Many new diabetics don’t understand the relationship between hemoglobin levels and diabetes. They will need to be educated on it by their health care team and on their own. Understanding the meaning of hemoglobin levels and diabetes is a way to tell if your diabetes is being managed properly over a period of time.

Hemoglobin is the pigment that carries oxygen and is also what gives blood its red color. It is also the main protein in the red blood cells. Around 90% of hemoglobin is adult type, or hemoglobin A. One chemical component makes up 92% of hemoglobin A, with the remaining 8% made up of minor components that are slightly different chemically. Of interest to diabetics is hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), referred to as glucosylated or glucosylated hemoglobin. It is this component of hemoglobin that glucose binds with. Measurements of this A1c hemoglobin levels and diabetes management are …