans, fruits, sweet potatoes, and my A1C was 5.6 which I thought was a bit high.

[TheFountain]

 

Mine was 4.2 Last time I had it tested, and my post prandial glucose was like 93. 

 

The reason it was 93 is because I forgot I was suppose to fast for the blood work and I ate a nice meal like an hour prior to the testing. I think my resting glucose is like 80 or something. 

 

I think you have nothing to worry about with A1C unless you're well beyond the 7% range or close to it. 

 

What and how much do you eat? Are you on a low or high carb diet? Restricted calories? Exercise?

 

I am an athlete, super lean, and I consume 400 grams of carbs from beans, fruits, sweet potatoes, and my A1C was 5.6 which I thought was a bit high.

 

I ate like 4 soft boiled eggs drenched in High phenol extra virgin olive oil, and a Banana. 

 

I was surprised it was 93 after a meal. I patted myself on the back for that. I mean i'm still young too so that could be it also. Not sure, but won't complain. 

[albedo]

I also always wondered how representative A1C is for our glycation status but never found a satisfying answer. Just in case some of you have researched on it ....

[pamojja]

HbA1c can be tricky. Glycated Hemoglobin depends on the life-cycle of red blood cells, which in average last about 3 months and therefore is taken as the average exposure to blood glucose during that time. However, there are factors that change that time. For example low-carb allegedly makes red blood cells live longer, and through the longer exposure-time more glycated. Or, for example in my case, high dose vitamin C was inhibiting HbA1c in relation to a pre-diabetic fasting blood sugar, ie. 124 mg/dl (the average measured during 1 month) vs. 5.1% of HbA1c. And the reverse this year with my erstwhile highest HbA1c of 6.2% compared with a fasting blood sugar of 94 (avg. for 3 weeks).

 

Therefore it's always good to know the factors which could falsify it.

Edited by pamojja, 16 November 2015 - 08:45 PM.

[TheFountain]

I also always wondered how representative A1C is for our glycation status but never found a satisfying answer. Just in case some of you have researched on it ....

Well definitely more representative than ordinary blood glucose readings since it shows how your hemoglobin is reacting to insulin spikes over the course of several months. 

[albedo]

 

I also always wondered how representative A1C is for our glycation status but never found a satisfying answer. Just in case some of you have researched on it ....

Well definitely more representative than ordinary blood glucose readings since it shows how your hemoglobin is reacting to insulin spikes over the course of several months. 

 

 

Yes, I fully agree with you. But I was wondering about a more general marker to probe our overall glycation in all our tissues. Say you want to test effectiveness of a new drug able to break glucosepane, which does not exists today that I know, or say you want to test effectiveness of aminoguanidine to prevent cross linkage. Would A1C be the marker to follow or is that too specific to hemoglobin and only an indication, despite correlated, of a more global status? I did not research much but recall few years ago playing with the usual supplements supposedly helping in reducing glycation and yet not seeing an effect on A1C: were they not effective for me or wrongly dosed or simply was A1C not sensitive enough to detect a benefit?