What Is Low Blood Glucose
Low blood glucose, also called low blood sugar or hypoglycemia, occurs when the level of glucose in your blood drops below what is healthy for you. For many people with diabetes, this means a blood glucose reading lower than 70 milligrams per deciliter .1 Your number might be different, so check with your doctor or health care team to find out what blood glucose level is low for you.
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Blood Sugar Chart: Summary
The fasting blood sugar, 2-hour post-meal blood sugar, and HbA1C tests are important ways to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes, as well as indicate how well a persons diabetes is being managed. If you think you have diabetes, its important to not try and diagnose yourself by doing a finger-stick with a home blood glucose meter. There are strict standards and procedures that laboratories use for diagnosing diabetes therefore, you should get tested at your doctors office or at a laboratory.
Its also important to talk with your doctor to make sure you understand a) how often you should have certain tests, such as a fasting blood glucose or HbA1C test b) what your results mean and c) what your blood sugar and HbA1C targets are.
If you have not been previously diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes but your results are above normal, your doctor may recommend other tests and should discuss a plan of treatment with you. Treatment may include lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, a healthy eating plan, and regular physical activity. You may need to start taking diabetes medications, including insulin. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, its recommended that you learn how to check your blood sugars with a meter so that you and your health care team can determine how your treatment plan is working for you.
What Is The Normal Level Of Sugar In The Blood
According to CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following blood sugar level is the normal range that healthcare teams recommend for individuals who do not have diabetes.
| Result | |
|---|---|
| 140 mg/dL or lesser | Not Applicable |
While these are the recommended blood sugar levels for those who do not have diabetes, your healthcare provider will be able to give you the best target range for your blood sugar levels, based on other factors such as your age, overall health, any medications you are on and so on.
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What Is Blood Glucose
Blood glucose is the main sugar content in your blood. It comes from the food you eat, and itâs your bodyâs main source of energy. Blood glucose levels are a measure of how much sugar is in your blood. Blood sugar levels can fluctuate during the day and night because of various reasons. What we eat, how active we are, and even stress can all affect our blood sugar levels.
Normal Blood Sugar Levels At Every Age
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Health Check Certified By: Patty Weasler, RN
Blood glucose, also known as blood sugar, is the main sugar found in your blood. It comes from the foods you eat and is your bodys main source of energy. When you check your blood sugar levels, youre measuring the amount of glucose in your blood. Knowing if you have low or high blood sugar levels is important because it could indicate that you have an underlying health condition such as diabetes.
The goods news is diabetes can be effectively managed if its caught early. However, if diabetes is left untreated, it can lead to devastating complications like nerve damage, heart disease, and kidney damage. In this article, we explore what is considered normal blood sugar levels based on age. Well also review what is considered normal for healthy individuals versus individuals with diabetes.
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What Are Normal A1c Levels For People Who Dont Have Diabetes
Generally, high A1c values indicate high average blood sugar levels and that a person might be at risk for or may have diabetes. The American Diabetes Association has established the following cutoffs:
|
A1c Level |
|
|
Prediabetes, meaning at risk for developing type 2 diabetes |
|
|
6.5% or greater |
Diagnosed diabetes |
Make sure you get a regular A1c test, especially if you think you might be at risk for diabetes.
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When Should I Go To The Hospital For Blood Sugar
Certain symptoms of blood sugar levels signal when you should seek medical help. Typically, if you feel extremely fatigued, notice increased thirst and urination, or weight loss, you should seek help right away. These symptoms can signify an abnormal blood sugar level and/or other health conditions. A routine health check is also advised, even if you do not show any symptoms.
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What Is The Ideal Blood Sugar For A 5
The normal blood sugar level for a five-year child should be around 80 mg/dL to 180 mg/dL. The normal range limit will keep narrowing as the child grows older. If you think your little one is at risk of developing diabetes, you should take regular readings and report any high levels to a doctor for immediate action.
High Blood Sugar Levels
If you have diabetes, you can find out if your blood sugar level is high by having a blood sugar test.
You may have regular tests by your care team or GP surgery, or you may have tests you can do at home.
| Type of test | High level |
|---|---|
| Test done by a health professional to check your blood sugar level over the last 2 or 3 months | 48 mmol/mol or over |
| Home test done at any other time | Over 11 mmol/L |
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Consequences Of Blood Sugar Levels
Whilst most symptoms of low and high blood sugar levels are mild, they can worsen if left untreated and sometimes have long term consequences and/or complications. Overtime, a high blood sugar level is what can cause consequences. Lack of treatment can cause severe damage to the blood vessels and lead to complications such as:
- Damage to the eyes and/or loss of vision
- Nerve problems in the feet leading to infections
To avoid long term consequences and complications, it is advised to take all precautionary measures and treat your blood sugar level so that it can be maintained at your ideal reading. So do so, follow all treatment methods, stay on track with checking your level daily and seeking help if symptoms persist.
If you have any more questions, here are a few of the most frequently asked questions which may answer your concerns:
Testing Your Blood Sugar Levels At Home
Testing your blood sugar at home will help you manage your diabetes. To test at home, youll need a blood sugar meter. This can test if your blood sugar levels are too low or high, monitor the effectiveness of your diabetes medication, and help you understand how other factors such as stress or illness affect your blood sugar levels.
Your doctor will be able to recommend a device for you and help you learn how to use it. They will also recommend how often you need to check your blood sugar levels at home.
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How To Raise Your Blood Sugar
When blood sugar drops < 70, accompanied by any of the common symptoms weâve mentioned so far, it may be necessary to work on raising it. One way to do this is to eat 15 grams of quickly absorbing carbs , then wait 15 minutes for blood glucose levels to rise.
Once your glucose returns to a normal range, it can help to eat a protein or fiber-focused meal to prevent future dips. Nutrisense dietitian Liz McKinney, MS, CNS, LDN suggests unsweetened Greek yogurt with berries or one to two hard-boiled eggs with sliced avocado on a slice of whole-wheat toast.
If you eat a low carbohydrate diet, seeing your glucose dip < 70 may not be a cause for concern. Itâs because your body may already be accustomed to lower baseline glucose. In this case, itâs important to watch out for any symptoms and also consider speaking with your doctor to help determine parameters appropriate for your body.
High Blood Sugar Level Causes
Several types of diabetes and medical conditions are the primary cause of high blood sugar levels. Most of which are unpreventable issues but are the reason for a spike in high blood sugar. The causes for high blood sugar levels are as follows:
Causes of low blood sugar levels are very different and are as important to be aware of, as they are in fact easier to control.
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Low Blood Sugar Chart And Action Plan
Low blood sugar is also called hypoglycemia. The numbers below represent values in the hypoglycemic range and require action to bring blood sugar levels up into a normal range.
| Alert Level and Treatment Plan | |
| 50 mg/dL or under | Red Flag: Blood sugar is critically low and requires immediate treatment.
If a person is unable to speak and/or is not alert, treat with glucagon via injection or nasal spray. Call emergency medical response if necessary. Do not place food or drink into the mouth. If a person is alert and able to speak clearly, treat with 15 grams of rapid-acting carbohydrate such as glucose gel, 4 oz regular soda, or fruit juice. Re-test blood sugar in 15 minutes and repeat as needed to bring blood sugar within range. |
| 51-70 mg/dL | Red Flag: Blood sugar is below normal levels and requires immediate treatment.
Treat with 15 grams of rapid-acting carbohydrate and re-test in 15 minutes. Repeat treatment as needed to bring blood sugar within range. |
| 71-90 mg/dL | Yellow Flag: Blood sugar levels should be watched and treated as needed.
If youre having symptoms of low blood sugar, treat with 15 grams of rapid-acting carbohydrate and re-test in 15 minutes. Repeat treatment or follow with a meal. If it is meal time, move forward with eating the meal. People often fall into this range when they are late for a meal or have been especially active. |
Blood Sugar Levels And Diabetes
The blood glucose level is the amount of glucose present in the blood. When we eat food, the body breaks down the food to form glucose, which is the main source of energy that is needed by the cells of the body. This glucose is sent to all the cells through the bloodstream as they need the glucose for energy. Diabetes is a problem within the body that causes blood glucose levels to rise higher than normal levels. This happens when the body is not able to produce a hormone called insulin in the required quantity or is not able to use the insulin properly.
Depending on the blood sugar levels, there are different types of diabetes. They are prediabetes, diabetes type 1, diabetes type 2 and gestational diabetes.
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Blood Sugar Levels 2 Hours After You’ve Eaten
Many foods have types of carbohydrates called starches and sugars. When you eat foods with these types of carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose, which is a type of simple sugar, and releases the glucose into your bloodstream. Aside from glucose produced by your liver, food is the main source of plasma glucose.
Two hours after eating, your blood sugar levels rise. They rise more when you eat more carbohydrates, when you do not eat fiber, fat, or protein with your carbs, and when you eat certain types of carbohydrates, such as refined sugars and starches.
These are target values from The Joslin Diabetes Center, which include levels for people with diabetes:
| When Measured |
|---|
| 90-150 mg/dl |
What Is Type 2 Diabetes
Type-2 diabetes is a chronic medical condition that affects the way your body metabolizes or processes blood sugar . In type-2 diabetes, glucose absorption into the cells decreases due to the cells becoming resistant to insulin. This causes glucose accumulation in the bloodstream.
Due to high glucose levels, insulin production increases. More insulin production weakens the pancreas cells. In the later stages, the body doesnt even produce sufficient insulin.
Summary:
In Type-2 diabetes blood, glucose levels in the body increase when the body cells become resistant to insulin.
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Remedies For High Sugar Level
If the blood sugar level is between 180 to250 mg/dL, seek medical advice and take medicines. Cut off a fast-acting carb diet. Dont take processed food and sugary items.
If the blood sugar level is> 250 mg/dL, you need immediate medical attention. If left untreated, it can lead to coma and high ketones in the blood. So test for ketones and get insulin therapy as soon as possible.
If you experience high sugar levels on regular basis, you are advised to do the following:
Many diabetic patients are aware of the changes they need to make in their diet or daily routine but are not able to follow them due to various reasons. Lack of motivation and proper knowledge is the most common reasons. A constant push from a diabetes reversal coach along with the guidance of a Diabetologist can help regulate blood sugar levels.
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Fasting Blood Glucose Level Test Preparation
What should you do if your doctor orders a fasting blood sugar test? The preparation is the same as when you take a fasting test for cholesterol. First, be sure to find out if you need to schedule an appointment for your test . Ask your doctor what time is best to take it.
Then:
- Schedule your test if necessary
- Ask your doctor if you need to change any of the medications you take on the morning of the test
- If you normally drink coffee or have caffeine, ask your doctor if that is okay. It may not be, since it affects blood sugar levels
- Fast for at least 8 hours before your test. Usually, an overnight fast is most convenient
- You can drink water
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Symptoms Of High Blood Sugar
Hyperglycemia can be defined as a condition with high blood sugar. This condition arises when the body does not have enough insulin or is unable to use insulin correctly. Some reasons due to which one might suffer from hyperglycemia are:
Some common symptoms that one might experience if he or she is suffering from hyperglycemia are:
- Difficulty in concentrating
There are also some lifestyle changes that one can make to treat hyperglycemia. Some of these changes are mentioned below.
- Eat whole and low sugar foods that are minimally processed
- Only exercise if there are no ketones present in the bloodstream
- Drink lots of water to help the body get rid of sugar in the urine
- Adjust your insulin levels
- Take medications according to the recommendation of your healthcare provider
How To Check Blood Glucose
1. Set up your supplies on a clean surface where theyre easy to reach.
2. Have your child wash their hands with soap and water and dry them. Or clean the finger that will be used for the test with an alcohol swab. Let it air dry.
- Dont use hand sanitizers, gel sprays, or alcohol foam.
- If the fingers are cold, warm them up by holding them under running warm tap water. Dry the fingers. It is harder to get blood from cold fingers.
3. Load the lancet into the lancet device. Twist off the lancets cap. Put the devices cap back on. Push the test strip all the way into the blood glucose meter .
4. Select a place on the side of a finger to do the test .
- Choose a site near the fingertip. Do not prick the center of the finger or the very tip .
- Do not use the thumb for the test.
- Do not prick skin in a place that is not healed or is sore.
- Use a different finger and site each time. This will prevent scar tissue from forming at a site. A callous can make it harder and more painful to get blood from that place.
5. Hold the test finger still. Press the lancet device firmly on the side of the fingertip. Push the devices trigger button. The lancet will prick the finger.
6. You should see a drop of blood right away. If you used an alcohol pad, wipe off the first drop of blood with a clean tissue or cotton ball.
7. If the drop of blood is not big enough for the test, gently squeeze and release the fingertip. To help the blood flow, point the finger down towards the floor when squeezing.
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Random Blood Sugar Test
In random blood sugar test, the blood sugar levels are tested when the blood sample is taken randomly at any time. It does not require a person to be fasting and does not have to be at a specific time. When the measurement of the blood sugar level is 200 mg/dL or more than that, it means that the person is diabetic and it is a dangerous level of blood sugar.