People with type 2 diabetes may have red blood cells that don't live as long as those in healthy people—about 95 days compared to 100 days—suggesting their bodies replace blood cells faster.

If you have type 2 diabetes, having higher blood sugar over time might mean your red blood cells don’t live as long.

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.

In Japanese adults with type 1 diabetes, red blood cells live for about 74 days on average—ranging from 56 to 120 days—when measured using a special model that tracks blood sugar changes over time.

If you have type 2 diabetes and your red blood cells don’t live as long as they should—less than 90 days—you might be at higher risk for heart problems and nerve damage, possibly because doctors don’t get the full picture of your blood sugar levels over time.

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.