Physiologic Insulin Resistance Increase A1C?

(Bill Kieger) #1

Hi, i’ve been LCHF for 3 years now, never a diabetic, in maintenance. These last 5-6 weeks my glucose rarely goes below 95(use to be 65-100) and up to 115, sometimes 120. All different times of the day.
So, I assume if I check my A1C, it will be high?
Probably need a fasting C-peptide or insulin level to make sure all is good?

Really weird for my glucose to be so high. I bought a different kind of glucometer just to be sure, it’s high on both.

Interestingly, wearing a Freestyle Libre for 9 days now for the first time, it is reading 60-90, average 78 though I trust the blood test more… unfurtunately.
No change in diet, always under 20gm carbs/day.
5’10", 165#, good shape, work out 1-2x/wk.

Thoughts?

Bill

(Bob M) #2

I tested the FS Libre and a pin-prick test against a real blood test, and the FS libre got one right and one wrong and the pin-prick meter got them both wrong. That was the only test I could do, though.

If you’re doing physical labor or working around the house, your blood sugar can be that high.

You could get fasting blood sugar, insulin c-peptide, and also A1c. That would work.

(Bill Kieger) #3

How off were your readings? FS Libre is sending a new sensor, will see if it’s more accurate. Will look into the blood work. If my insulin is low, I’ll sleep much better!

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #4

If it’s physiological insulin resistance, also known as “adaptative glucose-sparing,” then your HbA1C will remain low. Here are three posts from the the Hyperlipid blog that explain the phenomenon (they look the same but are different links):

(Bob M) #5

I really can’t answer that question. I have had two FS Libres, one from Sweden and one from the US. The one from Sweden read lower and the one from the US read higher. Also, the one from the US seemed to read a bit higher then get lower over time. The one from Sweden never did that. I bought a year’s supply of sensors for the Swedish one, but only a few weeks of the US one. The US sensors are much, much more expensive. In fact, they’ve gotten out of control expensive.

I only had official results from one set of blood tests (done for a short Kraft test, insulin and blood sugar), and the FS Libre was correct once (fasting level) and incorrect another time (two hours after drinking 75gm glucose). Now, the FS Libre also has a delay of a certain number of minutes, so maybe if I took another reading 15 or so minutes later, it would have been closer.

I like CGMs waaaaaaaaay better than pin-prick meters, even if they are off. The pin-prick meters tend to be all over the place, while the Libres are much more stable.