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HIGH BLOOD SUGAR, DIABETES, AND YOUR BODY

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors
Medically Reviewed by Michael Dansinger, MD on January 31, 2023
 * What Are Normal Blood Sugar Levels?
 * Diabetes Diagnosis
 * High Blood Sugar
 * How to Check Blood Sugar
   

Normally, your pancreas releases insulin when your blood sugar, or blood
glucose, gets high -- after a meal, for example. This signals your body to
absorb glucose until levels get back to normal.

But if you have diabetes, your body doesn’t make insulin (type 1 diabetes) or
doesn’t respond to it normally (type 2 diabetes). That can leave your blood
sugar too high for too long. Over time, this can damage nerves and blood vessels
and lead to heart disease and other problems.

How much sugar in the blood is too much? And why is high glucose so bad for you?
Here’s a look at how your levels affect your health.


WHAT ARE NORMAL BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS?

They're less than 100 mg/dL after not eating (fasting) for at least 8 hours. And
they're less than 140 mg/dL 2 hours after eating.

During the day, levels tend to be at their lowest just before meals. For most
people without diabetes, blood sugar levels before meals hover around 70 to 80
mg/dL. For some people, 60 is normal; for others, 90.



What's a low sugar level? It varies widely, too. Many people's glucose won't
ever fall below 60, even with prolonged fasting. When you diet or fast, the
liver keeps your levels normal by turning fat and muscle into sugar. A few
people's levels may fall somewhat lower.


DIABETES DIAGNOSIS

Doctors use these tests to find out if you have diabetes:

Fasting plasma glucose test. The doctor tests your blood sugar levels after
fasting for 8 hours and it’s higher than 126 mg/dL.



Oral glucose tolerance test. After fasting for 8 hours, you get a special sugary
drink. Two hours later, your sugar level is higher than 200.

Random check. The doctor tests your blood sugar and it’s higher than 200, plus
you’re peeing more, always thirsty, and you’ve gained or lost a significant
amount of weight. They’ll then do a fasting sugar level test or an oral glucose
tolerance test to confirm the diagnosis.

Any sugar levels higher than normal are unhealthy. Levels that are higher than
normal, but not reaching the point of full-blown diabetes, are called
prediabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association, 86 million people in the U.S.
have this condition, which can lead to diabetes if you don't make healthy
lifestyle changes that your doctor recommends. It also raises the risk for heart
disease, although not as much as diabetes does. It's possible to keep
prediabetes from becoming diabetes with diet and exercise.

When Should You Check Your Level?

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WHEN SHOULD YOU CHECK YOUR LEVEL?



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Transcript

Everyone’s body operates differently, but you should test your blood sugar
several times a day and around certain activities. Work with your doctor to
figure out a plan that makes sense for you.

Reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD 09/02/2021

Cleveland Clinic: "Diabetes? Don't Let 'Dawn Phenomenon' Raise Your Blood
Sugar."
Joslin Diabetes Center: "Avoiding Nighttime Lows," "Why Do Blood Glucose Levels
Sometimes Go Up after Physical Activity?"
Mayo Clinic: "The dawn phenomenon: What can you do?"
American Diabetes Association: "Blood Sugar and Exercise."
Kaiser Permanente: "Common Questions About Blood Sugar."
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: "Take Care of
Your Diabetes During Sick Days & Special Times."
University of California, San Francisco: "Exercise & Blood Sugar."
Pond5.
AudioJungle.

© 2019 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

See additional information.

When should you check your blood sugar? Everyone with diabetes is different.

Talk to your doctor. She'll come up with a plan just for you. But there are some
times she might tell you to test your sugar, which is also called glucose.

Your body releases sugar throughout the night. But in the hours before dawn,
other hormones in the body can cause an increase in blood sugar, so you may need
to see if your level is high when you wake up. Also, if you use insulin, a
morning test can help you figure out how much to take.

Checking before meals can give you an idea how balanced your sugars are during
the day. That, in turn, could help you match the right amount of insulin,
exercise, or help with meal planning.

Testing 2 hours after you eat can show you what effect your food and your
insulin had on your blood sugar.

Making sure your glucose is stable before you work out can help you avoid
dangerous highs or dips.

And checking your level before bed could be a good idea in case your sugars
fluctuate at night.

There are times you may need to check your glucose more often. If you're
actively losing weight, it could boost the effects of any sugar-lowering meds
you're on. If you get sick, your glucose could go up as your body fights the
illness. Or it could go down if you aren't eating, you're vomiting, or you have
diarrhea. Also, if you've changed diabetes meds, testing your sugar more often
can help you find out if they're working well.

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WHEN SHOULD YOU CHECK YOUR LEVEL?

Everyone’s body operates differently, but you should test your blood sugar
several times a day and around certain activities. Work with your doctor to
figure out a plan that makes sense for you.

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HIGH BLOOD SUGAR

Why are high blood sugar levels bad for you? Glucose is precious fuel for all
the cells in your body when it's present at normal levels. But it can behave
like a slow-acting poison.

High sugar levels slowly erode the ability of cells in your pancreas to make
insulin. The organ overcompensates and insulin levels stay too high. Over time,
the pancreas is permanently damaged.



High levels of blood sugar can cause changes that lead to a hardening of the
blood vessels, what doctors call atherosclerosis.

Almost any part of your body can be harmed by too much sugar. Damaged blood
vessels cause problems such as:

 * Kidney disease or kidney failure, requiring dialysis
 * Strokes
 * Heart attacks
 * Vision loss or blindness
 * Weakened immune system, with a greater risk of infections
 * Erectile dysfunction
 * Nerve damage, also called neuropathy, that causes tingling, pain, or less
   sensation in your feet, legs, and hands
 * Poor circulation to the legs and feet
 * Slow wound healing and the potential for amputation in rare cases

Keep your blood sugar levels close to normal to avoid many of these
complications. The American Diabetes Association's goals for blood sugar control
in people with diabetes are 70 to 130 mg/dL before meals, and less than 180
mg/dL after meals.


HOW TO CHECK BLOOD SUGAR

If you have diabetes, your doctor may ask you to keep track of your blood sugar
by testing it at home with a special device called a blood glucose monitor or
home blood sugar meter. It takes a small sample of blood, usually from the tip
of your finger, and measures the amount of glucose in it.

Follow your doctor’s instructions about the best way to use your device.

Your doctor will tell you when and how to test your blood sugar. Each time you
do it, log it in a notebook, online tool, or an app. The time of day, recent
activity, your last meal, and other things can all affect whether a reading will
be of concern to your doctor. So try to log relevant information like:

 * What medication and dosage you took
 * What you ate, when you ate, or whether you were fasting
 * How much, how intense, and what kind of exercise you were doing, if any

That will help you and your doctor see how your treatment is working.

SHOW SOURCES

SOURCES:

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: "Your Guide to Diabetes: Type 1 and
Type 2."

American Diabetes Association: "Checking Your Blood Glucose," "Type 2 Diabetes
Complications," "National Diabetes Fact Sheet 2011,'' "Standards of Medical Care
in Diabetes—2014."

Robertson, R. Diabetes, 2003.

Brownlee, M. Diabetes, 1994.

Wautier, J. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 1994.

Christiansen, J. "What Is Normal Glucose?" presentation at the European
Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting, September 13, 2006.

Fuller, J. Lancet, 1980.

Riddle, M. Diabetes Care, 1990.

Rao, S. American Family Physician, 2004.

MedlinePlus: "Hypoglycemia."

Cryer, P. American Journal of Physiology, 1993.

American Academy of Family Physicians: “Monitoring Your Blood Sugar Level.”

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: “Prediabetes &
Insulin Resistance.”

Mensing, C. The Art and Science of Diabetes Self-Management Education Desk
Reference, 2nd Ed., American Association of Diabetes Educators, 2011.

Joslin Diabetes Center: "Goals for Blood Glucose Control."

FamilyDoctor.org: "Monitoring Your Blood Sugar Level."

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