The Best Way to Monitor Your Blood Sugar Levels
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I know many of you are interested in ways to monitor your blood sugar levels so I wanted to share a test I recently learned about from Labcorp OnDemand. Before I share, I thought it would be good to provide some background.
What is A1c?
Hemoglobin is a type of protein found in red blood cells. A test called Hemoglobin A1C (or HbA1c or A1C) measures the percentage of sugar-coated red blood cells. When sugar molecules attach to HbA, it’s called “glycated.” A high percentage of glycated HbA in your blood can be a sign that your blood sugar levels have been high over time. The higher the percentage, the higher your blood sugar levels are. A1c tests can help track your blood sugar levels over time and see how well you are managing them.
Why is it important to know your A1c level?
Your HbA1c level is a good way to understand if you are pre-diabetic or if your pre-diabetic and diabetic levels are changing over time. A high HbA1c level may be a sign that your blood sugar levels have been consistently high and that your diabetes is not under control. A lower HbA1c level may mean that your diabetes is under control.
Can you test your A1c at home?
Yes.
Many people know Labcorp from when you go to a doctor, and they collect your specimen in-office or write a prescription for you to visit one of their nearly 2,000 Labcorp locations for the blood draw. The great news is that they have expanded their offering and you can now purchase your own tests online using a credit card. The tests are usually HSA and FSA eligible – check with your plan to be sure.
Here are a few of Labcorp’s options:
- They recently launched a Diabetes Risk (HbA1c) At-Home Collection Test where they will ship a kit directly to your home. The kit has a special device that makes collecting your sample easy (just a few drops from a fingertip!) and keeps the sample secure. The technology separates the blood sample, allowing for more comprehensive testing and accurate results. After you send it back to Labcorp in a pre-paid envelope, they will post the results to your secure online account in 1-2 days after receipt at the lab.
- If you don’t want to prick your own finger (it’s not for everyone), you can purchase the test and visit one of their nearly 2,000 Labcorp locations across the US (a trained phlebotomist will do the blood draw) They even have locations inside several hundred Walgreens. You can find a Labcorp location near you by visiting their lab finder page.
- And lastly, if you don’t want to or can’t leave your home and are not interested in collecting the specimen yourself, they have a partnership with Getlabs where a phlebotomist will visit your home and do the specimen collection. They then bring it to Labcorp and it runs through the normal process. This is an additional price, although it’s not very costly considering the added convenience ($25), so it’s a great option for people who have busy schedules, mobility issues, chronic conditions, or are immunocompromised. You can see if they are servicing your city by visiting Labcorp.com/Getlabs.
The Labcorp results are easy to interpret and you can look at the bar graph to see where you fall in the ranges. If there is an abnormal result, you may want to consult with your doctor to see what is recommended. For those who are pre-diabetic, you may be able to make lifestyle changes (exercise, nutrition, etc.) that can influence the levels. If you have diabetes, see your doctor for treatment recommendations.
Remember – If you are concerned about pre-diabetes, you can use an HbA1c test to check your status.
I recommend you check out Labcorp OnDemand’s HbA1c test – either through a Labcorp visit or at-home collection. They also have some other wellness tests that may be of interest – Indoor and Outdoor Allergy Test, Colorectal Cancer Screening (At-Home Kit), Men’s and Women’s Health Tests (comprehensive screenings that also includes a diabetes risk assessment), and more!
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