How to lower HbA1c and hs-CRP naturally, and how fast it works

To lower HbA1c and hs-CRP naturally, work on the same few habits: more fibre and fewer refined carbohydrates, regular movement, losing a little weight if you carry extra, better sleep and less alcohol. HbA1c reflects about three months of blood glucose, so retest after three months. hs-CRP can shift within weeks.

Type in your hs-CRP to see where it sits among Vively members of your age and sex.

What HbA1c and hs-CRP tell you

HbA1c shows your average blood glucose over the past two to three months, and hs-CRP shows how much low-grade inflammation is in your body right now. Together they say a lot about your metabolic health and your long-term risk of diabetes and heart disease.

HbA1c

Glucose in your blood sticks to haemoglobin inside red blood cells, which is what the HbA1c test measures. Red cells live for about three months, so the share of haemoglobin with glucose attached reflects your average glucose over that time. Your report may show HbA1c in mmol/mol, in % or both, and our HbA1c calculator converts between them.

• Vively optimal: 20 to 34 mmol/mol (4.0 to 5.3%).
• Typical lab range: 20 to 41 mmol/mol.
• Prediabetes range: 42 to 46 mmol/mol (6.0 to 6.4%).
• Diabetes range: 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) or above, which a doctor confirms with a repeat test.

hs-CRP

C-reactive protein (CRP) is made by the liver when the body is inflamed. The high-sensitivity test (hs-CRP) picks up the low levels that matter for heart risk, as our guide to chronic inflammation and CRP explains. The American Heart Association and the US Centers for Disease Control use these bands:

• Under 1.0 mg/L: lower risk. Vively's optimal range is also under 1.0.
• 1.0 to 3.0 mg/L: average risk.
• Above 3.0 mg/L: higher risk, and above most labs' reference range.
• Above 10 mg/L: usually a sign of infection, injury or another acute cause. Repeat the test in about two weeks before reading anything into it.

“Just a normal result is not necessarily what we're after for most people.”
Dr Michelle Woolhouse, Vively Medical Director

What Vively member data shows

Many people with normal results are already drifting. Of 4,579 members whose HbA1c and fasting glucose were both inside the lab range, 57% had fasting insulin above Vively's optimal range of 3 to 5 mIU/L. Their bodies were making extra insulin to keep glucose looking normal, which is how insulin resistance starts.

HbA1c drifts up with age too. Against our optimal limit of 5.3%, about 1 in 10 members under 30 sat above it, rising to 4 or 5 in 10 at 60 and over.

For hs-CRP, 15% of members had a result above 3 mg/L at their first test: 17% of women and 12% of men. Only about 1% were above 10 mg/L. Read more about insulin resistance with normal blood sugar and what our members' results show.

How to lower HbA1c naturally

The habits that lower HbA1c are the ones that lower the glucose your body has to deal with each day and help your muscles take it up. The strongest evidence comes from the Diabetes Prevention Program, a US trial of 3,234 adults with raised glucose. People who aimed to lose 7% of their weight and do 150 minutes of activity a week cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58% over about three years.

Eat more fibre and fewer refined carbohydrates

Fibre slows how quickly carbohydrate turns into glucose. Australia's Nutrient Reference Values set an adequate intake of 25 g of fibre a day for women and 30 g for men, and most of us eat less. Swap white bread, white rice and sugary cereals for wholegrains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. Our fibre guide has easy ways to get there.

Move most days, and lift something twice a week

Working muscles pull glucose out of the blood. Australia's physical activity guidelines suggest 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate activity a week plus muscle strengthening on at least 2 days. In people with type 2 diabetes, a 2011 review by Umpierre and colleagues in JAMA found structured exercise lowered HbA1c by 0.67 percentage points, with bigger falls above 150 minutes a week.

Lose a little weight if you carry extra

Fat around the liver and belly makes the body less sensitive to insulin. In the Diabetes Prevention Program the target was 7% of body weight, about 6 kg for someone weighing 85 kg.

Sleep and stress

Short or broken sleep and long-running stress both push glucose and insulin up. Aim for a regular bedtime and seven or more hours most nights.

“Haemoglobin A1C is an awesome test. And even looking at that over a period of time and seeing whether it's increasing or decreasing really gives great information.”
Dr Michelle Woolhouse, Vively Medical Director

How to lower hs-CRP naturally

Most of what lowers HbA1c also lowers hs-CRP, because extra body fat, inactivity and high glucose all feed low-grade inflammation. A few things matter more for CRP in particular.

• Weight: a 2007 review of 33 studies by Selvin and colleagues found CRP fell by about 0.13 mg/L for every kilogram lost.
• Exercise: a 2017 review of 83 trials by Fedewa and colleagues in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found exercise training lowered CRP, more so when weight also came down, but still without weight loss.
• Food: a Mediterranean-style pattern with vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, olive oil, nuts and oily fish, and fewer processed meats, fried foods and refined carbohydrates.
• Smoking and alcohol: stopping smoking and drinking less both take load off the body.
• Teeth and gums: gum disease can keep inflammation simmering, and regular dental care helps.

How long does it take to lower HbA1c and CRP?

HbA1c takes about three months to fully reflect a change, because it averages glucose over the life of your red blood cells. A retest at three months gives a fair read.

hs-CRP responds faster. It rises and falls within days with infections, and steady changes to weight, activity and food can show up within a few weeks to months.

Use the trend, not a single number. A fall from 5.8% to 5.5% over a year is real progress even if both results sit inside the lab range.

How Vively can help

The Vively Baseline Health Check measures 70+ markers, including HbA1c, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and hs-CRP, from one blood draw at one of 3,700+ partner collection centres. A practitioner explains your results against optimal ranges, not just the lab range, and your $99 a month membership includes a targeted re-test after 3 months so you can see whether your changes are working. Dietitian coaching is available through the membership. If you want to see your glucose day to day, a continuous glucose monitor shows how meals, movement, sleep and stress affect it in real time.

Frequently asked questions

How can I lower my HbA1c fast?

The fastest changes come from cutting sugary drinks and refined carbohydrates, adding fibre, walking after meals and losing a little weight if you carry extra. HbA1c still takes about three months to fully reflect those changes, so retest after three months. If your HbA1c is 6.5% or higher, see your GP, because that is in the diabetes range.

What is a normal hs-CRP level?

An hs-CRP under 1.0 mg/L is linked with lower heart risk, 1.0 to 3.0 is average and above 3.0 is higher, according to the American Heart Association and US Centers for Disease Control. Vively's optimal range is under 1.0. A result above 10 usually means infection or injury and should be repeated.

Can diet lower CRP?

Yes, especially when it leads to weight loss. A review of 33 studies found CRP fell by about 0.13 mg/L for every kilogram lost. A Mediterranean-style pattern with plenty of vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, olive oil, nuts and oily fish, and less processed meat and refined carbohydrate, is a sensible base.

Can I test CRP and HbA1c at home?

No, both need a blood sample, usually taken at a pathology collection centre. Every pathology test in Australia needs a doctor to sign the request. With Vively you can get tested without a referral from your own GP, and a doctor in our network still signs off every request. The Baseline lab tests can be Medicare-rebated.

Does exercise lower HbA1c in people without diabetes?

Yes, regular activity helps your muscles take up glucose and improves insulin sensitivity, which over time keeps HbA1c lower. The biggest trial, the Diabetes Prevention Program, combined 150 minutes of activity a week with modest weight loss and cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by 58% in people with raised glucose.

Sources

1. Pearson TA, Mensah GA, Alexander RW, et al. Markers of inflammation and cardiovascular disease: application to clinical and public health practice (AHA/CDC scientific statement). Circulation 2003;107(3):499-511.
2. Knowler WC, Barrett-Connor E, Fowler SE, et al. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. New England Journal of Medicine 2002;346:393-403.
3. Selvin E, Paynter NP, Erlinger TP. The effect of weight loss on C-reactive protein: a systematic review. Archives of Internal Medicine 2007;167(1):31-39.
4. Fedewa MV, Hathaway ED, Ward-Ritacco CL. Effect of exercise training on C reactive protein: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised and non-randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2017;51:670-676.
5. Umpierre D, Ribeiro PAB, Kramer CK, et al. Physical activity advice only or structured exercise training and association with HbA1c levels in type 2 diabetes. JAMA 2011;305(17):1790-1799.
6. NHMRC. Nutrient Reference Values: dietary fibre.
7. Australian Government Department of Health. Physical activity and exercise guidelines for adults.