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Trusted to do 100,000+ tests and consultations per month.
Trusted to do 100,000+ tests and consultations per month.
Diabetes (HbA1c) Blood Test

 


DIABETES (HBA1C) BLOOD TEST

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£43.00
£43.00 - £43.00
£43.00
£43.00 - £43.00
1 BIOMARKER
1-2 DAYS
INSTRUCTIONS
FAQ

Take this test to check for diabetes and for early problems in processing blood sugar known as prediabetes or impaired fasting glucose.

Simple and accurate blood test from a laboratory you can speak to.



STEP 1 - CHOOSE YOUR SAMPLE COLLECTION OPTION
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DIABETES HBA1C BLOOD TEST OVERVIEW

Diabetes is a major problem around the world. A combination of unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles has caused rates of diabetes to sky-rocket in recent decades.

Not only can diabetes make you feel unwell, but high blood sugar levels damage the nerves in the hands and feet, the kidneys, and the eyes, as well as enormously increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

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DIABETES HBA1C BLOOD TEST

Detecting the problem early can allow lifestyle changes to be made, and appropriate medical treatment to be given, that can prevent all these problems that are both life impairing and life shortening. Better yet, is to detect a problem with sugar metabolism at an even earlier stage, known as prediabetes, as this allows you to make life saving changes before the disease develops.

The diabetes blood test will help you check for diabetes and for early problems in processing blood sugar known as prediabetes or impaired fasting glucose.

1 BIOMARKER

  1. BLOOD SUGAR

    - Ultra accurate HbA1c blood sugar

  2. UPGRADE

    Need more biomarkers? Check out our Advanced Diabetes Blood Test that also measures fasting glucose level.

  1. TURNAROUND TIME

    We are extremely fast, with some results available within hours and others within a working day or less, from the time your sample is in our lab. However, this is not a guarantee and should not be taken as such. This is the guideline turnaround time that can be shorter or longer.


    THIS IS NOT A GUARANTEED TURNAROUND TIME.


    We are extremely proud of our very short turnaround times and a very efficient laboratory processes, you will start receiving results as soon as they are available and have completed clinical validation.


    Whilst we accommodate the shortest of time scales, with some results available within hours, for this particular test the usual turnaround time is: 1-2 working days.

  1. WILL I HAVE A GENERAL EXPLANATION OF MY RESULTS?

    Yes, our doctors put a huge amount of effort into your online Health Dashboard, which will have explanations of what each biomarker is, the normal reference ranges and what it means if you are outside of them.


    This service is included in the price of all our tests.

  1. CAN I SEE A GP TO DISCUSS MY RESULTS?

    Yes, usually the same or next day.


    One Day Tests has a fantastic clinical team of consultants and GPs. Once you have your results you can book an online video consultation to discuss your results.


    Our clinical team consists of practicing NHS and private GPs, who work closely with our laboratory and can tell you what your blood test results mean for you. Having an integrated laboratory and GP services makes your health journey seamless and extremely efficient.


    This service is not included in the price of the test, it is charged separately, should you wish to book it.

DOCTOR'S COMMENTS

Hi, I am Dr. Adam Staten and here's my view on this test as a GP and Clinical Director at One Day Tests.

DR. ADAM STATEN - GP VIEW AND RED FLAG SYMPTOMS

Diabetes is a major problem around the world. A combination of unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles has caused rates of diabetes to sky-rocket in recent decades. Not only can diabetes make you feel unwell, but high blood sugar levels damage the nerves in the hands and feet, the kidneys, and the eyes, as well as enormously increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Detecting the problem early can allow lifestyle changes to be made, and appropriate medical treatment to be given, that can prevent all these problems that are both life impairing and life shortening. Better yet, is to detect a problem with sugar metabolism at an even earlier stage, known as prediabetes, as this allows you to make life saving changes before the disease develops. 

Red flag symptoms for the Diabetes (HbA1c) Blood Test

Even if all the blood tests are normal, you should still see your doctor if you have any of the symptoms below.

  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Progressive fatigue and malaise
  • Passing lots more urine than normal 

Your Results and Health Dashboard

The results of your Diabetes (HbA1c) Blood Test will be emailed to you as a secured PDF file, ready for your GP and will also be uploaded to our Health Dashboard area of the website. It’s a unique and powerful tool, powered by our in-house clinical analysis research, to match your biomarkers across test panels and symptoms, as well as provide clinical commentary on all individual biomarkers you tested for.

The health dashboard will also provide "panel level" commentary - a birds eye view of the biomarkers that were tested. This feature allows you to view your test results and clinical commentary, and compare them to previous results, giving you a clear understanding of how your health is progressing.

By using the Health Dashboard, you can identify changes in your biomarkers and make necessary adjustments to your lifestyle. This added value is immense, as it empowers you to monitor your health and make informed decisions about your well-being.

It's free and is available with all of our tests.

SAVE ON CONTINUOUS MONITORING WITH OUR SUBSCRIPTION PLAN

The best way to look after your health is to do so regularly. This is easy to do with our continual monitoring plans which give you a discount on future blood tests. You choose the frequency and we'll do the rest.

When you purchase a subscription, we will deliver your home test kits or allow you to book appointments in line with your chosen frequency. You will be able to track your biomarkers over time in our powerful Health Dashboard, where results will be automatically updated for you. There is a minimum of 3 tests with any subscription, after which you can pause/restart/cancel at any time.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

Hi, I am Stefania Brown, I am the Laboratory Manager at One Day Tests and here are the lab's special requests for the Diabetes (HbA1c) Blood Test.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

There is no need to fast for this test as the HbA1c is the 3 months average for the blood sugar.

Clinic appointment - how to prepare for the Diabetes (HbA1c) Blood Test

If you are coming into one of our clinics for the test, this is what you need to do before you arrive:

  • Read the instructions in the SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS section
  • Drink plenty of water about an hour before the appointment.
  • Avoid coffee/tea/energy drinks. Water is good!
  • That’s it! We’ll do the rest.

Home test kit - how it works with the Diabetes (HbA1c) Blood Test

Our blood test kits are simple and convenient.

The most important step in doing a blood test at home is to read the instructions very carefully. The process is very simple, but there are a few pitfalls you need to be aware of - you will save yourself a lot of time if you do it right the first time around!

  • Full printed instructions will arrive with your kit - please read them carefully.
  • Drink plenty before taking the sample and warm your hands up in the sink with warm water for a few minutes. This will make your blood flow much better.
  • Fill the tubes to the top line. We don’t need much blood; filling tubes to the top line is about 15 drops of blood.
  • Post the samples on the same day you take them, before midday, Monday to Thursday. If you post it any other time it might get to us late or be stuck at a sorting office over the weekend. You will then have to do it again.
  • Package the sample in the same box the kit came in. Otherwise, Royal Mail or DPD will reject it. The sample tubes go into a pouch, then into a cardboard box, and then into a return envelope. All of this is provided in the kit: please use it.

We look forward to receiving your sample in our lab!

HOW OUR HOME KITS WORK

How the finger prick home blood test kit for Diabetes (HbA1c) Blood Test works - from Dr. Adam Staten

Follow our step by step instructions on how to take your sample quickly and easily using the blood sample collection finger prick test.

WHY CHOOSE US?

Hello! My name is Dr. Vinesh Mistry, I am part of the GP team here at One Day Tests and here is why you should trust us to test your blood.

QUICK AND ACCURATE RESULTS DIRECT FROM A LABORATORY.

We run our own regulated laboratories and our own accredited clinics. We manufacture our own approved home sample collection kits. Your results are looked after by our fantastic clinical governance team and our super-talented biomedical science team.

When you book your test with us - you book directly with the lab. This means accuracy and responsible duty of care, direct access to the provider and extremely fast turnaround times.

Finally, our customer services rock! You can ask the lab a question any time or you can speak to a real human. You can email us on hello@onedaytests.com or give us a call on 0127 309 2844.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Hi, I am Lana Nela, Lead Nurse, and here is what we are frequently asked about this test.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the Diabetes (HbA1c) Blood Test.

Which method does this test use and is it suitable for me?

In some investigations it is important to know what method is used for HbA1c measurement, as methods differ in measurement approaches.

As standard, we run the Hba1c tests on the Siemens Atellica equipment, specifically the CH A1c_E assay. This assay is the enzymatic method that specifically measures N-terminal fructosyl dipeptides on the beta-chain of HbA1c.

Whilst this method has very good accuracy, we encourage you to consult your doctor if you have blood conditions or conditions with abnormal haemoglobin types, such as sickle cell anemia or thalassemia. There are other methods available that your GP may wish you to consider for specific investigations.

If I forget to fast, is the test still valid? 

We interpret the blood glucose level on the assumption that you have fasted, so if you forget to fast then it may lead us to believe there is a problem when there actually isn’t. The fasting glucose also allows us to look for ‘impaired fasting glucose’ which is high blood sugar levels despite having fasted. This is a sign that you are at high risk of progressing to diabetes. A ‘random’ glucose (i.e. taken when you haven’t fasted) can still be useful, a normal result is reassuring but a high result should prompt further investigations. 

What is HbA1c?

HbA1c is also known as glycated haemoglobin. It is a measure of how much of the haemoglobin in your red blood cells is bound to glucose. Because the life of a red blood cell is about 3 to 4 months, the proportion of haemoglobin that is bound to glucose tells us what your average blood sugar levels have been during that period. It can be used to diagnose diabetes, but is also very useful for monitoring the disease over time and assessing your response to treatment. 

What is prediabetes?

Prediabetes means that your blood sugar levels are higher than they should be but not yet high enough to diagnose you with diabetes. It means that the biological changes that lead to diabetes have already started, and you are therefore at high risk of developing diabetes in the future. Discovering that you have prediabetes gives you the chance to make urgent lifestyle changes to ensure that you don’t go onto develop diabetes.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

In its early stages diabetes may cause no symptoms but common symptoms are tiredness and malaise, feeling thirsty all the time, passing lots of urine, and blurred vision. 

WHY HAVE THE TEST?

Hi, I am Nader Eldarf, I am a Biomedical Scientist in our laboratory and here is why it's important to take this test.

  1. WHY HAVE THE DIABETES (HBA1C) BLOOD TEST?

    You are worried your symptoms may be due to diabetes

    You have a strong family history of diabetes

    You want to monitor your response to treatment or lifestyle changes

    You are worried your lifestyle has put you at risk of diabetes

IS THIS TEST RIGHT FOR YOU?

Hi, I am Sandeep Patel, I am the Laboratory Director at One Day Tests. Here are the symptoms that you may wish to address with this test.

  1. IS THE DIABETES (HBA1C) BLOOD TEST RIGHT FOR YOU?

    Diabetes is increasingly common and may result from a combination of genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors.

    You may want to take this test if you have a family history of diabetes or if you are worried that your lifestyle has put you at risk of diabetes.

  1. SYMPTOMS AND TAGS

    Chronic fatigue, Fatigue, Increased hunger, Need to wee often, Thirsty all the time and Weight loss

WHY ARE BLOOD TESTS IMPORTANT?

Health monitoring is very important, you are in charge of your health - look after it.