Test ranges
What is A1C? The test, the percent and what each range means
What is A1C? It is a blood test a clinician orders, and the result is a percent. NIDDK, using American Diabetes Association criteria, lists below 5.7% as normal, 5.7% to 6.4% as prediabetes and 6.5% or above as diabetes for adults who are not pregnant. A second test usually confirms.
Written by the Olivaro label deskUpdated · 5 min read
The test
What is A1C?
What is A1C? It is a blood test ordered by a clinician, and the answer comes back as a percent, such as 5.4% or 6.8%.
Our sources give the cutoffs for that percent but not the laboratory method, so for how the test works, ask your clinician. What we can report is how NIDDK sorts the results, and that the test sits beside the fasting plasma glucose test in its table (NIDDK, Diabetes tests and diagnosis).
The ranges below are for adults who are not pregnant. Type your own number into the lookup to see which row it falls in. It is a reference tool, not a diagnosis.
Test ranges for adults who are not pregnant (NIDDK, from ADA criteria)
| Result | A1C | Fasting plasma glucose |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Below 5.7% | 99 mg/dL or below |
| Prediabetes | 5.7% to 6.4% | 100 to 125 mg/dL |
| Diabetes | 6.5% or above | 126 mg/dL or above |
Usually a second test confirms diabetes. Pregnancy uses different cutoffs. These are ranges for tests a clinician orders; a supplement cannot tell you where you are. (NIDDK, Diabetes tests and diagnosis)
Reading the percent
What does an A1C test result mean?
An A1C test result below 5.7% is normal, 5.7% to 6.4% is the prediabetes range, and 6.5% or above is the diabetes range (NIDDK, Diabetes tests and diagnosis).
One number is not the whole story. NIDDK says that usually a second test confirms diabetes, and that pregnancy uses different cutoffs. A result near a border is a reason to talk with a clinician, not to guess.
| Result | A1C |
|---|---|
| Normal | Below 5.7% |
| Prediabetes | 5.7% to 6.4% |
| Diabetes | 6.5% or above |
Who gets tested
Who should get an A1C test, and how often?
That is a decision for your clinician; we found no source in our set that lists who should be tested or how often.
Ask three things: whether an A1C or a fasting glucose test is right for you, how often to repeat it, and what to do with a result in the prediabetes range. Bring a list of every medicine and supplement you take. See when to see a clinician and blood sugar basics.
Keep taking prescribed medicine exactly as directed. Signs of severe low blood sugar (confusion, fainting, seizure), chest pain or trouble breathing: call 911.
Olivaro liquid: 30 mL a bottle1 mL serving · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · from $49 a bottle · shipping at checkout
See the priceSupplements and the test
Can a supplement change your A1C?
The American Diabetes Association's 2026 Standards of Care say herbs and micronutrients are not recommended for glycemic benefit (ADA 2026, Standards of Care, supplements).
One meta-analysis pooled 10 trials of chromium in 509 people with type 2 diabetes. HbA1c, the lab name for A1C, was lower with chromium than with placebo, but fasting glucose was not, and the abstract gives no dose (Zhao 2022, chromium type 2 diabetes meta). No trial tested Olivaro.
Olivaro is a liquid dietary supplement. Its panel prints chromium at 0.7 mcg, which is 2% of the 35 mcg Daily Value (0.7 / 35), and one 200 mg total for 22 other ingredients with no individual amounts. A bottle cannot tell you your A1C; only the test does.
If you read the label first
Where can you see the bottle and its prices?
If you want to see what the bottle costs, the prices are published below, and you should confirm them at the live checkout.
90-serving supply
3 bottles: 90 mL
$207$69 a bottle
Shipping at checkout · 60-day guarantee
See 3 bottles
180-serving supply
6 bottles: 180 mL
$294$49 a bottle
Shipping at checkout · 60-day guarantee
See 6 bottlesSeller-listed prices; confirm at checkout (Olivaro sales site). Two bottles are also sold. If you take diabetes medicine or insulin, ask your clinician or pharmacist before you order.
FAQ
Olivaro questions people ask
Is A1C the same as a blood sugar reading?
No. A home meter or fingerstick gives a glucose number in mg/dL, while A1C is a laboratory percent. NIDDK lists A1C and fasting plasma glucose as two different tests with their own cutoffs, and a clinician reads them together.
Do you need to fast for an A1C test?
We found no source in our set on fasting before an A1C test. The fasting plasma glucose test is the one NIDDK's table pairs with fasting. Ask your clinician or the lab what preparation applies to your blood draw.
What A1C is a normal result?
Below 5.7% is normal for adults who are not pregnant, per NIDDK. A result of 5.7% to 6.4% falls in the prediabetes range, and 6.5% or above falls in the diabetes range. Usually a second test confirms diabetes.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the seller's brief and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site of a USA Authorized Olivaro Retailer. It is not the manufacturer, and the label names Instituto Experience as the distributor. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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Check your medicines first, and ask a clinician or pharmacist if you take diabetes medicine or insulin. Then pick a pack: 2, 3 or 6 bottles of 30 mL. Packs are listed at $79, $69 and $49 a bottle with a 60-day money-back guarantee (after at least 30 days of use); confirm the total and shipping at checkout.
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