Your body requires carefully controlled blood sugar levels to work smoothly and efficiently. A balanced diet including carbohydrates and a normally functioning endocrine system are both necessary to maintain this control. Abnormally high or low blood sugar levels can result from a variety of medical conditions; they call for further evaluation.
Carbohydrates in Your Diet
Sugars, starch and fiber account for most of the carbohydrates in your diet and are common nutrients found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and dairy products. During the digestive process, sugars and starches are broken down into simple sugars and absorbed through the intestines, entering your bloodstream primarily as the sugar glucose. Fiber is not generally broken down or absorbed but is important for adding bulk to your diet and assisting in the digestive process. Carbohydrates are a necessary part of a healthy diet; they provide energy, protect you from disease and even contribute to weight loss when used sensibly.
Blood Sugar Regulation
Blood sugar, or glucose, is your body's main energy source and must be maintained within a narrow range for optimal cell function. Your blood glucose level begins to increase shortly after eating, which triggers your pancreas to release more insulin. Insulin helps cells take in and use glucose for energy and activates the storage of any excess by liver and fat cells for future needs. This process lowers your blood sugar level, and in turn the amount of insulin being released, until the pancreas senses the glucose level is dropping too low. Low blood glucose triggers the release of glucagon, another pancreatic hormone, causing your liver cells to release their stored glucose back into the blood and other cells to begin making glucose to raise your blood level back to normal. This delicate balancing act involving blood glucose levels, insulin and glucagon goes on continuously while you eat, exercise and go about your daily activities.
Measuring Blood Glucose Levels
Blood glucose levels are usually measured after fasting, to best assess your body's ability to maintain a steady blood sugar level. Blood glucose can also be measured as a random level taken at any time --- as a post-prandial level taken shortly after eating or as part of a glucose tolerance test where several timed levels are drawn after receiving a defined dose of glucose. Although each of these tests has its own expected normal result, your fasting blood glucose level should be between 70 and 99 mg/dL, according to Lab Tests Online. Situations such as trauma, heart attack or surgery can temporarily increase blood glucose levels as part of your body's normal response to acute stress, and many different drugs can cause glucose levels to be higher or lower than expected.
Abnormal Blood Glucose Levels
Blood sugar levels are an important reflection of your overall state of health, and any abnormal result should be investigated further with your health care provider. Diabetes mellitus is the most common cause of abnormally high blood sugars, but they can also occur with chronic renal failure, hyperthyroidism, Cushing's syndrome and pancreatic disorders. Diabetics have elevated blood sugars due either to a lack of insulin production by the pancreas, known as type 1 diabetes, or because of a poor cellular response to insulin that is present, known as type 2 diabetes. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, similarly has multiple causes, including starvation, alcohol use, advanced liver disease, hypothyroidism, insulin overdose and adrenal insufficiency.
