May 2, 2022, Sioux Falls, SD: OmegaQuant, the leader in nutritional status testing, has launched an HbA1c Test, with a sample collection kit that allows for testing at home. This simple, safe, convenient test measures the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood.
When glucose builds up in the blood, it binds to a protein called hemoglobin. Testing your hemoglobin A1c level is a great way to gain insight into your body’s ability to metabolize glucose.
Our bodies need glucose to function, but for many people, dysregulation of diet, stress and activity can cause glucose levels to rise undetected for too long. When blood glucose is too high for too long, negative health outcomes can result, even without the presence of diabetes.
As opposed to a fasting glucose test, the HbA1c Test captures someone’s blood sugar status over a period of three months. This offers a window of dietary intake versus a moment in time, which can help people make any necessary dietary or lifestyle adjustments to bring their blood sugar level into a healthy range.
The widely accepted optimal range for HbA1C is 4.5- 5.7%. A result between 5.7-6.2% would indicate the development of “prediabetes” and a result of over 6.2% would indicate diabetes. It is highly recommended that you discuss your test results with your healthcare provider.
Although many people may not have any physical symptoms, some signs of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased hunger and thirst, fatigue, blurred vision, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, and unexplained weight loss.
The new HbA1c Test from OmegaQuant is intended for health-minded individuals who want to keep an eye on their blood sugar levels. In the long-term, healthy blood sugar levels promote longevity and reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment.
Typical HbA1c testing requires a blood draw, which is sent to a lab for analysis. However, OmegaQuant’s HbA1c Test consists of a simple finger stick and a few drops of blood. This allows people to take the test on their own time, at their convenience, in the safety of their own home.
“The HbA1c test is similar to the Omega-3 Index test in that it captures someone’s status over a period of time, in this case 3 months or so. This offers a more accurate picture of one’s dietary intake and could indicate that dietary or lifestyle changes are needed if their blood sugar level is not in the optimal range,” said Kelly Patterson, MS, RD, LDN, CSSD, Clinical Nutrition Educator, OmegaQuant. “This test will truly help people measure, modify and monitor their blood sugar status.”
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Media Inquiries:
Becky Wright
VP Communications, OmegaQuant
+1-201-675-0197
About OmegaQuant:
OmegaQuant is an independent, CLIA-certified lab that offers nutritional status testing to researchers, clinicians and the public. OmegaQuant performs analysis in Sioux Falls, SD, for commercial and academic research collaborators, and for consumers interested in monitoring their nutritional status in both blood and breast milk. Its goal is to offer the highest quality fatty acid analytical services to researchers and to provide simple tests of nutritional status to consumers, with the ultimate purpose of advancing the science and use of certain nutrients to improve health. Internationally, OmegaQuant works with lab partners based in Australia and the UK. In the UK, it has a partnership with the University of Stirling, based in the Scotland, to help process blood samples from Europe.