Guide
What is A1C? Fasting glucose and normal blood sugar ranges
A1C is a blood test that shows your average blood sugar over recent weeks. NIDDK, citing ADA criteria, puts normal below 5.7%, prediabetes at 5.7% to 6.4% and diabetes at 6.5% or above. A fasting glucose of 99 mg/dL or below is normal; 100 to 125 is prediabetes; 126 or above is diabetes. A clinician orders and reads these tests.
Written by the Olivaro label deskUpdated
The test
What is A1C?
A1C is a blood test that reflects your average blood sugar over recent weeks, not one moment. It is reported as a percentage (NIDDK, Diabetes tests and diagnosis).
Because it covers weeks instead of one moment, a meal or a stressful morning barely moves it. Ask your clinician how to prepare for any test.
The percentage is not a home reading. A finger-stick meter shows glucose right now, in mg/dL. A1C shows the longer average, in percent. They answer different questions, and neither one comes from a supplement.
Every range below comes from NIDDK, which draws on American Diabetes Association criteria for adults who are not pregnant. We attribute them to NIDDK, not to any other agency.
The other test
What is a fasting glucose test?
A fasting glucose test measures the sugar in your blood after a period without food, usually overnight (NIDDK, Diabetes tests and diagnosis).
It is a snapshot of one morning. A stressful week, a poor night of sleep or a mistake in fasting can shift it, so a clinician often repeats a result before acting on it. The result is reported in mg/dL.
A fasting test and an A1C test are often ordered together. When both are available, they give a clinician two views of the same question: where you are today, and where you have been lately.
The ranges
What is a normal blood sugar range?
For adults who are not pregnant, NIDDK lists a normal A1C as below 5.7% and a normal fasting plasma glucose as 99 mg/dL or below (NIDDK, Diabetes tests and diagnosis).
| 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 a diabetes result. Pregnancy uses different cutoffs. These ranges are for tests a clinician orders. A supplement cannot tell you where you are.
In between
What are the prediabetes ranges?
Prediabetes means a result above normal but below the diabetes line: an A1C of 5.7% to 6.4% or a fasting glucose of 100 to 125 mg/dL (NIDDK, Diabetes tests and diagnosis).
It is a lab category, not a symptom. Many people feel fine. If a result lands there, the next step is a conversation with a clinician about repeat testing and a plan. This site does not describe any product as a treatment for it.
To look up a number you already have, type it below. The tool only tells you which NIDDK range it falls in. It is not advice and 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)
The next step after any result is on the when to see a clinician page.
Olivaro liquid: 30 mL a bottle1 mL serving · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · from $49 a bottle · shipping at checkout
See the priceA marketing phrase
What is blood sugar support?
Blood sugar support is a marketing phrase, not a medical term. It has no fixed meaning, and no test is named for it.
In the United States, a supplement may describe an effect on the normal structure or function of the body, with the FDA disclaimer. A claim that names a disease makes the product a drug (FDA structure/function claims). The FDA does not approve supplements before they are sold (FDA 101 supplements).
For people with diabetes, the American Diabetes Association's 2026 Standards of Care say herbs and micronutrients are not recommended for glycemic benefit, because the evidence is insufficient. That includes chromium (ADA 2026, Standards of Care, supplements). NCCIH says there is no reliable evidence that any herbal supplement controls diabetes, and that supplements should not replace medical treatment (NCCIH, Diabetes and dietary supplements).
So when a bottle uses the words, treat them as a prompt to read the evidence, not as a result.
The Olivaro label
How does the Olivaro label use the phrase?
The front of the bottle prints “Balanced Blood Sugar Advanced Support*”, and an icon reads “Fasting Blood Sugar Health Support*”. The star leads to the FDA statement printed on the label (Olivaro label).
That statement says the claims have not been evaluated by the FDA and that the product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. We found no trial that tested those claim lines on this liquid.
The Supplement Facts panel lists chromium at 0.7 mcg, which is 2% of the 35 mcg Daily Value (0.7 / 35 = 0.02), and a Proprietary Blend of 22 ingredients with one 200 mg total and no individual amounts. NIH says chromium's effect on glucose is unclear (NIH ODS, Chromium). A meta-analysis of 10 trials with 509 people with type 2 diabetes found chromium lowered HbA1c but not fasting glucose. The label dose was not what those trials used, and no trial tested Olivaro (Zhao 2022, chromium type 2 diabetes meta).
A home meter reading or a lab result taken while using any supplement is your own data. It is not an Olivaro result, and it should go to your clinician. Read more on the formula page.
What helps
What can you do about your numbers?
Start with a test, then follow the plan from your care team. The steps below are the ones health agencies name.
- A test, not a guessFasting glucose and A1C tests, ordered by a clinician, show where you are: normal A1C is below 5.7% and diabetes starts at 6.5% (NIDDK). (NIDDK, Diabetes tests and diagnosis)
- Moving most daysThe HHS guidelines say 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week plus muscle strengthening on 2 or more days; walking counts. (CDC, Adult activity)
- SleepAdults need 7 or more hours a night; short sleep is part of the picture in the health-agency pages we read. (CDC, Sleep)
- Know your blood pressureHigh blood pressure usually has no symptoms and often travels with high blood sugar; normal is under 120/80. (AHA, BP readings) (CDC, High blood pressure)
- A clinician's planThe ADA's Standards of Care say herbs and micronutrients are not recommended for glycemic benefit; treatment decisions belong with your health care team. (ADA 2026, Standards of Care, supplements) (NCCIH, Diabetes and dietary supplements)
- Tell your team what you takeNCCIH advises telling your providers about any herbal supplement you use, because supplements can interact with diabetes medicines. (NCCIH, Diabetes and dietary supplements)
Keep taking prescribed medicine exactly as directed. Never stop or change it because of a supplement. If you take insulin or diabetes pills, ask your clinician or pharmacist before adding anything new. Severe low blood sugar (confusion, fainting, seizure), chest pain or trouble breathing: call 911. See the guide to low blood sugar.
FAQ
Blood sugar basics questions
What is a normal A1C level?
NIDDK lists a normal A1C as below 5.7% for adults who are not pregnant. Prediabetes is 5.7% to 6.4%, and diabetes is 6.5% or above. A clinician usually confirms a diabetes result with a second test. Pregnancy uses different cutoffs.
What is a normal fasting blood sugar?
NIDDK lists a normal fasting plasma glucose as 99 mg/dL or below. A result of 100 to 125 mg/dL falls in the prediabetes range, and 126 mg/dL or above falls in the diabetes range. Your clinician tells you how long to fast.
What is the difference between A1C and fasting glucose?
A1C reflects your average blood sugar over recent weeks and is reported as a percentage. Fasting glucose is a single reading after a period without food, reported in mg/dL. A clinician may order both, and each has its own NIDDK ranges.
Is prediabetes the same as diabetes?
No. Prediabetes is the range above normal and below the diabetes line: A1C of 5.7% to 6.4% or fasting glucose of 100 to 125 mg/dL. It is a lab category. A clinician can explain what a result means for you.
Can a supplement change my A1C?
We found no study showing that Olivaro does. For other products, the ADA says the evidence is insufficient and does not recommend herbs or micronutrients for glycemic benefit. Ask your clinician before relying on a supplement for any health goal.
Does a home meter reading replace a lab test?
No. A meter shows glucose at one moment, while A1C averages recent weeks. Share your readings with your clinician, who decides which tests you need. A reading taken while using a supplement is your own data, not a product result.
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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