What Is Normal Blood Sugar Levels?
Frequency of hypoglycemia and hypoglycemia unawareness After taking all of these factors into consideration, your doctor will be able to determine what blood glucose targets are best for you. For example, if you are considered to be a healthy, younger individual with diabetes, your blood sugar targets will likely be set to reflect tighter or more rigid blood sugar control. Elderly people with type 2 diabetes may not need to have blood sugar targets so strict because they are at increased risk of having low blood sugars or because they have other health related issues. Women with gestational diabetes have blood sugar targets that are lower than non pregnant people with diabetes to protect the unborn fetus and children with type 1 diabetes have blood sugar targets that are less stringent, especially if they experience episodes of hypoglycemia unawareness. We know healthy eating is key to help manage diabetes, but that doesn't make it easy. Our free nutrition guide is here to help. Sign up and receive your free copy! The table below compares the general recommendations of the two sets of guidelines for both blood glucose pre and post meals as well as hemoglobin A1C (three month average of blood sugar). Plasma blood glucose and A1C goals from the ADA and ACE for most non pregnant adults A Good Way to Determine Your Blood Sugar Levels is Self Blood Glucose Monitoring (SBGM)? Checking your blood glucose levels throughout the day will help you to figure out how to keep your blood sugar in good control. Your numbers can help you pattern manage and learn how to identify how food, exercise, stress, and illness, to name a few, affects your blood sugar control. First thing in the morning (when you are fasting for at least 8 hours) before breakfast, two hours after a meal and befor Continue reading >>
An Increase In Dietary Protein Improves The Blood Glucose Response In Persons With Type 2 Diabetes1,2,3
Abstract Background: In single-meal studies, dietary protein does not result in an increase in glucose concentrations in persons with or without type 2 diabetes, even though the resulting amino acids can be used for gluconeogenesis. Objective: The metabolic effects of a high-protein diet were compared with those of the prototypical healthy (control) diet, which is currently recommended by several scientific organizations. Design: The metabolic effects of both diets, consumed for 5 wk each (separated by a 2–5-wk washout period), were studied in 12 subjects with untreated type 2 diabetes. The ratio of protein to carbohydrate to fat was 30:40:30 in the high-protein diet and 15:55:30 in the control diet. The subjects remained weight-stable during the study. Results: With the fasting glucose concentration used as a baseline from which to determine the area under the curve, the high-protein diet resulted in a 40% decrease in the mean 24-h integrated glucose area response. Glycated hemoglobin decreased 0.8% and 0.3% after 5 wk of the high-protein and control diets, respectively; the difference was significant (P < 0.05). The rate of change over time was also significantly greater after the high-protein diet than after the control diet (P < 0.001). Fasting triacylglycerol was significantly lower after the high-protein diet than after the control diet. Insulin, C-peptide, and free fatty acid concentrations were not significantly different after the 2 diets. Conclusion: A high-protein diet lowers blood glucose postprandially in persons with type 2 diabetes and improves overall glucose control. However, longer-term studies are necessary to determine the total magnitude of response, possible adverse effects, and the long-term acceptability of the diet. Continue reading >>
- Exercise and Glucose Metabolism in Persons with Diabetes Mellitus: Perspectives on the Role for Continuous Glucose Monitoring
- Incidence of End-Stage Renal Disease Attributed to Diabetes Among Persons with Diagnosed Diabetes United States and Puerto Rico, 20002014
- Renal Handling of Ketones in Response to Sodium–Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibition in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
What You Can Do To Stop The Blood Sugar Rollercoaster
If you find that your blood sugars often fluctuate from too high to too low (and vice versa), you’re on the blood sugar rollercoaster. To learn how to eliminate the extremes, you’ll have to do a little sleuthing on your own. Get out your blood glucose meter, and for a week try testing before and after a variety of meals, activities, and destressors to figure out what’s making it go up and down to stop it for good! Your blood sugars are affected by a large number of things, including what you ate (especially refined “white” carbohydrates), how long ago you ate, your starting blood glucose level, physical activity, mental stress, illness, sleep patterns, and more. If you take insulin and use it to treat highs, you can easily end up overcompensating and developing low blood sugars. If you develop a low, it’s easy to overeat and end up high again. Large fluctuations in blood sugars may make you feel cruddy and are bad for your long-term health, so it’s time to learn how to stop the rollercoaster! Physical Activity Effects: During this week, your goal is to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity on three days at varying times of day, and check and record your blood glucose levels before and after the activity. Physical Activity Trial #1: For this first activity, pick one that you normally do (like walking or cycling) and try to do it at your usual time of day. Check and record your blood sugar immediately before starting and within an hour of completing the 30 minutes of activity. You will find that your body responds differently to varying types of physical activities, particularly when the time of day varies as well. If you exercise first thing in the morning (before breakfast and medications), it is not unusual to experience a modest increase in blood s Continue reading >>
Learn About Blood Sugar
Blood sugar is your body’s main source of energy. Your doctor probably told you that you have type 2 diabetes because you had too much sugar in your blood. Fortunately, there are ways to help keep your blood sugar levels under control. Want to know what makes blood sugar levels rise and fall? Need more information about the tests that measure your blood sugar levels? You’ve come to the right place. Do you know what causes blood sugar levels to rise and fall when you have type 2 diabetes? Do you want to learn what may help keep your levels under control? Here’s a little background. Insulin is a hormone that your pancreas makes. It helps sugar move out of the bloodstream and into many cells of the body, where it’s used for energy. When you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make enough insulin, and the insulin that your body produces does not work as well as it should. Both of these situations may lead to too much sugar in your blood. Help get back on track with the right treatment plan. Blood sugar levels may be controlled with the help of medicine and lifestyle changes. Talk to your doctor. By working together, you can come up with a plan to help you control your blood sugar. Why is it important to measure your blood sugar levels every day with a glucose meter? What do the results of your A1C test mean? What numbers should you aim for? Here are some answers. The results of your daily self-tests with a glucose meter and the A1C test are important. They may help you and your doctor understand how well your type 2 diabetes treatment plan is working. Find out more about each test now. And to help make it easier to track your numbers, download a Daily Glucose Tracker. Why is it important to measure your blood sugar levels every day with a glucose meter? What do Continue reading >>
15 Ways High Blood Sugar Affects Your Body
High blood sugar symptoms Glucose, or sugar, is the fuel that powers cells throughout the body. Blood levels of this energy source ebb and flow naturally, depending what you eat (and how much), as well as when you eat it. But when something goes wrong—and cells aren't absorbing the glucose—the resulting high blood sugar damages nerves, blood vessels, and organs, setting the stage for dangerous complications. Normal blood-sugar readings typically fall between 60 mg/dl and 140 mg/dl. A blood test called a hemoglobin A1c measures average blood sugar levels over the previous three months. A normal reading is below 5.7% for people without diabetes. An excess of glucose in the bloodstream, or hyperglycemia, is a sign of diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes don’t make insulin, the hormone needed to ferry sugar from the bloodstream into cells. Type 2 diabetes means your body doesn’t use insulin properly and you can end up with too much or too little insulin. Either way, without proper treatment, toxic amounts of sugar can build up in the bloodstream, wreaking havoc head to toe. That’s why it’s so important to get your blood sugar levels in check. “If you keep glucose levels near normal, you reduce the risk of diabetes complications,” says Robert Ratner, MD, chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes Association. Here’s a rundown of the major complications and symptoms of high blood sugar. No symptoms at all Often, high blood sugar causes no (obvious) symptoms at all, at least at first. About 29 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, but one in four has no idea. Another 86 million have higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. That's why it’s a good idea to get your blood sugar test Continue reading >>
No More Finger Pricks For Some With Diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, chances are you prick your finger once a day or so to check your blood sugar. But a growing body of evidence shows that for most type 2 diabetes patients, routinely tracking your blood sugar, or glucose, doesn’t make any difference for your health. The exception is patients taking insulin or a sulfonylurea drug such as glipizide (which goes by the brand name Glucotrol) or glimepiride (Amaryl), which stimulates beta cells in the pancreas to produce insulin. That’s according to Dr. Jack Ende, president of the American College of Physicians, a professional organization of internal medicine specialists. Both insulin and the sulfonylureas can lead to hypoglycemia, or too-low blood sugar, so it’s important to perform self-monitoring, said Ende, an assistant dean at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia. Good News for Many with Diabetes “If you’re diet-controlled alone, or you’re just on metformin (a widely prescribed diabetes medication), which does not cause hypoglycemia, and you’re not interested in testing, there’s really no reason to do it,” he said. “It’s expensive [test strips alone cost around $1 each]. It’s burdensome.” But, Ende said, he has some patients who, even though they’re controlling their blood sugar by diet alone, continue to prick their finger regularly to check their glucose. Some health-care providers think self-testing makes patients feel empowered, thus enhancing their motivation to maintain control of their blood sugar. — Dr. Laura Young, University of North Carolina School of Medicine “It helps them stay on the diet,” he explained. “It’s a motivating technique,” kind of like hopping on the scale every morning if you’re trying to lose weight Continue reading >>
What Should My Blood Sugar Be?
JANUMET tablets contain 2 prescription medicines: sitagliptin (JANUVIA®) and metformin. Once-daily prescription JANUMET XR tablets contain sitagliptin (the medicine in JANUVIA®) and extended-release metformin. JANUMET or JANUMET XR can be used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. JANUMET or JANUMET XR should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes or with diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in the blood or urine). If you have had pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), it is not known if you have a higher chance of getting it while taking JANUMET or JANUMET XR. Metformin, one of the medicines in JANUMET and JANUMET XR, can cause a rare but serious side effect called lactic acidosis (a buildup of lactic acid in the blood), which can cause death. Lactic acidosis is a medical emergency that must be treated in a hospital. Call your doctor right away if you get any of the following symptoms, which could be signs of lactic acidosis: feel cold in your hands or feet; feel dizzy or lightheaded; have a slow or irregular heartbeat; feel very weak or tired; have unusual (not normal) muscle pain; have trouble breathing; feel sleepy or drowsy; have stomach pains, nausea, or vomiting. Most people who have had lactic acidosis with metformin have other things that, combined with the metformin, led to the lactic acidosis. Tell your doctor if you have any of the following, because you have a higher chance of getting lactic acidosis with JANUMET or JANUMET XR if you: have severe kidney problems or your kidneys are affected by certain x-ray tests that use injectable dye; have liver problems; drink alcohol very often, or drink a lot of alcohol in short-term “binge” drinking; get dehydrated (lose large amounts of body fluids, w Continue reading >>
High And Low Blood Sugar Issues
Blood sugar concentrations or blood glucose levels are the amount of sugar or glucose present in your blood stream. Your body naturally regulates blood sugar (glucose) levels as a part your body”s metabolic processes. Glucose or sugar is the primary energy mechanism for cells and blood lipids. Glucose or blood sugar is transported from your intestines or liver to the cells in your body via the bloodstream. The absorption of glucose is promoted by insulin or the hormone produced in the pancreas. If your sugar levels are not balanced you may have high or low blood sugar issues. Low sugar issues are hypoglycemia and high blood sugar indicates that you have hyperglycemia or hyperglycemia symptoms. High or low blood sugar levels cause different problems. Low blood sugar levels can cause dementia, comas or death. High blood sugar is a major cause of damage to your body”s internal organs. Low Blood Sugar Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia indicates the level of glucose in your blood has dramatically dropped below what your body need to function. When your blood sugar drops below 70 milligrams per deciliter symptom will develop. You may feel tired and anxious or weak and shaky. Your heart rate may be rapid and you feel as if you are having a heart attack. Eating something sugary will bring your sugar levels back to normal almost immediately and symptoms will subside. Sugar levels that are below 40 mg/dL cause you to have behavior changes. You may feel very irritable and become weak and confused. You may not realize you need to eat to raise your blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels below 20 mg/dL will most certainly cause a loss of consciousness or perhaps you will experience seizures. You will need medical care immediately. Hypoglycemia symptoms happen very quickly. If you a Continue reading >>
Symptoms, Diagnosis & Monitoring Of Diabetes
According to the latest American Heart Association's Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, about 8 million people 18 years and older in the United States have type 2 diabetes and do not know it. Often type 1 diabetes remains undiagnosed until symptoms become severe and hospitalization is required. Left untreated, diabetes can cause a number of health complications. That's why it's so important to both know what warning signs to look for and to see a health care provider regularly for routine wellness screenings. Symptoms In incidences of prediabetes, there are no symptoms. People may not be aware that they have type 1 or type 2 diabetes because they have no symptoms or because the symptoms are so mild that they go unnoticed for quite some time. However, some individuals do experience warning signs, so it's important to be familiar with them. Prediabetes Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes No symptoms Increased or extreme thirst Increased thirst Increased appetite Increased appetite Increased fatigue Fatigue Increased or frequent urination Increased urination, especially at night Unusual weight loss Weight loss Blurred vision Blurred vision Fruity odor or breath Sores that do not heal In some cases, no symptoms In some cases, no symptoms If you have any of these symptoms, see your health care provider right away. Diabetes can only be diagnosed by your healthcare provider. Who should be tested for prediabetes and diabetes? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you should be tested if you are: If your blood glucose levels are in normal range, testing should be done about every three years. If you have prediabetes, you should be checked for diabetes every one to two years after diagnosis. Tests for Diagnosing Prediabetes and Diabetes There are three ty Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar Levels For Adults With Diabetes
Each time you test your blood sugar, log it in a notebook or online tool or with an app. Note the date, time, results, and any recent activities: What medication and dosage you took What you ate How much and what kind of exercise you were doing That will help you and your doctor see how your treatment is working. Well-managed diabetes can delay or prevent complications that affect your eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Diabetes doubles your risk for heart disease and stroke, too. Fortunately, controlling your blood sugar will also make these problems less likely. Tight blood sugar control, however, means a greater chance of low blood sugar levels, so your doctor may suggest higher targets. Continue reading >>
How To Reverse Type 2 Diabetes
Do you have type 2 diabetes, or are you at risk for diabetes? Do you worry about your blood sugar? Then you’ve come to the right place. The disease diabetes (any type) means that you have too much sugar in your blood. This page will show you how to best check this. You can normalize your blood sugar naturally as needed – without pills, calorie counting or hunger. Many people have already done so. As a bonus, a normalized blood sugar usually makes you healthier and leaner. Table of contents: A disastrous epidemic Two types of diabetes Normalize your blood sugar Become your own evidence A disastrous epidemic What’s wrong? Why do more and more people become diabetic? In the past, before our modern Western diet, diabetes was extremely rare. The disease is now becoming more and more common. Around the world, more and more people are becoming diabetic: The number of people with diabetes is increasing incredibly rapidly and is heading towards 500 million. This is a world epidemic. Will someone in your family be affected next? Your mother, father, cousin, your child? Or you? Is perhaps your blood already too sweet? Those affected by the most common form of diabetes (type 2) normally never regain their health. Instead, we take for granted that they’ll become a little sicker for every year that goes by. With time they need more and more drugs. Yet, sooner or later complications emerge. Blindness. Dialysis due to faulty kidneys. Dementia. Amputations. Death. Diabetes epidemic causes inconceivable suffering. Fortunately, there’s something that can be done. We just need to see through the mistake that has led to the explosion of disease – and correct it. This can normalize your blood sugar. Many have already succeeded in doing this. If you already know that you are diabe Continue reading >>
Your Weight And Diabetes
Diabetes is a group of disorders characterized by chronic high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) due to the body's failure to produce any or enough insulin to regulate high glucose levels. There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, which often occurs in children or adolescents, is caused by the body's inability to make insulin or type 2 diabetes, which occurs as a result of the body's inability to react properly to insulin (insulin resistance). Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent than type 1 diabetes and is therefore seen in roughly 90% of all diabetes cases. Type 2 diabetes is predominantly diagnosed after the age of forty, however, it is now being found in all age ranges, including children and adolescents. The impact of diabetes goes beyond chronic hyperglycemia. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness (diabetic retinopathy), end stage kidney diseases (diabetic nephropathy) and non-traumatic lower extremity amputations (diabetic neuropathy) in working-age adults. People with diabetes are also two to four times more likely to experience cardiovascular complications and strokes. Diabetes and its related complications result in an estimated 200,000+ deaths each year, making diabetes one of the major causes of mortality in the U.S. In 2012, the NIH reported an estimated 29.1 million Americans (9.3% of the population) living with diabetes. Of these, an estimated 8.1 million persons were unaware that they had the disease. How does my weight relate to type 2 diabetes? There are many risk factors for type 2 diabetes such as age, race, pregnancy, stress, certain medications, genetics or family history, high cholesterol and obesity. However, the single best predictor of type 2 diabetes is overweight or obesity. Almost 90% of people living with type 2 diabetes a Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar Level Follows Perceived Time Rather Than Actual Time In People With Type 2 Diabetes
Materials and Methods We used flyers and local advertisements to recruit 47 volunteers who have type 2 diabetes mellitus (≥12 mo duration; 24 women; mean age = 54.1 y, SD = 12.2 y) and who were being treated with diet and metformin, a biguanide antidiabetic medication. At least a week before they came to the laboratory, we sent participants a package of forms and instructions, including a brief survey about medical history and conditions, a daily glucose diary, a glucose fluctuation chart, and fasting instructions. The protocol was approved by the Harvard University Institutional Review Board. Participants provided informed consent. Participants were instructed to record their BGLs before and after every meal and to complete a daily blood glucose change chart for a week before the experiment. The procedure allowed them to become more familiar with their BGL fluctuations. To minimize potential BGL variability, we asked them to fast for at least 8 h before they came to the laboratory for the studies, beginning at 9:00 AM (mean fasting hours: 11 h 47 min; SD: 1 h 34 min). When volunteers arrived at the laboratory, we explained that we were interested in enhanced cognitive functioning among people who have type 2 diabetes. Volunteers were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: Fast, Normal, and Slow. We asked them to leave behind all devices that indicated time (e.g., phones, tablets, watches, etc). Then we took them to a separate laboratory room where they played three simple video games for 90 min and for approximately the same amount of time for each game. Participants in the Normal condition viewed a clock on the desk that indicated the actual time passing while they played video games; that is, their clocks correctly showed that 90 min had passed Continue reading >>
- As a doctor, I’d rather have HIV than diabetes
- The incredible colour changing tattoos that monitor the blood sugar levels of people with diabetes in real-time
- Postprandial Blood Glucose Is a Stronger Predictor of Cardiovascular Events Than Fasting Blood Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Particularly in Women: Lessons from the San Luigi Gonzaga Diabetes Study
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes occurs mostly in people aged over 40 years. However, an increasing number of younger people, even children, are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The first-line treatment is diet, weight control and physical activity. If the blood sugar (glucose) level remains high despite these measures then tablets to reduce the blood glucose level are usually advised. Insulin injections are needed in some cases. Other treatments include reducing blood pressure if it is high, lowering high cholesterol levels and also using other measures to reduce the risk of complications. Although diabetes cannot be cured, it can be treated successfully. If a high blood sugar level is brought down to a normal level, your symptoms will ease. You still have some risk of complications in the long term if your blood glucose level remains even mildly high - even if you have no symptoms in the short term. However, studies have shown that people who have better glucose control have fewer complications (such as heart disease or eye problems) compared with those people who have poorer control of their glucose level. Therefore, the main aims of treatment are: To keep your blood glucose level as near normal as possible. To reduce any other risk factors that may increase your risk of developing complications. In particular, to lower your blood pressure if it is high and to keep your blood lipids (cholesterol) low. To detect any complications as early as possible. Treatment can prevent or delay some complications from becoming worse. Type 2 diabetes is usually initially treated by following a healthy diet, losing weight if you are overweight, and having regular physical activity. If lifestyle advice does not control your blood sugar (glucose) levels then medicines are used to help lower your Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar Level Ranges
Tweet Understanding blood glucose level ranges can be a key part of diabetes self-management. This page states 'normal' blood sugar ranges and blood sugar ranges for adults and children with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and blood sugar ranges to determine people with diabetes. If a person with diabetes has a meter, test strips and is testing, it's important to know what the blood glucose level means. Recommended blood glucose levels have a degree of interpretation for every individual and you should discuss this with your healthcare team. In addition, women may be set target blood sugar levels during pregnancy. The following ranges are guidelines provided by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) but each individual’s target range should be agreed by their doctor or diabetic consultant. Recommended target blood glucose level ranges The NICE recommended target blood glucose levels are stated below for adults with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and children with type 1 diabetes. In addition, the International Diabetes Federation's target ranges for people without diabetes is stated. [19] [89] [90] The table provides general guidance. An individual target set by your healthcare team is the one you should aim for. NICE recommended target blood glucose level ranges Target Levels by Type Upon waking Before meals (pre prandial) At least 90 minutes after meals (post prandial) Non-diabetic* 4.0 to 5.9 mmol/L under 7.8 mmol/L Type 2 diabetes 4 to 7 mmol/L under 8.5 mmol/L Type 1 diabetes 5 to 7 mmol/L 4 to 7 mmol/L 5 to 9 mmol/L Children w/ type 1 diabetes 4 to 7 mmol/L 4 to 7 mmol/L 5 to 9 mmol/L *The non-diabetic figures are provided for information but are not part of NICE guidelines. Normal and diabetic blood sugar ranges For the majority of healthy ind Continue reading >>
