Nathan 2008: ADAG Study - Translating A1C to Average Glucose
Nathan et al. • Diabetes Care • 2008
eAG (mg/dL) = 28.7 × A1C − 46.7 allows conversion of A1C to average glucose
The research behind Metabolicum's evidence-based approach
Not all research is equal. We assign confidence grades to each source based on study design, sample size, replication status, and methodology. This helps you understand how confident you can be in each finding.
High Confidence
Replicated findings across multiple well-designed studies
Good Confidence
Well-designed single studies with strong methodology
Moderate Confidence
Observational data with consistent patterns
Emerging Evidence
Mechanistic or theoretical - interpret cautiously
Clinical Consensus
Practitioner experience without formal trials
Why are we so careful about evidence grading? Because a significant portion of published research fails to replicate.
| Study | Finding | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Begley & Ellis, 2012 | Only 21% of landmark cancer studies could be replicated | A |
| Open Science Collaboration, 2015 | Only 36% of psychology studies replicated | A |
| Ioannidis, 2005 | Theoretical framework explaining why most findings are false | A |
This doesn't mean you should distrust all research. It means:
We grade evidence honestly so you can calibrate your confidence appropriately.
In-depth analysis of foundational studies with translated summaries
Showing 4 studies
Nathan et al. • Diabetes Care • 2008
eAG (mg/dL) = 28.7 × A1C − 46.7 allows conversion of A1C to average glucose
Sacks et al. • Diabetes Care • 2011
Standardized guidelines for HbA1c testing in diabetes management
Rohlfing et al. • Diabetes Care • 2002
Established the mathematical relationship between HbA1c and mean plasma glucose
Cohen et al. • Diabetes Care • 2010
Individual glycation variation can cause eAG to over- or underestimate true average glucose
Primary thresholds come from Grade A sources. When Grade A evidence suggests a range rather than a single value, we present the range with context.
We draw on Grades A-C for educational claims, clearly labeling evidence quality. Grade D and E content is marked as theoretical or practitioner-derived.
This bibliography contains the research supporting Metabolicum's evidence-based approach.
Last comprehensive review: December 2025