Why HbA1c Can Be Wrong in Diabetes
Rectify the impact of shorter red blood cell lifespan upon HbA1c detection values in T2DM patients: modeling and internal-external verification
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
High blood sugar may shorten red blood cell lifespan, creating a vicious cycle that makes HbA1c tests even less accurate.
Most people assume HbA1c is a stable, reliable marker — but this shows high glucose actively distorts its own measurement by killing red blood cells faster.
Practical Takeaways
If your A1c is low but your daily glucose readings are high, ask your doctor about factors like RBC lifespan that could be skewing the result.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
High blood sugar may shorten red blood cell lifespan, creating a vicious cycle that makes HbA1c tests even less accurate.
Most people assume HbA1c is a stable, reliable marker — but this shows high glucose actively distorts its own measurement by killing red blood cells faster.
Practical Takeaways
If your A1c is low but your daily glucose readings are high, ask your doctor about factors like RBC lifespan that could be skewing the result.
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Endocrinology
Year
2025
Authors
Li Zhang, Ximan Gao, Xuying Meng, Guangyang Ma, Jing Li, Weilin Wang, Sisi Chen, Yongjian Ma, Pei Yu, Saijun Zhou
Related Content
Claims (7)
If your red blood cells live longer or shorter than average, your A1C test might not give a true picture of your average blood sugar levels.
If you have type 2 diabetes and your red blood cells don’t live very long, there’s a math formula that can give a better picture of your blood sugar control by adjusting your HbA1c test result.
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 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.
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.