Diabetes Screening

Focused diabetes screening with fasting glucose and HbA1c. HbA1c reflects average blood sugar over the past three months, providing a more reliable indicator than a single fasting measurement. The most affordable panel available, designed for regular monitoring of diabetes risk and glucose management.

Fasting glucose captures blood sugar at one point in time, while HbA1c measures the percentage of haemoglobin glycated over the red blood cell lifespan of approximately three months. HbA1c is less susceptible to day-to-day variation from diet, stress, or acute illness, making it the internationally preferred marker for both diabetes diagnosis and ongoing management. An HbA1c below 5.7% is considered normal, 5.7-6.4% indicates pre-diabetes, and 6.5% or higher suggests diabetes. The pre-diabetic range represents the window where lifestyle interventions — dietary modification, regular exercise, weight management — are most effective at preventing progression to type 2 diabetes. At under EUR 28, this is the most affordable panel in the Mein Direktlabor catalogue. It is designed for regular monitoring rather than one-off screening, making quarterly or semi-annual testing practical for individuals with risk factors including family history, elevated BMI, sedentary lifestyle, or a history of gestational diabetes. Results are typically available the same day from the Munich laboratory.