All you need to know about Diabetes Blood Sugar Levels

You must understand that diabetes blood sugar levels (or diabetes blood glucose levels) are amount of sugar (called glucose) in your blood. It is expressed in mmol/l (as for International blood glucose systems) and in mg/dl (as for USA blood glucose system).

Blood sugar levels normally are higher after meals and lowest level in the morning. But normally they stay at a strictly very limited level of 4-8 mmol/l. If you are diabetic, then we can talk about diabetes sugar blood levels which is usually above the normal range, even with a good control of it.

Usually, what your doctor prescribes you to measure are:

- whole diabetes blood sugar level (serum glucose level)

- glycosylated haemoglobin A1c (plasma glucose level)

The test of whole diabetes blood sugar levels shows the total amount of the sugar in the blood. It can be measured by using any of diabetes meters that you can find anywhere. How do you use these diabetes meters? It is very simple to use them. What do they show?

• If you want to measure you blood sugar level at any time of the day, then you can do what is called simple (random) diabetes blood sugar levels test. You can use any of the various diabetes meters, and you can do it by yourself. It may show you if you have pre-diabetes or type 1 or 2 diabetes.

So, if the test results are more than 100 mg/dl but less than 199 mg/dl, then probably you may have pre-diabetes, while the normal blood sugar level result is between 80 and 100 mg/dl.

But, if the test results show blood sugar levels above 200mg/dl, this suggests that you have type 1 or 2 diabetes. To distinguish what type of diabetes you have, you must consult your doctor.

• If you want to measure your blood sugar levels after you’ve fasted for more than eight hours or overnight, then you can do what is called fasting diabetes blood sugar level test.

This test also can show if you may have rather type 1 or 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. The normal fasting test result is 80-100 milligrams per decilitre.

So, if the fasting blood sugar level test result is between 100 mg/dl and 125 mg/dl, you may have pre-diabetes. But your doctor, will ask you to repeat again this test several days to one week after the first test.

But, if your test result is 126 mg/dl or higher, then your doctor will ask you to repeat again this test the next day, because it suggests you might have type 1 or 2 diabetes. If the repeated test shows the same result, than you’re confirmed to have diabetes.

However, if the fasting blood sugar level is 200mg/dl or higher, then for sure you have type 1 or 2 diabetes without any doubt, and no need for a second test.

• But if you want to measure how your body reacts to sugar, then you must do what it is called oral-glucose-tolerance-test.

How? At first, you have to do the fasting blood sugar level test. After that, you drink a sugary juice. Then you measure your blood sugar level one hour after the first time, and then the second time two hours after. The normal oral-glucose-tolerance blood sugar level test result is below 140 mg/dl.

If the results are 140 to 199 mg/dl, then you might have pre-diabetes. And, if the test result is higher than 200 mg/dl, it is sure you’ve diabetes, and your doctor may need to repeat this test to give the fully confirmation.

However, you must know that there are some external factors that can affect this test, and may lead to false results. So, cold, lack of activity, some medications, being not in a good health, not eating normally, can affect this oral-glucose-tolerance blood sugar level test.

In order to have a fully screening of a pregnant woman for gestational diabetes, it is used what is called blood sugar level challenge test, which is a new version of oral-glucose-tolerance test.

• Now coming to glycated haemoglobin test (called otherwise as A1C test), it gives a fully presentation of how well you’re managing (controlling) your diabetes. How? It measures the glycated haemoglobin level (or A1C level), the sugar coated part of haemoglobin, which is a protein found in red cells, and is responsible of the oxygen transport.

This protein serves as a glucose store, according to the red cells life-cycle (120 days or 3 months). That’s why this test can show you the averages of your diabetes blood sugar levels for the last 2-3 months. Normally, A1C test result is 4 to 6 percent.

But, if it is higher than 7 percent, than you must change your future diabetes management strategies.

You can click here to learn which factors affect your diabetes blood sugar levels and what you must do to avoid them.

Maybe you can consider another alternative to help yourself in the battle against high blood sugar level. Click here to find out how.