Glycated
hemoglobin tests carry (memory)
of the average blood glucose for the past 2 to 3 months, because the
hemoglobin has an approximate 90 day life.
Red blood cell
contains hemoglobin its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to all
the cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with
sugars such as glucose.
If the blood glucose is high, this
excess glucose enters in to red blood cells and links up (glycates)
with molecules of hemoglobin. If there is more glucose in
blood
then more hemoglobin got glycated. This measure gives average
blood glucose for past 2 to 3 months. We must thank this hemoglobin
glycates, because they act as memory and present us an average blood
glucose value.
How A1C
carries average blood glucose for 2 - 3 months
Hemoglobin
containing red blood cell has a life span of approximately 90 day. If
one’s blood glucose is maintained high in the first month then more
hemoglobin get glycated with excess glucose. Suppose next two month
blood glucose level in maintained in normal then there will not be any
excess of glucose get glycated with hemoglobin. Still first month
glycated hemoglobin’s are still available in the blood.
As
said before once the life span of hemoglobin containing red blood cell
has completed, it is replaced with the newer one. And thus old glycated
hemoglobin data get updated. Thus A1C blood test shows mean value of
blood glucose level for last 90 days or 3 months.
