Test Blood Glucose Levels Regularly to Ensure They Are Stable

Simply put blood glucose level is the amount of glucose or sugar in the blood of any mammal. It is also called as plasma glucose level. Blood glucose level is expressed as millimoles per liter (mmol/l). A person suffering from diabetes has blood glucose levels that are beyond the normal limits. Normally the glucose level stays within narrow limits throughout the day ranging from 4 to 8mmol/l. The level is higher after meals and usually lowest in the mornings before the first meal is taken.
The blood glucose level is tightly regulated in the human body as part of the metabolic homeostasis. Usually the total amount of glucose circulating in the human blood is about 3.3 to 7g assuming that the blood volume is normal (5 liters blood in an average adult male). Glucose is the primary source of energy for the

functions of body's cells. It is transported via the bloodstream from intestines or liver to body cells. Failure to maintain the level of glucose in the normal range leads to conditions of persistently low (hypoglycemia) or high (hyperglycemia) blood sugar. Stable blood glucose levels are highly important. A person with diabetes often has sugar levels beyond the normal range. Glucose levels higher than the range may lead to late stage complications like neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, cerebrovascular disease and cardiovascular diseases.
Tests to Measure blood glucose levels:
There are different types of blood glucose tests that can be undertaken. The ones commonly used are fasting blood sugar (FBS) which involves measuring levels after you have not eaten for at least 8 hours. This is the first test commonly done to check for diabetes. You can also take 2-hour postprandial blood sugar test that involves checking sugar level exactly 2 hours after you eat a meal. Random blood sugar (RBS) test measures glucose regardless of when you had your last meal. Blood sugar levels in healthy people do not vary widely throughout the day and any variance indicates a problem. The Oral glucose tolerance test is used to diagnose pre-diabetes and diabetes. This test is commonly undertaken to test for gestational diabetes.
Another test that can help you find blood sugar level over a period of time is known as the HbA1c test which shows the average blood sugar level over the previous six to eight weeks. HbA1c is a compound that is produced when chemical reaction between hemoglobin and glucose takes place. This is called as glycated hemoglobin. HbA1c levels rise only when there is consistent high blood sugar level. It is 6% of total hemoglobin for people without diabetes and 7.5% with patients with only a fair control of diabetes. If HbA1c is above 8.5% shows very poor control of diabetes.
Levels of blood sugar:
Blood glucose test measures the sugar levels in your blood. The normal levels for fasting blood glucose test are 70-99 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or less than 5.5mmol/L. For the postprandial test they are 70- 145 mg/dL or less than 7.9mmol/L and between 70 - 125 mg/dL i.e. less than 7.0mmol/L for the Random test. Normal results may vary a little bit from lab to lab. The higher values that would often be used to find whether you have diabetes may be from multiple types of tests on two different days. Fasting levels more than 126 mg/dL (7.0mmol/L) or more are high levels. Similarly another test like oral glucose tolerance test may give result of 200mg/dL (11.1mmol/L) or more. These test done on two different days and showing higher level with other symptoms of diabetes, are either due to diabetes or may sometimes be the result of severe stress, stroke, heart attack or excess production of growth hormone. Fasting levels below 40mg/dL (2.2mmol/L) in women and 50mg/dL among men are considered as low values and may be caused due Addison's disease, hypothyroidism, liver diseases, kidney failure or malnutrition.
With several types of test available to measure your blood glucose levels you can very well control it if you are a diabetic. Knowing these levels is preferable as it keeps on your toes so that you take efforts to have better health.
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This article is submitted by Ola Martinsson, who just recently got the diagnosis diabetes. Trying to read and understand as much as possible. Found an interesting site at http://adviceondiabetes.com with an free ebook with more than 500 diabetes recepies