Quest Diagnostics Hemoglobin A1c Test
Type
Blood Testing
Biomarkers
3
Duration
30 min
Results
24 hours
Measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months to assess prediabetes or diabetes risk and management.
This blood test measures the percentage of hemoglobin in your blood coated with sugar. A higher percentage indicates higher blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. It helps determine if you're at risk for prediabetes or diabetes. If you have diabetes, it helps monitor blood sugar control. An elevated level signifies high blood sugar in the recent past.
Key Details
- Biomarkers
- 2–4 metabolic markers
- Fasting Required
- Yes, 10–12 hours for fasting glucose
- Sample Type
- Blood draw
- Turnaround
- Same day to 24 hours
- Common Use
- Diabetes screening, insulin resistance detection
Who Is This For?
Adults over 35 as part of routine screening (diabetes affects 1 in 10 adults globally). Anyone with a family history of type 2 diabetes. People who are overweight or physically inactive. Those experiencing increased thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, or fatigue. Women with a history of gestational diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
What's Included
Preparation Required
Fasting for 10–12 hours before your appointment is recommended for accurate results (water is fine). Avoid alcohol for 24 hours and intense exercise for 12 hours before the blood draw. Morning appointments are ideal for consistent hormone and glucose readings. The blood draw typically takes 5–10 minutes.
Biomarkers Tested
3Reflects your average blood sugar over the past 2–3 months by measuring the percentage of hemoglobin with attached glucose. HbA1c is the gold standard for diagnosing and monitoring diabetes, unaffected by daily fluctuations.
Blood sugar — the body's primary energy source. Fasting glucose screens for diabetes and prediabetes. Chronically elevated glucose damages blood vessels and organs. Levels fluctuate with meals, stress, and physical activity.
The hormone produced by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar. Elevated fasting insulin — even with normal glucose — is an early marker of insulin resistance, which precedes type 2 diabetes by years. Key biomarker in longevity medicine.
+ $6.00 Physician Service Fee
- Category
- Diagnostic
- Sample Type
- Blood draw
- Duration
- 30 min
- Results
- 24 hours