If you have type 2 diabetes and your red blood cells don’t live as long—less than 75 days—your A1c test might not give a true picture of your blood sugar control, because the test could show lower numbers than reality.

Lots of people with type 2 diabetes have red blood cells that don’t live as long as usual, and because of that, their A1c blood sugar test might show lower numbers than reality — meaning the test could be misleading for many.

If you have type 2 diabetes and your red blood cells don’t live as long, your actual blood sugar might be higher than what your A1c test shows — meaning the A1c test could be misleading for some people.

If someone with type 2 diabetes has red blood cells that don't live as long as usual, their A1c test might show better blood sugar control than they actually have — meaning doctors could miss signs of high blood sugar over time.

If you have type 2 diabetes, higher blood sugar might make your red blood cells die faster, which could mess up the accuracy of your A1c test — a common way doctors check long-term blood sugar control.

There's a new math formula that fixes HbA1c blood sugar readings for people with type 2 diabetes when their red blood cells don't live as long as usual — this could give a more accurate picture of their blood sugar control.