The hemoglobin A1c has been regarded as the undisputed champion for measurement of glycemic control...until now. Those of us running from diabetic complications understand the necessity of this test. Waiting 3 months (or more) gives these glycated red blood cells a lot of time to play havoc with our small blood vessels, over time resulting in a quagmire of diabetic complications. Glycation is the cause of the long-term complications of diabetes. There is a gap between the data provided by daily blood glucose testing and the information on the long-term health of the diabetic patient supplied by the HbA1c test.

Epinex Diagnostics developed the G1A to measure the albumin in the blood, not the hemoglobin. The albumin lifespan is much shorter than the hemoglobin. Albumin regenerates every 2 to 3 weeks, whereas hemoglobin takes 120 days. Albumin is a serum protein in the blood that can be measured more precisely, more frequently, resulting in more effective diabetes management. The G1A test requires a drop of blood, as opposed to the full laboratory tube needed for the A1c test. The G1A test takes 5 minutes, whereas the A1c results could take weeks. In contrast to daily blood glucose and semi-annual A1c testing, the G1A glycated albumin index offers amore accurate predictor of glycation by testing once a month, instead of testing the A1c every 3 or 6 months.

I'm not sure about you, but if someone said they know of a way to manage my diabetes that is more effective, less time consuming, and allows for earlier therapeutic intervention-- sign me up! The G1A has the potential to become the new industry standard for diabetes management. Ask your doctor if he or she has heard of it yet. If they dismiss the idea-- ask them how important accuracy is in diabetes management. There's your answer.