With all the numbers that get thrown around during your doctor’s appointments, you may be a little confused about the ideal blood sugar levels for diabetics.
Don’t worry, it’s an easy thing to find out.
Aim for These Blood Glucose Levels When You Test
People usually visit the doctor every 6 months for a fasting blood test. The goal is to have a level of less than 100 milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood (mg/dl). Often, the doctor will have you avoid eating for up to 8 hours before your appointment for the most accurate test results.
About 100 mg/dl is also the ideal when you first wake up in the morning.
Throughout the rest of the day, your sugar levels will vary. They can go up when you eat and down when you exercise. If you are unable to produce insulin or severely insulin resistant, those levels can just keep rising all day.
Here are some numbers to keep in mind as you test your own blood at home:
- 70 – 130 mg/dl before a meal
- < 180 mg/dl between one to two hours after a meal
- 100 mg/dl before exercising
- 100 – 140 mg/dl before you go to bed
What About My A1C Percentage?
When you go to a doctor’s appointment, you’ll also be given the A1C test. This is used to determine if your blood sugar levels have been chronically elevated during the previous 3 months. An A1C analyzes how much glucose has attached to your blood cells. Since blood cells only live for a maximum of a few months, that’s how far back the test can look at your levels.
The higher your percentage, the higher your blood glucose levels have been. Doctors like to see an A1C of less than 7%, but healthy people will have an A1C that is closer to 5.6%. This is also a test that is used to help confirm a diabetes diagnosis.
[expand title=”References“]
Blood Sugar Levels for Adults With Diabetes. URL Link. Accessed June 8, 2018.
What Is a Normal Blood Sugar Level? URL Link. Accessed June 8, 2018.
The A1C Test & Diabetes. URL Link. Accessed June 8, 2018.
[/expand]
