What Is a Healthy Hemoglobin A1c Level? Symptoms of elevated A1c, Defined Ranges, Targets, & Next Steps

Admin
Oct 25
2 min read

Hemoglobin A1c is a reading for what percentage of your red blood cells are glycated (covered in sugar). This is a great indicator for a person's 3-month average for blood sugars.

An A1c <5.7 is within ideal limits

A1c 5.7-6.4 Indicates Prediabetes

A1c >6.4 indicates Diabetes

A1c and Estimated Average Glucose Levels

	A1c Percentage	Estimated Average Glucose (EAG)
In-range	<5.7%	<117 mg/dL
Prediabetes	5.7-6.4%	117-137 mg/dL
Diabetes	>6.4%	>137 mg/dL
	6.5%	140 mg/dL
	7%	154 mg/dL
	7.5%	169 mg/dL
	8%	183 mg/dL
	8.5%	197 mg/dL
	9%	212 mg/dL
	9.5%	226 mg/dL
	10%	240 mg/dL

Chart with ranges from Cleveland Clinic

Symptoms of High Blood Sugar

Increased thirst (polydipsia)
Increased urination / peeing
Blurry vision
Fatigue
Nausea

Factors that Increase Risk of Elevated A1c

Age (>35)
Obesity
History of Gestational Diabetes
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Presence of Hyperlipidemia (HLD) or Hypertension (HTN)
Family history of Type 2 Diabetes

How to Manage A1c Levels

Diet - work with a Registered Dietitian to determine the best way to balance your diet and weight in a way that is optimal for your lifestyle and needs
Exercise
Weight loss (if indicated)
Sleep and stress regulation

Resources

Eyth E, Zubair M, Naik R. Hemoglobin A1C. 2025 Jun 2. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 31747223. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31747223/

Kojić Damjanov S, Đerić M, Eremić Kojić N. Glycated hemoglobin A1c as a modern biochemical marker of glucose regulation. Med Pregl. 2014 Sep-Oct;67(9-10):339-44. PMID: 25546982. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25546982/

Eyth E, Zubair M, Naik R. Hemoglobin A1C. [Updated 2025 Jun 2]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549816/

Ding L, Xu Y, Liu S, Bi Y, Xu Y. Hemoglobin A1c and diagnosis of diabetes. J Diabetes. 2018 May;10(5):365-372. doi: 10.1111/1753-0407.12640. Epub 2018 Feb 9. PMID: 29292842. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29292842/

InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Type 2 diabetes: Learn More – Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes. [Updated 2023 Dec 18]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279510/

Mouri MI, Badireddy M. Hyperglycemia. [Updated 2023 Apr 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430900/

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