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What Is The Blood Glucose Level For Diabetics??

A DiabetesTeam Member asked a question 💭
Cape Town, ZA
July 29, 2023
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A DiabetesTeam Member

The answer to that is "it depends"

Your glucose "range" should be established by your Doctor

It will be based on your age, other medical issues, life expectancy, how motivated you are to help yourself, your compliance in taking medications, your own expectations, access to other professionals etc

That's the wishy-washy answer but it is true

If you are diagnosed under age 60, don't have existing vascular, heart or kidney issues, are motivated and want to live as long as possible without losing function then you should shoot for an A1C of 6.0% (42 mmols in the IFCC system)

To achieve that you would typically be looking to keep your Fasting and between meal (pre-prandial) blood sugar in the 4.0 to 6.0 mmol range or 70'ish to 108 points (US system) and your post meal (post-prandial measured at 2 hours after the first bite of a meal) no higher than about 8.5 mmols or 153 points

If you are shooting for "non diabetic" numbers then your fasting/between meals would never exceed 5.5 mmols/99 points and post meal would never exceed 7.8 mmols or 140 points

The general guideline advice for Type 2's (adults below about age 70 but that varies a bit, with no other factors) is to shoot for fasting/between meal numbers between 4.0-7.0 mmols or 70'ish to 126 points, and post meal under 10 mmols or 180 points

This "general guidance" is designed to DELAY diabetic complications and is recommended for people with a "life expectancy" of about 10 more years

Then depending on whether you are willing to significantly medicate or not, your "range" will be tailored to that

So very complex question that must be personalized FOR YOU by a Doctor who fully understands your entire health picture

If you use the "standard" guidelines you are buying yourself about 10 years of half decent health and rolling the dice after that

July 29, 2023
A DiabetesTeam Member

Blood glucose levels for diabetics can vary, but here are some general guidelines:

- Before meals: 80 to 130 mg/dL
- After meals: Less than 180 mg/dL

For more personalized targets, it's important to consult with your doctor.

 This AI-generated response comes from DiabetesTeam and other selected sources. It is not a substitute for medical advice. Always ask your doctor about specific health concerns.

Blood Sugar Readings and Diabetes | DiabetesTeam
Blood glucose testing for Diabetes | DiabetesTeam
July 23
A DiabetesTeam Member

Thanks GrahamLamb for a most informative answer to my question.

July 29, 2023

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