What Is Normal Glucose And How To Manage It?

Glucose or blood sugar is the main type of sugar that is present in blood and is a primary source of energy for your body. It comes from the food that we eat and is carried to body cells via the bloodstream. Whether or not you have diabetes, blood glucose levels can sometimes be too high or too low. This is obviously even more problematic and concerning when you have diabetes as your body can no longer manage to utilize glucose as efficiently, causing levels to spike. Consistently high levels of blood glucose can pose a serious risk, increasing the risk of diabetic complications. This is why it is so important to understand what is normal glucose level in blood, so that you can work to keep them within this healthy range. 

What Blood Glucose Level Is Normal?

There are different tests and measurements of blood glucose levels, so the normal glucose range will depend on the test being used. The three types that you should be familiar with when it comes to recognizing normal glucose levels include:

Random Blood Glucose Test

This is a blood glucose test that is performed at any time of the day, irrespective of your food intake. Normal glucose level in blood from such a test should be 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Anything higher is indicative of diabetes.

Fasting Blood Glucose Test

This is blood sugar reading that is taken in the morning, after having done an overnight fast. The level of normal glucose in blood would be under 100 mg/dL. A reading in the range of 100 to 125 mg/dL is considered to be prediabetic, while measurements of 126 mg/dL and higher are considered diabetic.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test 

This type of glucose test is done after measuring fasting blood glucose levels. After the fasting blood glucose test, you would be asked to consume a sugary liquid and glucose levels are then measured periodically over a period of 2 hours. A normal blood glucose level would be anything under 140 mg/dL. Measurements between 140 and 199 mg/dL are indicative of prediabetes, while anything higher than 200 mg/dL is indicative of diabetes.

How To Manage Blood Glucose Levels

Blood glucose or blood sugar management is not as simple as simply maintaining or restoring glucose levels to the normal range. Diabetes doctors will set targets based on your age and presence of other health conditions, among other factors. In general, however, these targets would look like this:

• 80 to 130 mg/dL before meals
• Under 180 mg/dL 2 hours after beginning a meal

Before trying to get your blood glucose levels within a healthy range, you should discuss the ideal targets that are best suited for you.

The key to managing blood glucose levels is regular monitoring; once again the frequency at which you should check blood glucose levels can vary depending on the type of diabetes and the medications that are being prescribed. Typically, diabetes patients are advised to check blood glucose levels at specific times, such as:

• After waking up and before consuming any food or beverages
• Before meals
• 2 hours after meals
• Before going to bed

In order to measure blood glucose levels at home, you would need to use a device known as a blood glucose meter. Different devices may require different practices, so it’s best to read the directions carefully and also seek guidance from your doctor on how to use and record measurements. 

In addition to monitoring blood glucose levels, you will need to make diet and lifestyle changes and follow your prescribed medication schedule to ensure that blood glucose levels are kept within a healthy range. If these strategies do not work, your doctor will be able to help you by recommending changes to medications, as well as dietary or lifestyle changes. 

Sources:

1. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/managing-diabetes/know-blood-sugar-numbers
2. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/manage-blood-sugar.html