Blood Sugar Health Video

Sugar levels in the blood, or blood sugar, are regulated in the body by insulin. Learn about blood sugar, including treatments and safe levels, in this health video.

Take Action

Maintain healthy diet & exercise
Take a Fasting Plasma Glucose Test
Seek medical attention

About this Author

Dr. Stallworth is board certified in rehabilitation and phsycial medicine. She graduated from Baylor College of Medicine and finished her residency at Baylor. Dr. Stallworth is known for being a superb and compassionate physician that believes in not only health of the body of the mind as well. She currently serves on the board of Centennial Medical Center and is a former board member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She now resides with her family in middle Tennessee.

DR. CATHERINE STALLWORTH: Hi. I'm Dr. Cathy Stallworth, and I would like to talk to you about blood sugar. The most common form of blood sugar is actually called blood glucose. And in the human body, it is very tightly regulated. It typically runs between 70 and 100 milligrams per deciliter. People have problems with their blood sugar either when they have elevated blood sugar, which we call hyperglycemia, or low blood sugar, which we commonly call hypoglycemia. Certainly, the most common cause of hyperglycemia is, of course, diabetes. So it's very important that you understand what the symptoms of hyperglycemia are, because they may indicate that you have diabetes. The symptoms of elevated blood sugar or hyperglycemia include the following: frequent urination, frequent thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, increased fatigued, irritability, blurry vision. It is also important for you to understand the potential symptoms of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia in many people is just a benign problem that occurs when the blood sugar drops two to five hours after a meal. But it also can be indicative of a more complicated medical problem. And indeed, some people with diabetes actually experience bouts of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. The symptoms of hypoglycemia include: shakiness, anxiety, nervousness, tremor, irregular heartbeat, palpitations, rapid heart rate, sweating, dilated pupils and confusion. One of the simplest tests that we have is called a Fasting Plasma Glucose Test. What happens in this particular test is your doctor will ask you to not eat or drink anything overnight and typically test you first thing in the morning after not having eaten any food. If that test comes back with a measurement of between 100 and 125, you are typically diagnosed with what's called prediabetes. People who have a Fasting Plasma Glucose greater than 126, typically are diagnosed with diabetes. One of the first things I recommend to my patients is they do go on some type of a diet where they are decreasing their caloric intake and increasing their exercise. I typically recommend choosing a diet that consists of foods that are lower in glycemic index or glycemic load. You also definitely need to see your physician if you think you may have problems regulating your blood sugar.