Should I go Keto before my HBA1C test?

hba1c
#1

I did Keto this time last year and lost 9kg (20 lb) in 29 days. I did so well, completely avoiding my three crutches; pasta, beer and red bull.

You’ve heard it before but I fell off, gained back half the weight I lost, but am ready to start again.

I’ve seen my supportive GP, and have a referral for blood tests, but due to shift work cant get blood work done for a week.

I’m concerned I’m pre-diabetic, (49yo male 6’3” 120kg) and want to get an accurate picture of where I’m at now with glucose blood levels.

If I go Keto now, will my HBA1C test be an accurate reflection of where I’ve been at for the past three months if I don’t get a blood test till next week? Or should I stay on the “food pyramid” diet till the day before the blood test.

ps. Happy Star Wars day… Help me Keto forum, you’re my only hope :joy::joy:

#2

I’m very new here, and am currently locked out of the health section, hence my question #kcko

(bulkbiker) #3

Personally I’d wait until after the blood test before starting to change so you get an accurate picture of where you “were” before starting down the path.

The HbA1c so far as I know is slightly biased towards more recent blood glucose levels.

(UsedToBeT2D) #4

One week isn’t going to make much difference. Start your diabetes reversal now.

(Rebecca 🌸 Frankenfluffy) #5

Although I completely understand where @MarkGossage is coming from, in that you’d get a clear-cut ‘before/after’ - I would absolutely start back on keto immediately.

I gather the HbA1c is a useful measure for the three months running up to it - but bearing in mind different people’s blood cells have a different lifespan, the three-month ‘average’, if you like, is nuanced. I gather also there is some research that says that it is slightly biased towards more recent blood glucose situations (so whenever I experience hyperglycaemia shortly before my regular HbA1c tests - I’m type 1 diabetic - I get very very cross!).

In my opinion, waiting a week before making any changes for the sake of a test result isn’t going to make much difference to the result - but NOT waiting a week might very well already make a difference to how you FEEL.

I’m so pleased that you’re considering going back on keto for the sake of your long-term health - that’s great. You want to feel better, lose the weight, wave goodbye to the pre-diabetes - that’s brilliant.

I would say waiting a week for your HbA1c (which broadly ‘measures’ a 3-month period - disclaimer, see above) would not make such a huge difference to the result that I would want to wait to get back on the keto wagon. At any rate, stepping away from the pasta, beer and ye gods please please the Red Bull will pay huge, huge dividends - the sooner the very much the better.

You’ve got this, @AstroBob!

#6

A1C is (more or less) a 3mo average, 1 week of change won’t reflect on the test.

#7

Thanks for the feedback guys. As they say, there’s no time like the present, so I’m all in on Keto now. I’m looking forward to the journey again.