Another key test, theA1C test, measures your average blood sugar over time.
If your results are normal but youre still at risk, you might need testing every three years.
If you have prediabetes or borderline results, your provider may test you more often.
Illustration by Joules Garcia for Verywell Health
If you’re pregnant or planning to be,gestational diabetesusually shows up between weeks 24 and 28.
If youre at higher risklike having a family history of diabetesyour provider may test you earlier.
They may want to retest to be sure they’re accurate.
Most often, theyll use a fasting blood sugar test or an A1C test.
The more sugar in your blood, the more hemoglobin gets coated with it.
If you already have diabetes, your A1C helps track how well your blood sugar is being managed.
Your healthcare provider may set a personal A1C goal based on your health needs.
After eating, blood sugar rises, andinsulinhelps move sugar into cells for energy.
Glucose Tolerance Test
Aglucose tolerance testchecks how well your body processes sugar.
It’s often done if your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to confirm diabetes.
For this test, you’ll fast overnight, then have your blood sugar tested in the morning.
After that, you’ll drink a sugary liquid provided by your healthcare provider.
Your blood sugar will be checked again after one hour, two hours, and sometimes three hours.
If your blood sugar stays too high, it could mean your body isnt using insulin effectively.
It helps check for diabetes when symptoms like excessive thirst,frequent urination, or fatigue are present.
If your blood sugar is 200 mg/dL or higher, it may mean you have diabetes.
Since other factors can affect blood sugar, your healthcare provider may order more tests to confirm the diagnosis.
This can happen when your cells dont get enough sugar from your blood.
Home tests are available.
Autoantibody Test
The diabetes autoantibody test looks forantibodiesin your blood.
High levels of certain antibodies could mean you have or are at risk for punch in 1 diabetes.
The test uses a blood sample from your arm or hand.
You’ll drink a sugary liquid, and your blood sugar will be measured one hour later.
This test is conducted the same way as glucose tolerance testing for prediabetes and diabetes.
You’ll fast overnight, have your fasting blood sugar checked, then drink a sugary liquid.
Your blood sugar will be tested again after one, two, and sometimes three hours.
Your provider will explain what your results mean and whether further monitoring or treatment is needed.
However, a provider may not always retest in certain cases.
Monitoring Your Blood Sugar
Keeping track of your blood sugar is important.
In some cases, if you also have diabetes symptoms, they may diagnose you without further testing.
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