Fructosamine
Glycated blood proteins reflecting average glucose over the past 2-3 weeks.
| Typical reference range | 190–270 umol/L |
Ranges vary by laboratory, method, age and sex: always use the range printed on your own report. Why labs differ.
What it measures
Fructosamine measures glucose bound to serum proteins, mostly albumin. Because albumin has a half-life of about 20 days, it reflects average glucose over a shorter window than HbA1c.
Why it matters
It is useful when HbA1c is unreliable (anemia, hemoglobin variants, pregnancy, recent blood loss) and for tracking recent changes in glucose control.
What a high result can mean
Elevated values indicate higher average glucose over recent weeks, as in poorly controlled diabetes. Hypothyroidism and conditions that slow albumin turnover can also raise it.
What a low result can mean
Low values can occur with low albumin (nephrotic syndrome, liver disease, malnutrition) or rapid protein turnover, independent of glucose.
What affects the result
No fasting required. Interpret in light of albumin levels. High-dose vitamin C or biotin can interfere with some methods. Reference ranges vary by method.
Units and conversion
Usually reported in umol/L.
- From mmol/L: multiply by 1,000 to get umol/L
Also called on lab reports
Fructosamine, Serum, Glycated Serum Protein
Related tests: Glucose & Metabolic
This page is educational and does not replace advice from a healthcare professional.