You may take a fasting blood glucose test as part of a routine physical or your doctor may ask you to take the test separately if she suspects you have a medical condition that affects blood glucose. Diabetes, prediabetes, hyperthyroidism, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, Cushing syndrome and acromegaly are some of the diseases that may cause high blood glucose levels. Adrenal insufficiency, liver disease, malnutrition, insulinoma, hypothyroidism and hypopituitarism are some of the conditions that may cause low blood sugar. Because food intake can affects blood glucose levels, measurements after a fasting period are more accurate.
Glucose Testing
The fasting blood glucose test is one of two types that doctors use to detect diabetes and other blood glucose-related diseases. To prepare for the test, you will fast overnight and a medical technician will draw a blood sample early in the morning. Your doctor also may ask you to take the oral glucose tolerance test the same day for comparison. In this OGTT, you will drink a high-sugar drink and you will provide another blood sample two hours later to determine how your body processes this sugar.
Interpreting Results
If your fasting blood glucose is between 70 and 100, your blood glucose is normal. If the level is below 70, your doctor may suspect hypoglycemia, a low-blood sugar condition that is not a disease, but may be an indicator of an underlying health problem, such as kidney disease or endocrine dysfunction. If your blood sugar is between 100 and 125, you may be prediabetic, and if it is 126 or higher, you may be diabetic. Your doctor most likely will want to repeat the test to confirm the results before devising a treatment strategy.
Supplements
Some dietary supplements have shown promise in helping to control blood sugar, but none of these is a replacement for insulin therapy or medications that improve your body's ability to absorb the insulin in your bloodstream. Promising supplements include alpha-lipoic acid, ginseng, flaxseed, magnesium, chromium, cinnamon, guar gum, glucomannan and caffeine. In a six-month study led by Vinod K. Podichetty and published in the April 2011 issue of "Journal of Nutrition and Dietary Supplements," Type 2 diabetic patients who received a dietary supplement that contained sage, fennel, cinnamon, fenugreek, olive and other ingredients experienced an average 59 percent decrease in blood sugar levels with no side effects. This supplement is available under the brand name Sugar Crush in the U.S. Ask your doctor before beginning any regimen of dietary supplements, because it may impact on other medications you take.
Other Treatments
Dietary changes sometimes can bring Type 2 diabetes under control, but your doctor also may prescribe medication to help your body produce more insulin, block the release of glucose from your liver, increase your body's sensitivity to the insulin your pancreas produces or slow stomach enzymes that break down carbohydrates. If you have Type 1 diabetes or a more advanced form of Type 2, you also may need insulin injections or an insulin pump. If you have hypoglycemia, your doctor can provide advice on how to treat crisis episodes with glucose tablets or high sugar food or drink, but you also need to address the underlying problem that causes the low blood sugar. No matter which type of diabetes you have, or if you have hypoglycemia, a healthy diet and regular physical exercise will help you to stabilize your blood glucose levels.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Prediabetes FAQs
- Lab Tests Online: Glucose
- MayoClinic.com; Diabetes; March 2011
- "Diabetes Care"; Systematic Review of Herbs and Dietary Supplements for Glycemic Control in Diabetes; Gloria Y. Yeh, et al.; January 2003
- "Journal of Nutrition and Dietary Supplements"; Efficacy of a Novel, Biologically Active Food Supplement in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Patient-Blinded, Prospective, Clinical Trial; Vinod K. Podichetty, et al.; April 2011
- Diabetes.co.uk; Natural Dietary Supplements Help Lower Blood Glucose for Diabetics; April 2011
