Have you ever wondered what people mean when they talk about blood sugar? It’s bad to have high blood sugar, but your blood sugar being too low can also cause problems. It can be a confusing concept. Here are some facts about blood sugar.
1. What is Blood Sugar?
Blood sugar is a term for the energy people get from food. The level of your blood sugar is a measurement of the amount of glucose present in your blood, providing energy and nutrients to your muscles, nerves and organs. Glucose mainly comes from carbohydrates in people’s diets, and blood sugar levels fluctuate throughout the day depending on what someone eats and when. In a healthy person, blood sugar levels sit at about 80 to 140 milligrams per deciliter. The level should be low before you eat and highest about an hour or two after eating.
2. High Blood Sugar
Hyperglycemia is the medical term for blood sugar levels that are too high to be healthy. It occurs when your insulin levels are insufficient to deal with carbohydrate intake, like if you’re diabetic and miss a dose of insulin. Early warning signs include thirst, weight loss and blurred vision. If the condition persists, your nerves or kidneys could be damaged. among other symptoms.
3. Low Blood Sugar
Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can be just as big a problem as high blood sugar is. It’s also a common symptom of diabetes, and can also occur when your insulin dose is too big for the number of carbohydrates you’ve eaten. Some of the common signs of hypoglycemia are shakiness, irritability, dizziness and a racing pulse. If untreated, worse symptoms such as fainting and poor concentration can occur.
4. Managing Blood Sugar Levels
There are different ways to manage blood sugar depending on your health. If you want to maintain normal levels and help prevent diseases like diabetes, sticking to a healthy diet and exercise plan can be enough. If you already have a medical condition, your doctor may prescribe medication to help keep your blood sugar in check and prevent serious health complications like kidney and heart problems. The most well known is insulin to treat diabetes, but there are also drugs like acarbose. If you’re not familiar with this one, you might ask how does acarbose work? Acarbose is an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, which interferes with your body’s breakdown and absorption of carbohydrates, helping to level out your blood sugar levels.
As with any medical concerns, if you’re worried about your blood sugar, talk to your doctor. He or she can help you choose the best course of action.