Maintaining normal blood sugar levels is important for everyone and critical if you have a problem controlling your blood sugar. The normal sugar content of your blood falls within a somewhat narrow range. If you have a medical condition that consistently causes high or low blood sugar levels, your range may be different than it is for people with normal blood sugar levels. Maintaining normal blood sugar levels can help you fight off chronic disease and may protect against complications if you already have a disease such as diabetes or heart disease.
Blood Sugar
Your blood sugar content is also referred to as your blood glucose level. That is because glucose is the form of sugar that travels in your blood to be delivered to all the cells in your body to produce energy and perform other roles. Your doctor can order tests to find out if your blood glucose level is normal. If you are healthy, your blood sugar content ranges from 70 to 120 milligrams of sugar per deciliter of blood, or 70 to 120 mg/dL. Your blood glucose levels rise for an hour or two after eating and then return to normal. If you have diabetes, your normal glucose levels before and after eating will be higher and you have to establish target goals for bringing your numbers closer to normal.
Fasting Glucose Test
To determine your blood sugar content, your doctor can order a fasting blood glucose test. This test is used to detect both high blood sugar and low blood sugar. If you have diabetes, it is also used to monitor your blood sugar levels. Most likely, your blood will be drawn in your doctor's office after fasting for 8 to 10 hours and sent to a laboratory for analysis. A result less than 100 mg/dL is normal, but levels below 70mg/dL may be a sign of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. If your result is between 100 and 125 mg/dL, you may be diagnosed with prediabetes. If your result is 126 mg/dL or higher, you may be diagnosed with diabetes. Since value ranges vary from one laboratory to another, your doctor is the best person to interpret your results.
A1C Test
A laboratory test known as the A1C test shows you and your doctor if your blood sugar level is normal or high. If you have diabetes, this test is used to determine your average blood sugar levels over a three-month period. From this test you can set a goal for controlling your blood sugar content and keeping it as normal as possible. Since an A1C number of 6 or less is considered normal, your doctor or diabetes educator will probably develop a plan to keep your A1C lower than 7. If your A1C number inches up to 7 or more, your doctor will consider treatment options to help bring it down closer to normal.
Control
If your test results indicate pre-diabetes, you can take steps to get your blood sugar levels down to a normal range and delay or prevent your condition from turning into type 2 diabetes, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Moderate exercise and weight loss can help you achieve those goals.
