Is HbA1c 100% reliable test to diagnose or ... - Diabetes India

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Is HbA1c 100% reliable test to diagnose or monitor diabetes?

patliputra profile image
45 Replies

Any thoughts.

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patliputra
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45 Replies
patliputra profile image
patliputra

If conditions can be attached,then how it could be reliable?

kcpl profile image
kcpl

I always remember reading that anemia (or anything that shorten rbc life) always leads to Low A1C as against High mentioned here. So that's a news to me.

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer in reply tokcpl

Yes anemia will show lower Hba1c than actual BS control.

patliputra profile image
patliputra

The basis of this test is that it assumes that life of RBC' s is 120 days.Life of red cells in normal persons is longer,may be upto 146 days and in diabetics it may be as short as 81 days. Longer the life of red cells ,longer will be glycation leading to higher reading even in normal person, where as opposite is true for diabetics. Then how to ascertain the life of rbc,not possible ,that will make results unreliable.

I think,it entirely depends on your overall health conditions for the last two to three monts period

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer

For diagnosing diabetes it should not be used. Though it is good for guidance but for many reasons, it is not co-related with actual BS levels. For diagnosing diabetes FBS and PPBS is sufficient. For confirmation both test can be done after 15 days.

patliputra profile image
patliputra in reply toshrisamarth

For diagnosing diabetes it should not be used alone. If HbA1c is combined with fbs then it become good indicator for diagnosing.

kcpl profile image
kcpl in reply toshrisamarth

@shrisamarth - Two weekly PPBS tests is a better indicator because PPBS goes bad years before FBS starts going bad. Now even ADA has started saying same thing about pre-diabetes what Diabetics on LCHF have been saying since ages. So at least ADA started learning from "Free For All" marketplace information sources too. So called great sites have a lot of catching up to do. What do the doctors do?

"The patient wanted rice with milk and the doctor prescribed rice with milk" :)

That's why those who have not lived LCHF say LCHF dieters get Hypo, not knowing that Hypo is drug driven and not diet driven, provided there are no other abnormalities. Not sure if WebMD preaches that knowledge as I never refer to WebMD. There are far more better, democratic and real information loaded sites than WebMD :D

patliputra profile image
patliputra

Who is the authority in these matters. Please find its recommendations-who.int/diabetes/publications/report-hba1c_2011

patliputra profile image
patliputra

Some one is spreading mis information and disinformation. Uncalled for comments.

kcpl profile image
kcpl

Someone feels unhappy when presented with latest information and better alternatives to dated stuff. Surprising! Irrelevant shayareee from Mirza Ghalib on diabetes related posts seems to be the order of the day here :)

Any standard which doesn't help in cutting down diabetes is dated and useless. Needs no authentication from so called experts who have not been able to reduce diabetes even by 0.01%. A diabetic who gets hold of his diabetes going by PPBS is far more qualified about diabetes than anyone else. Experts would want one to be a chronic diabetic and that's why they insist on FBS knowing very well that FBS goes bad last.

Diabetics who aim for A1C < 5.6 rely more on PPBS control as that's the largest contributor to A1C at those levels. Those who keep smiling with A1C of 8 just because ADA says so can keep relying on FBS. WebMD or WHO or ADA will never tell these things. This only comes from practical experience of diabetics who manage their diabetes themselves using their own brain rather than relying on dated stuff.

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer in reply tokcpl

The Hba1c varies even with constant FBS, PPBS and 1hr. spikes. This is my personal experience.

kcpl profile image
kcpl in reply toshrisamarth

So ideally A1C is a waste if one is managing and hitting right numbers wrt PPBS, 1 Hr spikes and FBS. By right numbers I mean what Jenny Ruhl says, implying hitting the non diabetic numbers.

patliputra profile image
patliputra

If un authenticated information is latest then thanks.

Forget about any new publication,i had seen many persons particularly women getting Hypo without any drugs,comments how and why ?

@ rksharmakumar..,respected sir maybe this site may give some light for hypos

sensiblehealth.com/Journey-...

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer

"where they get renumeration or what who knows"

Likewise I thing you are getting it from ADA or Pharmas.

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer

There is no question of challenging anyone. Here what is important is actually what happens. In many cases Hba1c is lower (<6) and FBS is in 80s. These people do have elevated BS levels after meals. More than 150. But as PPBS is not measured they are left unattended. And this ultimately leads them to diabetes. In America most doctor ask only for FBS and even after their BS near 100 they are not concerned which is wrong. Consistent FBS of more than 90 is warning sign for future diabetes.

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer

I have relatives in US. And it is feedback from them. This is standard practice in US. My cousin is in US his FBS is 95 and doctor is not concerned about that level. He doesn't know about his PPBS.

At least its good thing that doctor in India ask for both FBS and PPBS. And they do treat if either of it is high.

kcpl profile image
kcpl in reply toshrisamarth

@shrisamarth - No point arguing with a troll. The moment they don't have anything to say, they will start abusing.

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer in reply tokcpl

I am talking about facts. How doctors are actually treating patients is not written in books.

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer in reply tokcpl

The thread --- "new values of harvard" is deleted. :)

kcpl profile image
kcpl in reply toshrisamarth

@shrisamath - Yes he msged me that since lot of trolling is on, he deleted the thread out of unhappiness.

People were doing Mirza Ghalib shayaree to entertain themselves. This is their pathetic style of debating.

Bottom line: Let's not feed the trolls :)

patliputra profile image
patliputra in reply toshrisamarth

It is better to talk about Indians and not Americans.

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer in reply topatliputra

Same thing you suggest to indiacratus not to bring Harvard and ADA here. For references we do have Indian institutions.

kcpl profile image
kcpl in reply toshrisamarth

@shrisamarth --

:D :D :D You Hit the nail on the head :)

He himself got in WHO and now wants you to talk of Indians. See the discrepancy there? It is so easy to preach and not practice what one preaches. This is what happens when one argues just for sake of arguing.

So a 4000 worded lecture on IMA coming up now. I already told you, you are the next target here of the self proclaimed Anti LCHF experts here.

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer in reply tokcpl

I have repeatedly asked indiacratus a question regarding Indian diabetics (was also in thread "new values of harvard) and their reliance on Indian doctors and result but he never answered it. :)

kcpl profile image
kcpl in reply toshrisamarth

@shrisamarth --

They are out to abuse and insult anyone who talks of LCHF. During the course, they protect each other too. In my assessment, they have lived the large part of their life being on drugs and cannot adopt LCHF as it is too late for them. So they apparently hate to see others improving. Else, they would have never abused and insulted anyone who talked LCHF.

In one of the posts, "shrisamarth ji" became "shrimasamarth" as soon as they realized you are talking against them.

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer in reply tokcpl

We are here to give and take. One can not be master of all. :)

kcpl profile image
kcpl in reply toshrisamarth

But, What have they given besides abuses and insults of course to LCHF followers who talks against their views? One of them latched on to me right on the first day here.

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer in reply tokcpl

No one argued against shooter george except few when his three experiments with BS showed higher than normal values.

patliputra profile image
patliputra in reply toshrisamarth

It is easy to twist and distort ,old saying " history repeats itself " no need to continue this correspondence.

kcpl profile image
kcpl in reply topatliputra

We often hear politicians say the same thing -- "Statement was twisted and misinterpreted" -- when put in a tight spot.

kcpl profile image
kcpl

@indiacratus -- You have perfectly showcased a live example your own theory of "Yellow Glass" (or black glass as Shrisamarth said) when you wrongly and unnecessarily (perhaps trying to insult was the main aim there) started postulating about "money" angle. In life always try and command respect and not demand it. Learn this thing at least from medfree and other followers of LCHF, even if you hate LCHF.

BTW, even on Diabetes India you have to register and login to read posts. This is because without registering and login you cannot select the community that you want to follow. So please don't make factually incorrect statements as they put you on a very weak ground as far as arguments go. This is precisely what happens when a person starts becoming irrational and just argues for sake of insulting, abusing others, which you have the knack of doing it more often than not. Before calling others shameless, do some introspection as to why you write factually incorrect paragraphs.

As for advertising, if posting links is the same as advertising, then even you and everyone else who posts links are advertising websites by your FLAWED logic. Since the logic is flawed, not many (except 2 or 3 at the most) listen to your advises. So, before you point fingers at others remember four are pointing towards yourself. So, no point in trying to insult others. Every time you do that, you just demean yourself more than anything else.

oe297 profile image
oe297

Bayer a world renowned company had made HB1AC meters and tests could be attained immediately BUT were discontinued on grounds of erroneous results

kcpl profile image
kcpl

Mercola is far more knowledgeable than you can ever hope to be. Following his advice, people gain better control of health and are far betetr informed than you or your friends here. Following your advise, diabetes can only go from bad to worse.

PPBS is the gold standard for people who have their own brains because PPBS goes bad years before FBS goes bad. You can never understand these things and just believe in insulting and abusing.

In fact nothing that you say ever means anything meaningful to any diabetic who manage their own diabetes much better than what those university sites preach. That's why not many listen to your lengthy writings. Einstein never learned from any university sources. He used his brain and that's why he came up with new things.

Diabetics with A1C of 13+ have come down to 5+ just by not following what your university links tell them to do. Here's one example:

tinyurl.com/mwqq6oz

There are many like these. So, better to learn from experience and not some pharma money sponsored websites. Why do you think people love listening to Narendra Modi (who did not go to the great university as Rahul Gandhi did) and not Rahul Gandhi. Insulting and not offering any solution never pays and look what Junta did to Rahul Gandhi's party as rahul just believed in insulting the alternatives and never come out with any solution, because he never had any workable solution :)

Likewise, people love visiting mercola.com and that's why the site is one of the highest visted health websites in the world ... much more than WebMD or ADA I am sure :)

BTW, even OGTT is useless if doctor is not looking at 1 hr spikes, and they never do except in case of GD. A diabetic who is self managing his/her diabetes is far more intelligent and knowledgeable than all the ADA followers put together, because they are using their own brains and doing what it does to get great daily sugar reading and annual reports on less or zero drugs.

Call it stray knowledge or whatever pleases you, but the matter of the fact is LCHF works and it works great even if it is stray knowledge in your faulted opinion. People care a hoot what ADA says as that has landed them into the mess that they are in. They want alternative solutions and not a reprint of same old "terribly failed" guidelines. The failing guidelines are the biggest insult to all the so called "judges"

kcpl profile image
kcpl

Those full of bloated ego insult and abuse others on the forum and you seem to do it in every second post. Those who manage their diabetes on less or ZERO drugs and improve their health are definitely far more learned than those insisting on taking drugs and ego by the FAILED ADA Diet recommendations. ADA doesn't change the guideline because of bloated EGO. Doesn't really matter even if you abuse and insult such diabetics again and again.

So what works s not FALSE. What ADA is dishing out is FALSE because diabetes and diabetic complications is increasing every day by following those guidelines. Judge is not the University but the factual results on ground. But, you can never understand these things, only because of EGO :)

All videos that I have posted come from doctors and researchers who do their job without getting compensation from Pharma industry, and all hate ADA dietary guidelines. Dr Bernstein is the King of them all. Now don't tell me that you know more than Dr Bernstein also, because honestly you know nothing beyond ADA and ADA has failed for decades to control menace of diabetes.

Diabetic forums across the globe exists because ADA failed. No better example of failure than this. You can keep printing the broken recommendations again and again to please yourself.

shrisamarth profile image
shrisamarthVolunteer

No one following your university advice. None of the doctors suggest for OGTT in India. For normal person PPBS never show reading above 140. And the person on road to diabetes always go way beyond 140. And this your university standard not to test PPBS is reason for large population remaining undiagnosed.

kcpl profile image
kcpl in reply toshrisamarth

@shrisamarth -

A Recent research shows more than 50% are not diagnosed for diabetes in in USA alone. ADA wants everyone to be diabetic, sooner than later and that's why they have a broken guideline in place. ADA works the way drug industry wants them to work. Same for AMA/AHA.

norreal profile image
norreal

Do all labs do anhba1c?

kcpl profile image
kcpl

WHO/ADA/Diabetes UK are all from same flock. Most ignored setup by diabetics who manage their diabetes themselves by doing exactly opposite. Ground results are more important than what pharma funded bodies have to say.

Out of top 7 funders of ADA five are diabetic drug manufacturers. Who will ADA work for? For their funders of course by common sense. Why would ADA axe their own foot by doing anything that will lower drugs sales?

Gary Taubes as an award wining science journalist is more loved by us than experts at ADA/WHO, as he talks sense and something which shows results right of the bat.

You may be injecting insulin, but MChinna reduce 20 units of insulin just by doing exactly opposite of ADA and that too he did in less than 5 days, despite being a diabetic for 3 decades and staretd getting best readings that he got in 5 years.

So, let results on the ground do the talking. ADA results are that diabetes has increased by 3 times in 3 decades and it is increasing by every second, despite the so called experts sitting there.

kcpl profile image
kcpl

@indiacratus --

Someone from your group also says PPBS is most important blood test for diabetics:

healthunlocked.com/diabetes....

BTW, Anup/medfree were the first to say that on this site. So please stop behaving like Dr Stephen Barett. Your posts remind me of him a lot. He was a man who admired seeing himself in the mirror a lot and his opinion about himself far exceeded his capabilities. He runs a site called quackwatch and calls everyone against the drug industry a quack :)

rubena profile image
rubena

What's fbs?

rubena profile image
rubena

What's fbs

kcpl profile image
kcpl in reply torubena

FBS = Fasting Blood Sugar, the one that you take before breakfast and after 8-10 hrs of overnight fast.

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