7 Proven Tips to Lower Your Hemoglobin A1C Levels

If you have prediabetes, diabetes, or are at risk of developing either, your healthcare professional may have mentioned your hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C or A1C) levels. You may have learned that your A1C should be lower. If you’re still unsure exactly what an A1C is and how you can lower it, read on for a simple explanation and seven reliable tips.

How to lower hemoglobin A1C levels 

It’s important to understand that lowering your A1C levels is a gradual and slow process. And, your A1C, unlike a blood glucose test, measures your average blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months. This means it can take up to 3 months to notice significant changes in your A1C. 

Here are seven different ways you can work on lowering your A1C over time.

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1. Diet

Diet is an important factor when it comes to your blood sugar. You probably know that carbohydrates (sugars) can raise your blood sugar levels. But your body also needs a certain amount of carbs to function properly. A tip for meeting your body’s needs while moderating how much carb you have is to eat more protein, nonstarchy vegetables, and low-sugar fruits. You can prioritize eating:

• Nuts 

• Legumes like beans and lentils

• Poultry, such as meat and eggs

• Vegetables like leafy greens, bell peppers, and squash

• Berries

• Cheese

Do your best to avoid carbs and ultra-processed foods, such as:

• Candies

• Cakes

• White bread

• Rice

• Pasta

As you check your glucose levels after meals, you should start to see patterns in how specific foods affect you. 

2. Exercise

Your body normally produces a hormone called insulin. It helps the glucose move from your blood to your cells to use for energy. With diabetes, the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin, or the body doesn’t respond to it normally. This is also known as insulin resistance. It’s one of the causes of high blood glucose and high A1C levels. Exercise can help to lower A1C levels by jumpstarting your body’s natural insulin activity. 

As a general rule, doing physical activity if you have diabetes is important. Recommendations include at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. This can be broken down into 20- to 25-minute segments of activity every day. Examples include:

• Brisk walking

• Cycling

• Swimming

• Housework

• Dancing

3. Weight loss

Weight loss may not be one of your personal health goals. But, there’s a link between diabetes and weight. You’re more likely to have diabetes if you have excess body fat. Other factors come into play, too, like your age, genetics, and ethnicity.  

There’s evidence that if you have a higher risk for diabetes and you have excess weight, then weight loss can help. Losing between 5% and 7% may be enough to lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes. 

If you already have Type 2 diabetes, then weight loss can help you lower the quantity or frequency of your medications. 

Prioritizing a diabetes-friendly diet and doing regular exercise can help you feel better and improve your A1C. But typically, these lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough to achieve lasting weight loss. Luckily, there’s a growing list of diabetes medications that help with weight loss. From the decades-old metformin to newer injectable medications like semaglutide (Ozempic), you’ll find something that works for you. 

4. Medications for high A1C

For people with Type 1 diabetes, and some people with Type 2 diabetes, medications may be needed to help lower A1C. You have to take these medications consistently for them to work. Whether you feel fine, you’re at risk for serious complications if your A1C levels are high. Take your medications the way they’re prescribed to you. If side effects or cost concerns keep you from taking your medications, let your healthcare professional know.

5. Follow up with your medical team

Communication with your primary care provider or diabetes care team is important in monitoring your A1C levels and your diabetes treatment. Your medical team may schedule an appointment with you every 2 to 3 months. That’s because it takes about that long to see changes in your A1C. Attending these follow-up visits can help you find out if your A1C levels are headed in the right direction.

6. Manage stress and mental health

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), stress can directly affect your blood sugar levels. When your body is under stress, it gets ready to either fight or run from the source of stress. Your body needs energy in the form of glucose to do this, so a hormone called cortisol is released to raise sugar levels in your blood. In turn, this makes your A1C go up, too. 

Since day-to-day life can be stressful, finding ways to manage and lower stress is key to maintaining healthy A1C levels. You might enjoy calming activities like:

• Walking

• Reading

• Singing

• Knitting

• Writing

Try a few different soothing activities to discover what type of stress management works best for you.

7. Find a community for diabetes self-management

If you have prediabetes or diabetes, you’re not alone. Connecting with others in similar situations can be an effective way to find support, stress relief, and accountability. Plus, you’ll likely learn tips and strategies that can help you better manage your diabetes. Ask your healthcare professional about support groups or meetups for people with diabetes.

What is hemoglobin A1C?

Your bloodstream is full of red blood cells. Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout your body. Glucose (sugar) also travels through your blood and can bind with hemoglobin. When the two come together, they create what’s called hemoglobin A1C. This is also known as glycosylated hemoglobin.

You may be wondering why your healthcare professional orders A1C testing every few months. It’s because the life of a red blood cell is about 3 months. Glucose that sticks to the cells during this period of time provides the average A1C value. 

How are hemoglobin A1C levels measured?

An A1C test measures the amount of glycosylated hemoglobin in your blood. Your A1C is written as a percentage and gives you an idea of how well managed your blood sugar levels are over a period of 2 to 3 months. It’s also one of the numbers healthcare professionals use to diagnose prediabetes or diabetes.

How is the A1C test different from a blood sugar finger prick?

To measure your A1C level or blood glucose, you’ll have a finger-prick test or blood drawn from a vein. An A1C test is different from a blood glucose test. Here’s how:

• A blood glucose test tells you what your glucose is right now.

• An A1C test gives an average blood glucose level over a long period of time.

Both of these tests provide important information about your body’s ability to regulate blood glucose.

What does it mean to have high or low A1C?

Having a high A1C value means that you have too much sugar in your blood and may have prediabetes or diabetes. Let’s take a look at the A1C target numbers: 

• A normal A1C is below 5.7%.

• If your A1C is between 5.7% and 6.4%, this suggests that you have prediabetes.

• If your A1C is 6.5% or higher, this suggests that you have diabetes.

If you have diabetes, your treatment goals will target a certain A1C level. If, despite treatment, your A1C is higher than what’s safe for you, that’s a sign you and your care team need to make some changes. 

This is important because high glucose levels in the body can raise your risk of: 

• Nerve pain

• Heart disease

• Kidney disease

• Eye disease

The ADA sets guidelines for healthy A1C targets in people with diabetes. Based on your medical history and other current medical conditions, your healthcare professional may prefer that you aim for a less strict or more strict A1C.

For an average, nonpregnant adult diagnosed with diabetes, the ADA recommends a target A1C of less than 7%. Older adults with several medical problems or cognitive/functional issues may have higher A1C goals in the range of 8% to 8.5%. 

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Written by:

Jewels Doskicz, RN, BA

Jewels Doskicz, RN, BA, is an Arizona-based registered nurse with 22 years of hospital-wide clinical nursing experience and 11 years of medical writing and editing experience. She was a former healthcare content creator for a digital health tool at HealthLoop and director of clinical content operations at GetWellNetwork.

Edited by:

Sophie Vergnaud, MD

Sophie Vergnaud, MD, is the Senior Medical Director for GoodRx Health. An experienced and dedicated pulmonologist and hospitalist, she spent a decade practicing and teaching clinical medicine at academic hospitals throughout London before transitioning to a career in health education and health technology.

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