What Happens When the Sugar Level Is Low

November 22, 2021

Understanding Your Blood Sugar Levels

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Your blood sugar levels are an important part of your health. If they are too high, you can have severe diabetic symptom. Too low, and you'll suffer severe problems from hypoglycemia.

The most common reason to focus on blood sugar is that you have diabetes. Your body isn't able to convert sugar from the blood to energy for the cells or create enough insulin. As a result, you have to monitor your blood sugar and administer insulin yourself.

When to Check Your Blood Sugar

Your doctor can do tests to check your blood sugar at his or her office, but with the right equipment you can do self-tests at home.

Depending on your situation, you might want to check at the following times:

After fasting, often done when you wake up Before and after meals At bedtime to check your blood sugar before sleeping

How to Test Blood Sugar

Using an at-home glucose monitor, you can prick your finger and put a drop of blood on a testing strip. The strip goes in the meter, and the device gives you your blood sugar levels.

You can also use a continuous blood sugar monitor if your doctor thinks it's a better option. You and your medical team will have real-time results every few minutes. Compare your results to a diabetic levels range chart to see if you're in a healthy range.

Normal Blood Sugar Numbers

Blood sugar is measured in mg/dL, often converted to millimoles per liter (mmol/L). If this number is high, it's an indicator of diabetes. It can also be too low if your treatment is too aggressive.

For a fasting blood test, normal sugar levels are below 100mg/dL or 5.6 mmol/L. If it's between 100-125, (5.6-6.9 mmol/L) you might have pre-diabetes. If it's 126 or higher (7 mmol/L) on two separate tests, you'll be diagnosed with diabetes.

A random blood test – taken anytime of day, without fasting – would normally be below 200mg/dL, or 11.1 mmol/L.

An A1C test measures the average blood sugar levels over the last two or three months. Only a doctor will administer the tests, and they will be part of managing your diabetes.

Blood Sugar Numbers with Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you'll be under treatment to bring your blood sugar down. As you test your blood sugar, keep the following recommendations in mind.

The American Diabetes Association says that for a fasting blood test, you should be at 80-130mg/dL unless you're pregnant. Two hours after eating a meal, you should be below 180mg/dL.

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) has different guidelines. It says that a fasting blood test should be below 110mg/dL, and two hours after a meal it should be below 140mg/dL.

Your doctor can help you understand what targets are right for you, or may help you set your own goals as you manage your diabetes.

Take Care of Your Blood Sugar

Problems with your blood sugar can cause very serious health problems, ranging from kidney and liver issues to problems with blood circulation and even the loss of limbs.

By testing your blood sugar and understanding the results, you'll be well on your way to a healthier life. As an added benefit, blood tests can also help you detect other potential health problems.

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