--- title: "How to lower your A1C: what the NIH and CDC advise" description: "Lowering an A1C comes down to medicine as prescribed, food, activity and weight. What NIDDK and the CDC advise, and what the NIH found on supplements." canonical: https://glucosebench.com/how-to-lower-a1c alternate_html: https://glucosebench.com/how-to-lower-a1c language: en-US last_updated: 2026-09-27 type: guia --- # Lowering an A1C: medicine, meals, movement and weight 1. [Home](https://glucosebench.com/) 2. [Blood sugar basics](https://glucosebench.com/blood-sugar) 3. Lowering an A1C: medicine, meals, movement and weight There's no trick to an A1C. It's a three-month average of your blood sugar, so it moves when your everyday numbers move, and the steps that move those are the ones your care team keeps coming back to. By **GlucoseBench editorial team**Updated September 27, 2026 ![Lowering an A1C: medicine, meals, movement and weight](https://glucosebench.com/img/guia-how-to-lower-a1c-640.webp) Short answer An A1C comes down the same way daily blood sugar does: diabetes medicine taken as prescribed, a meal plan, regular physical activity and, if you have overweight, some weight loss. NIDDK, the NIH's diabetes institute, suggests at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week and says losing 5% to 7% of your weight may help manage blood glucose. For most people with diabetes, NIDDK puts the goal below 7%, while the CDC's A1C page says 7% or less; your doctor sets yours. As for foods and supplements, NIDDK says there's "no clear proof" that specific foods, herbs, spices or dietary supplements help manage diabetes. ## What NIDDK and the CDC tell you to do The two agencies give the same short list in different words, so each cell keeps its own source. Step NIDDK, the NIH diabetes institute CDC Medicine "Take your medicines as they were prescribed, even if you feel good or have reached your blood glucose, blood pressure, or cholesterol goals." With lifestyle changes and medicines (if prescribed), "some people with diabetes can reach an A1C below 6.5%." Food Build a meal plan with your health care team, which may include a registered dietitian or a diabetes educator. Favorite foods can stay, in smaller portions or less often. "Eat at regular times, and don't skip meals." Drink water instead of juice or soda, and control portions, for example with the plate method. Physical activity "At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, each week," plus muscle-strengthening activities two days a week if you can. "Getting regular physical activity" is on its short list of what helps. Weight For adults with overweight or obesity, "losing 5% to 7% of your current weight may help" manage blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure. "Maintaining a healthy weight" is on the same list. Sleep About 7 to 8 hours a night for most adults. Enough sleep "may improve your mood, energy level, and blood glucose level." Not on the CDC pages we read. Tracking Home checks help you and your team "make changes to your meal plan, physical activity level, or diabetes medicines." "Keep track of your blood sugar to see what makes it go up or down." Sources: NIDDK, "Managing Diabetes" and "Healthy Living with Diabetes" (both last reviewed October 2023); CDC, "Manage Blood Sugar" and "A1C Test for Diabetes and Prediabetes" (both May 15, 2024). All read on September 27, 2026. ## Medicine is part of the plan, not a fallback NIDDK's page on managing diabetes says it in one line: "Taking diabetes medicines is often part of managing diabetes." Which ones depends on your type of diabetes, how well they control your blood glucose and your other health conditions, and practical things such as cost and insurance count too. If paying is the problem, NIDDK's advice is to tell your health care team rather than ration or skip doses. A better number on medicine isn't a signal to stop. The CDC says reaching an A1C below 6.5% "doesn't mean that their condition went away, but it does usually mean their blood sugar is well managed." Lower isn't automatically safer either. NIDDK warns that keeping an A1C level below 7 percent "may not be safe if it leads to problems with hypoglycemia," and our A1C levels guide lists who may aim higher. ## Foods that lower A1C? NIDDK points to the pattern Lists of "A1C-lowering foods" are everywhere, and NIDDK doesn't publish one. Its healthy living page says there is "no clear proof that specific foods, herbs, spices, or dietary supplements" can help manage diabetes, vitamins and minerals included. It also says "there is no right or wrong way" to choose healthy foods and drinks, which is a relief if someone handed you a banned list. What it describes is a pattern: dairy or plant-based dairy, fruits, nonstarchy vegetables, protein foods and whole grains, with fewer foods high in saturated fat or sodium and fewer sweet drinks such as soda, juice and sports drinks. Carbs turn into glucose, so they get planned, not banned. For portions NIDDK names carb counting, which matters most if you take insulin, and the plate method; our prediabetes diet guide walks through the CDC's plate. ## Supplements and HbA1c: the size of the evidence "Supplements to lower A1C" is a popular search. NCCIH, the NIH's complementary health center, sums up published reviews on diabetes supplements in a page last updated in November 2023, and only a few supplements there even have HbA1c results. Each finding sits next to the limit the same page puts on it. Supplement What NCCIH reports The limit NCCIH gives Chromium A 2022 review of 16 studies (868 participants): supplements "may help improve" HbA1c, fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes Stomach pain and bloating, and "a few reports of kidney damage, liver damage, muscular problems, and skin reactions following large doses." Long-term effects "haven't been well investigated." Vitamins C, D and E A 2022 review of 178 studies: an initial analysis showed all three reduced HbA1c "with low certainty"; once the poor-quality studies were excluded, only vitamin D was significantly effective The vitamin D improvements "were small and less than the minimal amount needed for a clinical difference." The authors concluded that nutritional supplements "may not be helpful for blood glucose control." Omega-3s Two 2022 reviews disagree: one (30 studies) found no significant effect on HbA1c, the other (46 studies) found a significant improvement NCCIH calls the findings "conflicting," and the second review's authors point to differences in omega-3 type, treatment length and dose. Omega-3s may interact with drugs that affect blood clotting. Berberine and cinnamon Reviews found lower blood glucose with berberine and lower fasting blood glucose with cinnamon; NCCIH's summaries of those reviews don't report HbA1c Some berberine studies were "of poor quality" and most were in Chinese patients; the cinnamon studies "differed in strength of dose, length of treatment, and type of participants." Source: NCCIH, "Diabetes and Dietary Supplements: What You Need To Know" (last updated November 2023), read on September 27, 2026. Its bottom line: "For a few dietary supplements, there is weak evidence of a possible benefit," and for most, "there isn't evidence to support a beneficial effect on diabetes or its complications." Our vitamin D guide adds what the NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements says. ## Before you change anything ### Keep the prescription Don't stop, skip or ration a diabetes medicine to see what a diet or a capsule can do. NIDDK says to take medicines as prescribed "even if you feel good," and to bring side effects or cost to your team. ### Supplements next to diabetes drugs NCCIH warns that "using herbal supplements such as cinnamon, St. John's wort, or aloe with conventional diabetes drugs can cause unwanted side effects." NIDDK adds that some supplements may "affect how well your diabetes medicines work." Ask before you add one. ### Watch for lows After physical activity, low blood glucose can last "hours or days," per NIDDK, and it's most likely if you take insulin or a sulfonylurea. For most people with diabetes, below 70 mg/dL is too low, and very low blood glucose "can become a serious medical emergency" that needs help right away. Our low blood sugar guide covers what to do. ### Promises of a replacement NCCIH passes on an FDA warning about diabetes products that claim to "replace your diabetes medicine": "These products are marketed illegally." ## Frequently asked questions **What is the best way to lower A1C?** The combination both agencies describe: diabetes medicine taken as prescribed, a meal plan, regular activity (NIDDK suggests at least 150 minutes a week), weight loss if you have overweight, and enough sleep. Your doctor adjusts the mix as your results come in. **How can I lower my A1C naturally?** Food, activity, weight and sleep are the non-drug parts of every plan NIDDK and the CDC describe. NIDDK also says medicines are "often part of managing diabetes," so don't drop one to try a natural route without your doctor. **What foods lower A1C?** NIDDK says there's "no clear proof" that specific foods, herbs or spices help manage diabetes. The overall pattern is what counts: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein foods and dairy, with fewer sugary foods, sweet drinks and foods high in saturated fat or sodium. **Can supplements lower A1C?** Not reliably, based on what NCCIH reports: weak evidence for a few supplements and none for most. Vitamin D was the one vitamin that held up once poor-quality studies were removed, and its effect on HbA1c was smaller than what makes a clinical difference. **How long does it take to lower A1C?** The sources we read don't give a timeline. An A1C reflects about 3 months, with the past 30 days weighing the most, per NIDDK, and experts recommend testing at least twice a year once you have diabetes, more often if you aren't meeting your goals. **What A1C should I aim for?** For most people with diabetes, NIDDK says below 7% and the CDC says 7% or less. Your doctor may set a different goal, sometimes a higher one, because pushing an A1C too low can bring hypoglycemia. ## Related pages Blood sugar basics ### [Your A1C result, read against the NIH's cutoffs and the CDC's chart](https://glucosebench.com/a1c-levels) A normal A1C is below 5.7%. Read more Blood sugar basics ### [Is there a food that lowers blood sugar? What the CDC and NIH point to instead](https://glucosebench.com/foods-that-lower-blood-sugar) No food lowers blood sugar on its own. Read more Guides ### [Vitamin D for blood sugar: one prediabetes signal, several limits](https://glucosebench.com/vitamin-d-and-blood-sugar) Vitamin D isn't a way to bring blood sugar down. Read more Blood sugar basics ### [Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): what to do in the first 15 minutes](https://glucosebench.com/low-blood-sugar) For most people with diabetes, blood sugar below 70 mg/dL is low, according to the CDC and the NIH; for people without diabetes, MedlinePlus says hypoglycemia is… Read more Updated September 27, 2026. [See our full method](https://glucosebench.com/how-we-choose) --- ## GlucoseBench - GlucoseBench, published by Grupo Marfre Automação e Tecnologia (Contagem, Brazil) - Email: contact@glucosebench.com - Home: https://glucosebench.com/ - llms.txt: https://glucosebench.com/llms.txt · llms-full.txt: https://glucosebench.com/llms-full.txt · sitemap: https://glucosebench.com/sitemap.xml