A1C

[NotSoSweet]

I have not touched anything with sugar in it for 4 months, and my carb intake is minimal.
Meats, dairy, nuts, veggies, salads. Moderately active. Recent 25 lb wt loss.
A1C 5.7!
BG 78
How to get that A1C down?
Or don't sweat it.

 

[murphey]

I have not touched anything with sugar in it for 4 months, and my carb intake is minimal.
Meats, dairy, nuts, veggies, salads. Moderately active. Recent 25 lb wt loss.
A1C 5.7!
BG 78
How to get that A1C down?
Or don't sweat it.

As long as your A1C is 6.4 or below (Dr B, please verify) you're good to go. I just bring a letter from my GP with the A1C test within a week or so, and no problem with the Class 3. OF course I've gone to BasicMed, but still make sure I keep the A1C down.

 

[Brad W]

sounds like you should be often in ketosis with the diet you describe. could be that you're eating too often so you're rarely if ever getting into ketosis.
The other thing I have learned is that it can take a long time for your body to get rid of stored glycogen, especially if you started this heavy...and a long time too, for your metabolism to shift so your body isn't looking for sugar as fuel. Did you know your body makes sugar from stores? If you eat often, snacking or frequent meals, your body can never work it's way through it's stored glycogen
If you aren't already, cut out the snacking. Nothing between meals...no sweet drinks or anything with calories.
Have you been checking for ketones &/or monitoring your glucose levels?

hbA1C of 5.7, I think means an average glucose level of about 117, if my google skills are correct.....
If you had a GC level of 78, I assume that was "fasting" for lab work. How long had you fasted to get there?

Also, seems to me that 4 months is still rather early on in the big scheme of things, depending on where you started, those numbers might be great... as far as I know, it takes more time than that to get settled in a keto diet... might just take a bit more time. When I started keto a little over a year ago, I was improving at 4 months but I did have a few hurdles as I recall about then.

What are you using as a guideline or motivaton for what you're doing?...and sort of program or book you're following?

 

[flyingron]

As Dr. B points out, it's the time under the curve that is damaging to your organs. Get the A1C down low and keep it there.
I had a Type I diabetic son. He went way out of control as a young adult, and even notwithstanding a kidney-pancreas transplant (after which he was first the first time in his life, not diabetic), he was dead at 40. Too much aggregate organ damage.

 

[wilkersk]

...

hbA1C of 5.7, I think means an average glucose level of about 117, if my google skills are correct.....
If you had a GC level of 78, I assume that was "fasting" for lab work. How long had you fasted to get there?

Also, seems to me that 4 months is still rather early on in the big scheme of things, depending on where you started, those numbers might be great... as far as I know, it takes more time than that to get settled in a keto diet... might just take a bit more time. When I started keto a little over a year ago, I was improving at 4 months but I did have a few hurdles as I recall about then.

What are you using as a guideline or motivaton for what you're doing?...and sort of program or book you're following?

My lowest blood sugar levels are in the afternoon, around 2-3pm. Its usually in the low 90s. But, I've had readings as low as 78. Its never there long, and I doubt I spend any time in ketosis. I can have a reading of 100 at bedtime (10pm), after having had a normal 6pm dinner. And, then have a waking reading of 130 at 6am the next morning. My last A1C was 5.6.

We don't all fit in a nice neat little box. There are just too many variables. It'd be interesting to see what his A1C is in another 3 months.

 

[lsaway]

I realize this is an old thread, but I haven't been here for awhile. In case the op is still following, I have a very similar situation to share:

Similar to the op, I live a very low carb lifestyle. My A1C has crept up to 5.7, which has always been normal prior to the diet changes 5 years ago. This seems to be a common occurrence with otherwise healthy low carbers. This has attracted the attention of some doctors whom are now studying it. Some theories are adaptive glucose sparing, or that red blood cells are living longer than 3 months, so they accumulate more glucose. Another common occurrence with the healthy, insulin sensitive low carbers is extremely low fasting insulin levels. Whatever the reason is, I don't sweat it anymore. I used to test my glucose often, but not so much anymore because it is also consistent. The conversion of 5.7 A1C to average glucose of 117 seems off to me considering my glucose monitoring. My glucose stays steady around 95ish between meals, and 105ish after meals. I I am insulin sensitive with very low fasting insulin. For now, I just politely listen to my doctors when they tell me to eat less sugar and carbs to get my A1C down. It is literally impossible to cut any more sugar and carbs down than I already have.

 

[Brad W]

I've been low carb/carnivore for about 14-15 months now. A while back I read Dr Boz's book, and her guidance about the need to continually stress metabolism. I started checking morning/"fasting" glucose fairly often. Weight has been stable/ideal for nearly a year. Many months ago I was seeing consistently very low glucose levels and higher ketone levels... with a gki fairly often <1. I was most days having only two meals a day. Lately I've not really seen gki numbers anywhere close to that low. AM Glucose is almost always around 100 now. Still eating <10g...more often <5g of carbs per day...but I've shifted to more than 2 meals a day most days. I noticed the numbers look much better on the days I get all my calories in two meals....which has been less and less often lately. I think there's something to this idea that Dr Boz teaches about the need to stress the metabolism regularly....and probably to keep stepping up the game as the body settles into new "normal" levels.... Stepping up the ladder on Dr Boz's Keto Continuum.

I've been toying with the idea of getting one of those continuous glucose monitors for a month or so, just to learn. I'm becoming more and more curious as to how my insulin response looks in various situations. Am I still insulin resistant to some degree? Insulin suppressed?

 

[PaulS]

I realize this is an old thread, but I haven't been here for awhile. In case the op is still following, I have a very similar situation to share:

Similar to the op, I live a very low carb lifestyle. My A1C has crept up to 5.7, which has always been normal prior to the diet changes 5 years ago. This seems to be a common occurrence with otherwise healthy low carbers. This has attracted the attention of some doctors whom are now studying it. Some theories are adaptive glucose sparing, or that red blood cells are living longer than 3 months, so they accumulate more glucose. Another common occurrence with the healthy, insulin sensitive low carbers is extremely low fasting insulin levels. Whatever the reason is, I don't sweat it anymore. I used to test my glucose often, but not so much anymore because it is also consistent. The conversion of 5.7 A1C to average glucose of 117 seems off to me considering my glucose monitoring. My glucose stays steady around 95ish between meals, and 105ish after meals. I I am insulin sensitive with very low fasting insulin. For now, I just politely listen to my doctors when they tell me to eat less sugar and carbs to get my A1C down. It is literally impossible to cut any more sugar and carbs down than I already have.

You know, I wonder about the conversion too. But I think the issue may be when you test your glucose. I wonder if you added readings from peak level after eating if that would bring the average closer to the calculated value?

I'm constantly just below the max limit on A1C, (last limit was 5.6 they keep lowering it). I'm hoping to get that down, I've added oatmeal for breakfast most days of the week, plus I regularly max out my workouts at least 3 or 4 times a week with walking and hiking in between.

We will see....

 

[lsaway]

I think getting your HOMA-IR score is a much better indicator than A1C alone. I think it is important to test your fasting insulin and use a HOMA-IR calculator to get your score.

I've been toying with the idea of getting one of those continuous glucose monitors for a month or so, just to learn. I'm becoming more and more curious as to how my insulin response looks in various situations. Am I still insulin resistant to some degree? Insulin suppressed?

This thread prompted me to do some frequent blood glucose testing over the last few days. I tested in the morning and before bed. I also tested 30, 60, & 120 minutes after meals. My highest bg reading was 102 and the lowest was 93. Highest being after the meals. I am very low carb, but in the past days I even upped my sugar a little with berries to see the reaction. I also went to a Chinese Buffet. Chinese food has a high glycemic index, but bg was 102 max. These readings are typical for me, yet still I tested an A1C of 5.7. My HOMA-IR was 0.8 last test.

 

[jbarrass]

......

I've been toying with the idea of getting one of those continuous glucose monitors for a month or so, just to learn. I'm becoming more and more curious as to how my insulin response looks in various situations. Am I still insulin resistant to some degree? Insulin suppressed?

My Doctor gave me a sample and I tracked mine using it for 14 days. It was fascinating and informative. See if your doctor has a sample.

 

[Kent Wien]

Dang, I thought this was a Husky thread.