I have diabetes. Can a CGM help me lower my A1c?
If you've been told your A1c level is too high, it's possible to manage it. We'll show you how you can keep your glucose levels within your own targeted range300, day after day. The first step may be learning how your glucose level changes throughout each day. A CGM may help you see the impact of food, activities and medication.
Let's begin with some definitions.
Living with diabetes? Chances are, you've had to learn a lot of terms. Like "glucose level," "time in range," "CGM" and "A1c level." Learn those terms, follow your medical team's guidelines, and it's possible to live with diabetes on your terms.
An A1c measurement is a picture of your average blood glucose level over the previous 2-3 months. It's used to diagnose diabetes or show how your treatment plan is working302
Here's how it works.
After food is broken down into glucose, your body's natural insulin sends glucose from your bloodstream to your cells, which will make energy. People with diabetes have bodies that may not be able to produce insulin or use insulin properly. That means glucose builds up in their bloodstream. Insulin injections and oral medications help move glucose from the blood into other body tissues where it's used for energy. They can also stop the liver from producing more glucose or make the body more sensitive to insulin303.
Your goal? Keep your glucose within your targeted range, more and more often. Your time in range is the amount of time that your glucose is within your goal, often 3.9-10.0 mmol/L.300,305. Gradually increase your time in range, and you're making steady progress. Keep up that progress and, in a few months, you may be able to lower your A1c306.
The Libre System can help lower A1c levels for adults with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes27.
Mastering the glucose balancing act
Things that can make glucose levels rise include:
- a meal or snack with more food or more carbohydrates than usual
- inactivity
- side effects of medications
- infection or other illness
- changes in hormone levels, such as during menstrual periods
- stress
Things that can make glucose levels fall include:
- a meal or snack with less food or fewer carbohydrates than usual
- extra activity
- side effects of other medications
- missing a meal or snack
- drinking alcoholic beverages especially on an empty stomach308
With time and practice, you can learn to predict what impacts your glucose. Other impacts can be hard or impossible to predict. So it's important to check your glucose regularly if your healthcare team recommends it309.
In addition, one person's glucose might rise quickly after eating a ½ cup of white rice but less so after eating a ½ cup of brown rice. Another person's glucose might rise the same amount for brown or white rice301.
The same is true for physical activities. One person with diabetes may be fine after an hour of pickleball. Someone else may experience a significant drop in their glucose after 30 minutes of play on the same pickleball court301,310.
Take small steps and make big strides
It's important to arm yourself with facts, work with a good medical/dietary team, and set your own goals for steady progress. That progress could be something as personal as learning how your glucose changes throughout the day.
Remember: Progress doesn't mean changing your life in a day. It does mean knowing how meals, exercise, medications, and sleep affect your glucose levels. Then using that insight to make more informed choices.
Most people with diabetes want to work toward an A1c result of 7% or less, continuously. But your personal goal may depend on your age, medical condition, and what you and your doctor decide309.
See the impact of every meal, every workout, and every dose8
Everybody and every body is different. That's where continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMs for short) can be extremely helpful. A CGM like the Libre 2 Plus system has a small, wearable sensor that tracks your glucose levels continuously. You get real-time readings around the clock, without any fingersticks10.
Libre 2 Plus systems also feature glucose trend arrows that can show you where you're headed, and what foods make your glucose rise faster (or more slowly). It can also show you what types of physical activity have an impact on your glucose level - and for how long.
You'll also be able to see reports about:
- your time in your target glucose range
- daily patterns
- your average glucose level and
- any low glucose events
Celebrate your personal victories each day
Having a CGM like a Libre 2 Plus system helps you make decisions with a much more complete picture of your glucose levels and trends. It's the small but mighty way to make more informed decisions7 and take actions that can add up to big changes over time7,27 .
Instead of gauging your progress every three months with a single A1c measurement, you can celebrate small wins each day. Life may not be perfect, but it can mean less guesswork.
No wonder more than 7 million people use the Libre systems worldwide1. It can help lower A1c levels for adults with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes7,27 .
