By James K. Robinson
From time to time over recent years, questions have arisen regarding the values that determine the threshold between normal and above normal blood sugar levels. Those are important questions because above normal blood sugar levels are characteristic of diabetes and prediabetes. Prediabetes is a related diabetic condition that often develops into diabetes. Both are serious disease conditions that, if left untreated, can lead to additional serious health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, and eye disease.
Measurements of blood sugar levels usually involve a simple blood test that can be self administered and performed with the aid of a small hand-held glucose meter. People who have diabetes do it every day. However, a test carried out in a blood testing clinic and assayed by a laboratory is much more accurate and would be the way a doctor would prescribe it to be done for diagnostic purposes.
Measurements of blood glucose can be taken any time of the day or night but in order to enable comparison with well-known typical values it is most useful to take them as follows:
1. In the early morning, before consuming food or drink, usually after a night's sleep but at least 8 hours since a meal or snack. This test is referred to as a fasting blood sugar test.
2. 2 hours after eating a meal, a time when the rise in blood sugar levels that occurs after eating food should have subsided. This test is referred to as a postprandial test.
3. There is also a test known as the A1c blood test that provides a measure of long-term blood sugar levels, a test that is carried out less frequently.
When requested by a physician for diagnostic purposes, two test measurements are usually obtained, One to measure the fasting level and the other for the long-term A1c level.
In the United States, blood sugar levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).
A milligram is 1/1000 of a gram which is about 1/30 of an ounce. A deciliter is 1/10 of a liter. A liter is the unit of measure for a volume of a liquid and is equal to slightly more than a quart.
Normal values
The widely accepted values set by the American Diabetes Association are:
1. After fasting, blood sugar level should be between 70 to 100 mg/dL.
2. Postprandial, 2 hrs after a meal: blood sugars can be up to 140 mg/dL.
Higher readings might be caused by a diabetic condition, but that would require further testing to confirm or otherwise.
Are current levels too high for safety?
Differing from the American Diabetes Association's recommended levels, other views have been expressed advocating that blood sugars should not be higher than 85 mg/dL. In separate websites, reference has been made to a study reported in the American Journal of Medicine of 2008, volume 121, pages 519 to 524, in which it was concluded that blood sugar levels in the 95-99 mg/dL range more than doubled the risk of becoming diabetic. The study involved 47,000 participants, and it was also noted that there was increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and hypertension in those with higher blood glucose levels.
In the January 2011 edition of Life Extension magazine, an article titled "Glucose: The Silent Killer" opened with the statement: "the deadly effects of even slightly elevated glucose are fatally misunderstood". The article cites a study based on 22 years of measured glucose levels in 2000 males that showed that men with fasting glucose levels over 85 mg/dL had a 40% increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, sometimes referred to as heart disease. To repeat, a 40% increase in risk, that's shocking. Diabetes is the primary factor leading to heart disease and heart disease is a major cause of death in America.
Conclusion
The American Diabetes Association and the National Institutes of Health are still the main voices for diabetes treatment and prevention and the glucose levels accepted as being safe have changed somewhat over the years. Diabetes is a costly disease that will be an increasing burden on the health care system for many years to come, especially because of the fast growing numbers of Americans being diagnosed as having the disease. And there are also the 79 millions who are estimated to already have prediabetes, that's according to the U.S. National Diabetes Fact Sheet published January 2011.
The healthcare problem is huge and requires an increased awareness of the need for prevention where possible. It seems prudent to re-examine the established values that represent dangers to health.
From time to time over recent years, questions have arisen regarding the values that determine the threshold between normal and above normal blood sugar levels. Those are important questions because above normal blood sugar levels are characteristic of diabetes and prediabetes. Prediabetes is a related diabetic condition that often develops into diabetes. Both are serious disease conditions that, if left untreated, can lead to additional serious health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, and eye disease.
Measurements of blood sugar levels usually involve a simple blood test that can be self administered and performed with the aid of a small hand-held glucose meter. People who have diabetes do it every day. However, a test carried out in a blood testing clinic and assayed by a laboratory is much more accurate and would be the way a doctor would prescribe it to be done for diagnostic purposes.
Measurements of blood glucose can be taken any time of the day or night but in order to enable comparison with well-known typical values it is most useful to take them as follows:
1. In the early morning, before consuming food or drink, usually after a night's sleep but at least 8 hours since a meal or snack. This test is referred to as a fasting blood sugar test.
2. 2 hours after eating a meal, a time when the rise in blood sugar levels that occurs after eating food should have subsided. This test is referred to as a postprandial test.
3. There is also a test known as the A1c blood test that provides a measure of long-term blood sugar levels, a test that is carried out less frequently.
When requested by a physician for diagnostic purposes, two test measurements are usually obtained, One to measure the fasting level and the other for the long-term A1c level.
In the United States, blood sugar levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).
A milligram is 1/1000 of a gram which is about 1/30 of an ounce. A deciliter is 1/10 of a liter. A liter is the unit of measure for a volume of a liquid and is equal to slightly more than a quart.
Normal values
The widely accepted values set by the American Diabetes Association are:
1. After fasting, blood sugar level should be between 70 to 100 mg/dL.
2. Postprandial, 2 hrs after a meal: blood sugars can be up to 140 mg/dL.
Higher readings might be caused by a diabetic condition, but that would require further testing to confirm or otherwise.
Are current levels too high for safety?
Differing from the American Diabetes Association's recommended levels, other views have been expressed advocating that blood sugars should not be higher than 85 mg/dL. In separate websites, reference has been made to a study reported in the American Journal of Medicine of 2008, volume 121, pages 519 to 524, in which it was concluded that blood sugar levels in the 95-99 mg/dL range more than doubled the risk of becoming diabetic. The study involved 47,000 participants, and it was also noted that there was increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and hypertension in those with higher blood glucose levels.
In the January 2011 edition of Life Extension magazine, an article titled "Glucose: The Silent Killer" opened with the statement: "the deadly effects of even slightly elevated glucose are fatally misunderstood". The article cites a study based on 22 years of measured glucose levels in 2000 males that showed that men with fasting glucose levels over 85 mg/dL had a 40% increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, sometimes referred to as heart disease. To repeat, a 40% increase in risk, that's shocking. Diabetes is the primary factor leading to heart disease and heart disease is a major cause of death in America.
Conclusion
The American Diabetes Association and the National Institutes of Health are still the main voices for diabetes treatment and prevention and the glucose levels accepted as being safe have changed somewhat over the years. Diabetes is a costly disease that will be an increasing burden on the health care system for many years to come, especially because of the fast growing numbers of Americans being diagnosed as having the disease. And there are also the 79 millions who are estimated to already have prediabetes, that's according to the U.S. National Diabetes Fact Sheet published January 2011.
The healthcare problem is huge and requires an increased awareness of the need for prevention where possible. It seems prudent to re-examine the established values that represent dangers to health.
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