/WHAT_IT_IS
HbA1c measures average blood sugar over the prior 3 months by tracking glycated hemoglobin. It's the gold standard for diagnosing and monitoring diabetes.
/NORMAL_RANGE
Reference: <5.7%. 5.7–6.4% = prediabetes. ≥6.5% on two occasions = diabetes. Optimal for most men: 5.0–5.4%.
What does high HbA1c mean?
- +Insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, chronic high-carb intake, weight gain.
- +Polycythemia/high RBC can falsely lower A1c — interpret with caution on TRT.
What does low HbA1c mean?
- +Anemia, hemolysis, recent blood loss (artifactually low).
- +Genuinely good glycemic control.
/ON_TRT
TRT typically improves insulin sensitivity and reduces HbA1c by 0.2–0.5% over 12 months. However, the high hematocrit common on TRT can falsely lower A1c readings — if your A1c trends down while glucose stays the same, look at HCT before celebrating.
/RELATED
/TRACK_THIS
Track HbA1c in the app.
Upload your lab PDF — MyTRT extracts every marker with Gemini Vision. Charts, trends, and TRT-aware insights. Free on iOS and Android.