What Is The Normal Range For Blood Sugar Levels, And What Blood Sugar Level Constitutes A True Emergency?
Question:What is the normal range for blood sugar levels, and what blood sugar level constitutes a true emergency? Answer:Now, in a normal individual we measure blood sugar under different circumstances. What we call fasting blood sugar or blood glucose levels is usually done six to eight hours after the last meal. So it's most commonly done before breakfast in the morning; and the normal range there is 70 to 100 milligrams per deciliter. Now when you eat a meal, blood sugar generally rises and in a normal individual it usually does not get above a 135 to 140 milligrams per deciliter. So there is a fairly narrow range of blood sugar throughout the entire day. Now in our diabetic patients we see both low blood sugar levels that we call hypoglycemia, or elevated blood sugars, hyperglycemia. Now, if the blood sugar drops below about 60 or 65 milligrams per deciliter, people will generally get symptoms, which are some shakiness, feeling of hunger, maybe a little racing of the heart and they will usually be trenchant or if they eat something, it goes away right away. But if blood sugar drops below 50 and can get down as low as 40 or 30 or even 20, then there is a progressive loss of mental function and eventually unconsciousness and seizures. And of course that is very dangerous and a medical emergency. On the other side, if blood sugar gets up above 180 to 200, then it exceeds the capacity of the kidneys to reabsorb the glucose and we begin to spill glucose into the urine. And if it gets way up high, up in the 400s or even 500s, it can be associated with some alteration in mental function. And in this situation, if it persists for a long time, we can actually see mental changes as well. So either too low or very exceedingly high can cause changes in mental function. Next: W Continue reading >>
Must Read Articles Related To High Blood Sugar (hyperglycemia)
A A A High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia) Whenever the glucose (sugar) level in one's blood rises high temporarily, this condition is known as hyperglycemia. The opposite condition, low blood sugar, is called hypoglycemia. Glucose comes from most foods, and the body uses other chemicals to create glucose in the liver and muscles. The blood carries glucose (blood sugar) to all the cells in the body. To carry glucose into the cells as an energy supply, cells need help from insulin. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas, an organ near the stomach. The pancreas releases insulin into the blood, based upon the blood sugar level. Insulin helps move glucose from digested food into cells. Sometimes, the body stops making insulin (as in type 1 diabetes), or the insulin does not work properly (as in type 2 diabetes). In diabetic patients, glucose does not enter the cells sufficiently, thus staying in the blood and creating high blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels can be measured in seconds by using a blood glucose meter, also known as a glucometer. A tiny drop of blood from the finger or forearm is placed on a test strip and inserted into the glucometer. The blood sugar (or glucose) level is displayed digitally within seconds. Blood glucose levels vary widely throughout the day and night in people with diabetes. Ideally, blood glucose levels range from 90 to 130 mg/dL before meals, and below 180 mg/dL within 1 to 2 hours after a meal. Adolescents and adults with diabetes strive to keep their blood sugar levels within a controlled range, usually 80-150 mg/dL before meals. Doctors and diabetes health educators guide each patient to determine their optimal range of blood glucose control. When blood sugar levels remain high for several hours, dehydration and more serious complicat Continue reading >>
Decoding The Dawn Phenomenon (high Morning Blood Sugar)
Are your fasting blood sugar levels often higher than when you went to bed? Is high fasting blood sugar with normal PP figures something to worry about? If you are worried about your glucose numbers swinging during sleep or pre-dawn hours, you could be experiencing the Dawn Phenomena. What Is The Dawn Phenomena? When we are asleep, our bodies are tasked with repair, maintenance and growth jobs. Since we are not eating anything during sleep, the body uses glucose from the liver to maintain metabolic functions. In addition to that, there is a surge in growth hormones in the early hours of the dawn between 4 am to 5 am, which makes the liver produce more glucose. Fact is; this is a natural occurrence and happens to all of us. In simpler words, everyone has the dawn phenomenon. The body produces hormones, including cortisol, glucagon, and epinephrine, to help maintain and restore cells within our bodies, and also give us the energy we need to start our day and make it until breakfast. In people who don’t have diabetes, the insulin produced by the body keeps these higher glucose levels in check. However, in diabetics who suffer from insulin resistance or have impaired insulin function, this leads to higher fasting blood sugar levels which normalize only post breakfast. For pregnant women, the dawn phenomenon is even more exaggerated due to additional hormones released in the night. The body has mechanisms to maintain normal basal glucose levels during sleep, so we don’t get hypoglycemia or low blood sugar at night. In patients displaying impaired glucose tolerance, their body is unable to handle the glucose surge at night combined with the insulin suppression. People who do strenuous exercise early in the morning (e.g. weight training) are also more likely to experience Continue reading >>
A Home Run Breakfast With Diabetes
Seven things I do to beat the hardest meal of the day. With diabetes, the stakes are high in the morning. A well-managed breakfast can dramatically improve my time in zone (70-140 mg/dl) for the rest of the day. Conversely, I might regret poor choices at breakfast three, five, even eight hours later. Unfortunately, the morning brings a perfect storm for blood sugar spikes: high-carb and sugary food options, insulin resistance and inactivity, time demands, stress, and caffeine. Breakfast is also the most likely meal to prompt outrage: “How can I be LOW right now?! I did the same thing yesterday and was HIGH!” This article shares what I’ve learned through diabetes trial-and-error about managing breakfast with diabetes, including many personal examples collected over the past few weeks. The tactics that have had the biggest impact on my diabetes are listed first, though all seven have made a major difference. Click on a tactic in the table of contents below to skip right down to it. At the end of the article, I’ve added two other approaches that might improve blood sugar around breakfast (cut caffeine and reduce stress), but I couldn’t confirm them from my own data. Please send feedback or other tactics by email or on Twitter; I love hearing from readers! And if you find this article useful, check out my upcoming book, Bright Spots & Landmines! I’m NOT a healthcare provider. Always confirm changes with a professional, especially when using insulin. Summary 2. Eat non-traditional foods for breakfast: almond flour, nuts and seeds, lentils, etc. 3. Dose insulin 20+ minutes before eating carbs, and wait longer if blood glucose is above target or when eating something really sugary. 4. More breakfast insulin: I use a more aggressive morning correction factor and mor Continue reading >>
Managing Morning Blood Sugar Highs: How To Treat The Top 3 Causes
A high blood sugar reading first thing in the morning can throw off your whole day — and signal a chronic problem. Despite their best efforts to control their blood sugar levels, some people simply wake up with elevated blood sugar. Starting your day this way isn't just alarming: If it becomes a pattern, high morning readings can make it difficult to achieve your long-term diabetes management goals. Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, a morning blood sugar high can be due to several causes. But with a little detective work and the help of your diabetes care team, you can isolate the cause and take steps to correct it. Here are three common scenarios: 1. The Dawn Phenomenon This occurs during the night while you're asleep and the body releases stress hormones. This phenomenon usually occurs between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. and involves growth hormone, cortisol, and adrenaline, which trigger the production and release of glucose from your liver. The end result of this chemical cascade is an increase in blood sugar. “These hormones are designed to get us up and moving in the morning,” says endocrinologist Renee Amori, MD, assistant professor of medicine in the division of endocrinology at the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. While everybody experiences these natural changes in hormone levels, in people with diabetes the body may not adjust appropriately. This can lead to higher-than-normal blood sugar at the start of the day. Testing for these elevated first morning blood sugars is one way to diagnose people with type 2 diabetes. 2. The Somogyi Effect High morning readings can also be caused by the Somogyi effect, a rebound response that occurs when the body overcompensates for a low blood sugar reaction at night. If you take blood sugar–lowe Continue reading >>
Why Is My Blood Glucose So High In The Morning?
I am puzzled by my blood sugar pattern. I am not on any medications. My morning fasting blood sugar is always the highest of the day—between 120 and 140 mg/dl. The rest of the day it is in the normal range. Why does this occur? Continue reading >>
Dawn Phenomenon (liver Dump)
Tweet Dawn phenomenon is the term given to an increase in blood sugar in the morning caused by the body's release of certain hormones. It is a relatively common phenomenon amongst diabetics. Although often confused, Dawn Phenomenon is different from Chronic Somogyi Rebound, because it is not brought on by nocturnal hypoglycemia. How is dawn phenomenon caused? Dawn effect occurs when hormones (including cortisol, glucagon, epinephrine) are released by the body, causing the liver to release glucose. The dawn effect therefore describes abnormally high early morning increases in blood glucose: Usually abnormally high blood glucose levels occur between 8 and 10 hours after going to sleep for people with diabetes Why does the dawn phenomenon occur? Researchers think that the release of the above-mentioned hormones may give rise to a brief period of insulin resistance which would also explain a rise in blood glucose levels. How is dawn phenomenon treated? Typically dawn phenomenon is treated by avoiding intake of carbohydrates at bedtime, adjusting how much insulin or medication is administered, switching to other medications or using an insulin pump. Tweet Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that results in hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels) due to the body: Being ineffective at using the insulin it has produced; also known as insulin resistance and/or Being unable to produce enough insulin Type 2 diabetes is characterised by the body being unable to metabolise glucose (a simple sugar). This leads to high levels of blood glucose which over time may damage the organs of the body. From this, it can be understood that for someone with diabetes something that is food for ordinary people can become a sort of metabolic poison. This is why people with diabetes ar Continue reading >>
Why Is My Blood Sugar High In The Morning?
That early morning jump in your blood sugar? It's called the dawn phenomenon or the dawn effect. It usually happens between 2 and 8 a.m. But why? Generally, the normal hormonal changes your body makes in the morning will boost your blood sugar, whether you have diabetes or not. If you don't, your body just makes more insulin to balance everything out. You don't even notice that it's happening. But if you have diabetes, it's different. Since your body doesn't respond to insulin the same as most, your fasting blood sugar reading can go up, even if you follow a strict diet. The boost in sugar is your body's way of making sure you have enough energy to get up and start the day. If you have diabetes, your body may not have enough insulin to counteract these hormones. That disrupts the delicate balance that you work so hard to keep, and your sugar readings can be too high by morning. The effects of the dawn phenomenon can vary from person to person, even from day to day. Some researchers believe the natural overnight release of what are called counter-regulatory hormones -- like growth hormones, cortisol, glucagon and epinephrine -- makes your insulin resistance stronger. This will make your blood sugar go up. You may also have high blood sugar in the morning because: You didn't have enough insulin the night before. You took too much or too little medicine. You ate the wrong snack before bedtime. If the dawn phenomenon affects you, try to: Eat dinner earlier in the evening. Do something active after dinner, like going for a walk. Check with your health care provider about the medicine you’re taking. Eat breakfast. It helps bring your blood sugar back to normal, which tells your body that it's time to rein in the anti-insulin hormones. Eat a snack with some carbohydrates and Continue reading >>
Controlling The Dawn Phenomenon
One of our most stubborn challenges is to control the dawn phenomenon. That’s when our fasting blood glucose readings in the morning are higher than when we went to bed. The dawn phenomenon is a normal physiological process where certain hormones in our body work to raise blood glucose levels before we wake up, as we wrote in The New Glucose Revolution: What Makes My Blood Glucose Go Up…And Down? Professor Jennie Brand-Miller of the University of Sydney, Kaye Foster-Powell, and I co-authored that book (Marlowe & Co., first edition 2003, second American edition 2006). These so-called counter-regulatory hormones, including glucagon, epinephrine, growth hormone, and cortisol, work against the action of insulin. They stimulate glucose release from the liver and inhibit glucose utilization throughout the body. The result is an increase in blood glucose levels, ensuring a supply of fuel in anticipation of the wakening body’s needs. If you take insulin injections, it could be that the effect of insulin you took is waning. Your blood glucose will rise if you didn’t take enough to keep your insulin level up through the night. The dawn phenomenon varies from person to person and can even vary from time to time in each of us. That much was clear when our book came out. But how to control it was a different story. A couple of years ago here I wrote about several efforts for “Taming the Dawn Phenomenon.” People have tried everything from eating a green apple at bedtime to high-maize grain to uncooked cornstarch. None of these remedies that I have been able to try ever worked for me. I always thought that the most promising remedy was one that a correspondent named Renee suggested – vinegar capsules. “I am still using vinegar tablets (usually 8) each night and have us Continue reading >>
Dawn Phenomenon (liver Dump)
Tweet Dawn phenomenon is the term given to an increase in blood sugar in the morning caused by the body's release of certain hormones. It is a relatively common phenomenon amongst diabetics. Although often confused, Dawn Phenomenon is different from Chronic Somogyi Rebound, because it is not brought on by nocturnal hypoglycemia. How is dawn phenomenon caused? Dawn effect occurs when hormones (including cortisol, glucagon, epinephrine) are released by the body, causing the liver to release glucose. The dawn effect therefore describes abnormally high early morning increases in blood glucose: Usually abnormally high blood glucose levels occur between 8 and 10 hours after going to sleep for people with diabetes Why does the dawn phenomenon occur? Researchers think that the release of the above-mentioned hormones may give rise to a brief period of insulin resistance which would also explain a rise in blood glucose levels. How is dawn phenomenon treated? Typically dawn phenomenon is treated by avoiding intake of carbohydrates at bedtime, adjusting how much insulin or medication is administered, switching to other medications or using an insulin pump. I have high morning blood sugar, do I have dawn phenomenon? High morning blood sugar can be down to a variety of things, including insufficient insulin, incorrect medication dosage, carbohydrate snacks before bed and more. Testing blood glucose during the course of the night (say between 2 and 4 am) may help to establish when blood glucose levels are rising and therefore whether you are experiencing dawn phenomenon. How do I correct dawn phenomenon? Your doctor or healthcare professional will be able to help you to correct either dawn phenomenon or alternative reasons for high blood glucose levels in the early morning. They may s Continue reading >>
Why Is Blood Sugar High In The Morning?
At the moment we are following Yvonne (a type 2 diabetic) on a 6-8 week journey to lower her blood sugar, a1c levels and hopefully cholesterol and other health markers. Yvonne has been sending me her blood sugar charts every few days and on those she always makes some notes for me. I noticed she had 3 big question marks (???) against one of her morning blood sugar results and then again on another morning when her blood sugar levels were high at 160 (mg/dl – or 8.9mmol/l) she had written: “I don’t understand. 97 (mg/dl – or 5.5mmol/l) last night when I went to sleep. I didn’t eat anything because I didn’t feel well. Humm.” So I thought this would be a good opportunity to provide some information on the question: Why is blood sugar high in the morning?? While you’re here be sure to subscribe for our type 2 diabetes updates Why Is Blood Sugar High In The Morning? Although it would seem like the body would have the lowest blood glucose in the morning this often isn’t the case for these 5 reasons. 1. Glucose Happens 24/7 All the cells in the body need glucose to fuel their function, even when we sleep. So the body breaks down stores in the liver so that the body and brain can continue to go about their functions. This glucose production will still occur when you don’t eat and in fact if you skip a meal it can increase the livers production of glucose. 2. Morning Hormones Raise Blood Glucose Cortisol (our stress hormone) is the hormone that slowly increases in levels from around 3 am onwards to reach it’s peak early in the morning. This occurs to get us moving and to give us energy. But cortisol stimulates a rise in blood sugar response so it is in fact a ‘normal’ response but if you are diabetic there is one factor that impacts both the overnight g Continue reading >>
High Blood Sugar After Exercise?
back to Overview Markus, one of our great German-language authors, wrote about struggling with high blood sugar after exercise. I know it's a common problem, and one I've struggled with personally, so I want to make sure you get to see it, too. From Markus Berndt: It’s one of the first recommendations you get after being diagnosed with diabetes. “Get active, do more exercise, it’s good for you!” And since we’ve been a child we’ve heard that exercise is healthy. If we do it consistently we’re rewarded, literally, with an awesome beach body. Adding exercise into our day is also good for our diabetes. We’re taught that exercise lowers blood sugar, right? But can the opposite also be true? Can you have high blood sugar after exercise? Up close We now know that physical activity usually lowers blood sugar because it reduces how much insulin is needed to move sugar into the cells. While, in the past, most experts advised frequent training intervals at moderate intensity, but recent studies have shown that even short, intense workouts are very effective. For example, a 15-minute intense weight training lowered blood sugar even more than what’s seen in some endurance training. So activity lowers blood sugar – but not always! Personally, I experienced this very early on and was extremely irritated! I just learned that exercise lowers blood sugar, but an intense 45-minute run consistently resulted in higher blood sugars than when I started! What in the world? At first, I was confused and felt like I didn’t understand the world anymore. Then it was more of a “would you look at this?” kind of thing. And finally, I was determined to figure out what was happening. I knew there had to be an explanation. Why does exercise sometimes raise blood sugar? Exercise Continue reading >>
How To Fix High Morning Blood Sugars (dawn Phenomenon)
There are various possible causes of a high blood sugar level in the morning: The Dawn Phenomenon which is a natural rise in blood sugar due to a surge of hormones secreted at night which trigger your liver to dump sugar into your blood to help prepare you for the day. Having high blood sugar from the night before which continue through the night into the morning. Reactive hyperglycemia which is also called the Somogyi Effect. This is when a low blood sugar in the middle of the night triggers your liver to dump sugar into your blood in an attempt to stabilize your blood sugar. Why Are My Blood Sugars High in the Morning? There is a simple strategy for diagnosing the source of high blood sugars in the morning. Test your blood sugar before bed. Test your blood sugar in the middle of the night. Test your blood sugar in the morning. It takes a little bit of effort, but you only need to do it a few times to diagnose the issue. TheSomogyi Effect is less common than the Dawn Phenomenon, according to an article published by The Polish Journal of Endocrinology. To diagnose either of these phenomena, scientists recommend checking blood sugar levels for several nights specifically between 3 a.m and 5 a.m. or using a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGM). Many healthcare practitioners are now offering the use of a loan CGM for a few days which can be helpful to observe nighttime blood sugar activity. How to Fix High Blood Sugars in the Morning The Dawn Phenomenon refers to a surge of hormones excreted by your body in the early morning hours. These hormones rise each night around the same time to prepare your body to wake. Basically, your body is starting the engine, releasing some fuel, and prepping to go for the day. The Dawn Phenomenon occurs in all humans regardless of whet Continue reading >>
How To Lower Morning Blood Sugar
Determine your target fasting blood glucose range. Normally, a range of 90 to 130 milligrams per deciliter is chosen, but you may be instructed by your doctor to aim as low as 70 milligrams per deciliter. Lowering your blood sugar reduces your risk for diabetic eye damage and kidney damage, according to the American Diabetes Association. Get a good night's sleep. Sleeping less than seven hours or more than nine hours a night increases the body's production of the stress hormone cortisol and is associated with elevated fasting blood glucose levels, according to the November 2007 issue of "Diabetologia." Sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, menopausal hot flashes and the pain associated with nerve damage from diabetes may contribute to decreased sleep quality. Making a habit of going to bed eight hours before you must wake up is a crucial habit to develop. Check your dinner menus. Reduce the portion size of high glycemic carbohydrates such as refined sugar, white flour and white rice--which cause spikes in your blood sugar -- and increase your portions of foods with omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and olive oil, and low-glycemic carbs such as brown rice, lentils and other whole grain foods. Take the dog for a walk. A vigorous stroll for 10 to 20 minutes late in the evening may be enough to reduce your fasting blood glucose. If you don't have a dog, ask a neighbors if they would like you to walk their pets or take your favorite person for a before-bed walk around the neighborhood. If you take insulin, be sure to calculate this exercise regimen when selecting your bedtime, long-acting dose. Nibble at night. A bedtime snack that contains a small amount of a low-glycemic carbohydrates, such as half an apple, together with a source of protein and fat, such as a tablespoon o Continue reading >>
7 Morning Rituals Proven To Lower Morning Blood Sugar Naturally
If you’re a diabetic, you may find that your blood sugar levels are at their peak in the morning. This is due to the fasting period overnight. It’s common for blood sugar tests to require a period of fasting beforehand to get the best natural levels. You need to get your blood sugar levels down right away. The good news is you don’t necessarily need to rely on medication. While you will want to take medication in the way that your doctor has prescribed, you will still want to follow these seven-morning rituals. It is possible to reverse type II diabetes and focus on a healthier and more natural lifestyle. Even if you’re not a diabetic, you will want to keep your morning blood sugar levels down. Here are the seven must-follow morning rituals that have proven to lower the blood sugar levels on a morning completely naturally. Wait, Why Is Your Blood Sugar Up In the Morning? Why is it that your blood sugar levels will rise overnight? You don’t eat anything, so how can you possibly add any glucose to your system? Well, those who suffer from type II diabetes will find this is most problematic. The body still creates glucose throughout the night. It needs to, whether you’ve eaten something or not. This natural process is called gluconeogenesis, and there is nothing you can do to stop it – nor would you want to. In a healthy person, this process doesn’t cause a major problem. Those with diabetes will find the gluconeogenesis process is increased. That means your body produces more glucose naturally than it would if you were healthy. Let’s not forget that the stress hormone cortisol also plays a part. This increases slowly on a morning until it reaches a peak early in the morning. The cortisol will elevate the blood sugar levels, so you end up with naturally hi Continue reading >>
