Blood sugar: where it comes from, why it changes and how to monitor it

Where does blood sugar come from and why is it needed?

Sugar hitsWhat Is a Normal Blood Sugar Level? / Diabetes Self-Management into the body along with foods containing carbohydrates, such as cereals, fruits and vegetables. In the digestive tract, under the action of pancreatic enzymes, they are broken down into monosaccharides, including glucose. Already from there it enters the bloodstream and through the vessels reaches the cells of all organs. In a healthy person weighing 70 kilograms in the blood constantly containedD. H. wasserman. Four grams of glucose / American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism about four grams of sugar is about one teaspoon.

Sugar helps the body work as a whole, but its main consumer is the brain. On average he needOh E. Owen, A. P. Morgan, H. G. Kemp, J. M. Sullivan, M. G. Herrera, G. F. Cahill. Brain Metabolism during Fasting / The Journal of Clinical Investigation

about 110-145 grams of glucose per day.

Without sweet fuel at the brain will notSugar and the Brain / Harvard Medical School resources for the production of neurotransmitters - it will become more difficult to process and remember information.

If there is not enough glucose from food, the body rebuilds and begins to nourish the brain, pulling out sugar reserves from the liver. And if they are empty, it turns amino acids and by-products of fats into energy, ketonesA. Courchesne-Loyer, E. Croteau, C. Castellano, V. St-Pierre, M. Hennebelle, S. C. Cunnane. Inverse relationship between brain glucose and ketone metabolism in adults during short-term moderate dietary ketosis: A dual tracer quantitative positron emission tomography study / Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism.

A regular excess of sugar in the diet is good for the brain too. does not goSugar and the Brain / Harvard Medical School. It negatively affects cognitive functions and can cause dementia.

Sugar also playsG. Ogbonna, R. Ehigbo, O. Hannah. Impact of Sugar on Vision an important role in nourishing the eyes and helps the muscles withstandA. b. Peinado, M. A. Rojo-Tirado, P. J. Benito. Sugar and exercise: its importance in athletes / Nutricion Hospitalaria long and high intensity workouts.

How does the body control sugar levels?

Two hormones, insulin and glucagon, help keep the body in balance. Both are produced by the pancreas. The first controlsInsulin / Cleveland Clinic the amount of glucose entering the cells. With a lack of insulin, the membranes stop passing sugar, and it accumulates in the blood. For the speed of consumption answerHormonal Regulation of Metabolism / Lumen Learning thyroid hormones.

Insulin can also reduceInsulin / Cleveland Clinic glucose levels, sending the excess to the liver for storage. Glucagon performsGlucagon/Cleveland Clinic the opposite function. It raises the level of sugar in cases where there is not enough of it from food. For example, with low-calorie diets or during prolonged fasting, including overnight. Glucagon does this in several ways:

1. Turn for sugar to the liver. It stores unused glucose in the form of glycogen for just such situations.
2. Do not share glucose with the liver. Glucagon can slow down the process of storing sugar for a rainy day, maintaining a high concentration in the blood.
3. Ask the liver to get glucose. From amino acids, lactic acid, glycerol or other substances - this process calledThe Liver and Blood Glucose Levels / Diabetes.co.uk gluconeogenesis. It is needed when glycogen runs out. To produce sugars from other substances also helpC. L. triplitt. Understanding the Kidneys’ Role in Blood Glucose Regulation / AJMC kidneys.
4. Help the liver create ketones. That is, alternative cellular fuel from fats.

What level of sugar is considered normal

Sugar levels can be measured in milligrams per deciliter or millimoles per liter. In Russia, the second option is used. Check the indicators using a blood test taken on an empty stomach. It is of two types:

• Venous plasma analysis. NormMean fasting blood glucose / World Health Organization - from 3.9 to 5.6 mmol / l.
• Capillary blood analysis. NormDiabetes mellitus / Russian Association of Cardiovascular Surgeons - from 3.3 to 5.5 mmol / l.

First version of the test countsBlood sugar test / Medline Plus more accurate. Results that differ from the norm indicate different conditions. Any of them can indicate serious problems in the functioning of the body - this is the reason for a more thorough examination.

• Below 3.9 mmol / l - hypoglycemia, low sugar levels.
• From 5.6 to 6.9 mmol / l - a slight increase in sugar. There is a risk of developing diabetes.
• From 7 mmol / l - hyperglycemia, elevated sugar levels. Possible diabetes.

To confirm or exclude the diagnosis of diabetes, in addition to standard tests from a vein or a finger, a glucose tolerance test is used. The indicators are also measured, but twice: first on an empty stomach, and then two hours after drinking a glucose solution. This allows you to track how quickly the body metabolizes sugar.

What does low sugar mean?

Causes hypoglycemiaHypoglycemia / Mayo Clinic a lot of. For example, prolonged fasting, excessive alcohol consumption, exhausting physical activity, hormonal imbalance, liver and kidney disease, an adverse reaction to medications. But the most common is diabetes. In people with a diagnosis, glucose levels can drop dramatically due to accidentally overdosing insulin. Or in cases where a person drank the drug according to a prescription, but ate little during the day or practiced unusually much.

With hypoglycemia, the body is left without resources to work, the cells begin to starve. However, it can go completely unnoticed. If the sugar has fallen slightly, it will only be possible to track it with a glucometer. If the amount of glucose drops too low, probableHypoglycemia / Mayo Clinic the following symptoms:

• skin blanching;
• headache;
• fatigue;
• increased sweating;
• shiver;
• irritability;
• dizziness;
• heart rhythm disturbances;
• feeling of hunger or nausea.

With a further decrease in sugar, the symptoms will intensify. Blurred vision, loss of coordination, difficulty in forming thoughts may appear. You need to seek help immediately - a critical drop in sugar, usually below 2.2 mmol / l, may resultAlgorithms for specialized medical care for patients with diabetes mellitus / Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation to serious damage to the nervous system and coma.

What does high sugar mean?

Hyperglycemia usually arisesHyperglycemia (High Blood Sugar) / Cleveland Clinic due to the fact that the body does not produce sufficient amounts of insulin or the cells do not respond to it. Most often it is associated with diabetes, but it is not always causeBlood sugar test / Medline Plus. Elevated sugar levels can be due to pancreatitis, severe stress, hyperthyroidism, trauma or recent surgery, and taking certain drugs, such as steroids and diuretics.

The following symptoms will help you notice hyperglycemia:

• strong thirst;
• headache;
• frequent urination;
• blurred vision;
• increased fatigue.

Hyperglycemia as well as hypoglycemia is dangerous for the nervous system, and more hurtsHyperglycemia (High Blood Sugar) / Cleveland Clinic condition of blood vessels, liver, kidneys and other organs. This can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke and reduce the body's ability to heal wounds. In people with type 1 diabetes, hyperglycemia also sometimes causes ketoacidosis, a buildup of ketones in the blood. This is a deadly condition.

If you bring the sugar level back to normal in time and control it in the future, there will be no such consequences. However, it is difficult to notice the shift without analysis: symptoms and decreases and increases can be easily confused with ordinary overwork. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to check the status of this indicator periodically.

Experts recommend doGuidelines for the prevention of diabetes. Prevention of diabetes mellitus in men, women and children / Rospotrebnadzor This is for healthy people at least once every three years. If a person has diabetes or other conditions that affect sugar levels, he needs to monitor blood glucose constantly - several times a week or even a day. The frequency depends on individual recommendations.

How to Prevent Sugar Abnormalities

Chief assistant in maintainingHow To Lower Your Blood Sugar Naturally / Cleveland Clinic normal glucose - a proper and balanced diet with a sufficient amount of all nutrient groups. Regular exercise, quitting bad habits, and reducing stress levels will also be helpful. To achieve the latter, of course, is difficult, so it is important to at least learn how to deal with it. For example, through breathing practices or yoga. It is especially important to follow these rules for people over 45 years of age, with obesity, with prediabetes and those who have relatives with diabetes - these factors increaseDiabetes Risk Factors/CDC risks.