Some people with chronic inflammation and certain blood and pancreas conditions might have normal blood sugar readings on standard A1c tests, even though their actual blood sugar is high — because inflammation makes red blood cells die faster, so there's less time for sugar to stick to them.

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 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.

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 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.

If your red blood cells live longer, they soak up more sugar over time, which can make your HbA1c blood test go up — even if your average blood sugar hasn't actually changed.