What Is Blood Glucose Level?

Blood glucose level is the amount of sugar that is in your blood stream. It is measured by millimeters per deciliter (ml/dL) or by the percentage of sugar in the blood. Normal blood glucose levels are 80 to 120 mg/dL, or four to six percent. A person is diabetic if his blood sugar levels are 126 mg/dL or more after a fasting sugar test.

The Process

Your body breaks food down into sugar. The sugar is called glucose. The glucose needs to move into your body cells to provide you with energy.

The Results

Insulin is a hormone that moves the glucose into your body's cells. If the insulin does not move the glucose into the cells, the result is high glucose levels in the blood.

Types

Type 1 diabetics do not produce insulin to move the glucose into the cells. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin, or the insulin does not work properly.

Significance

High blood glucose levels can cause cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, blindness and extensive nerve damage that may lead to amputation.

Prevention/Solution

To regulate glucose levels, diabetics must eat well-balanced meals, monitor their glucose levels to adjust food or medication, and exercise.

Resources

• Medicine Net: Blood Glucose Levels