How blood sugar levels can affect your health
Exactly what is blood sugar level?
A person’s blood sugar level (also called serum glucose level or plasma glucose level) is essentially the volume of glucose (sugar) within their blood at any moment.
So why is glucose critical?
Glucose (commonly known as dextrose) is a simple sugar that’s produced by the human body from the carbohydrate food that people take in. It’s required for a variety of necessary physiological processes. Notably, it is vital since it supplies energy to our body tissues, nervous system and the brain.
Glucose is transferred from the digestive tract or liver to body cells via the bloodstream, and is made available for cell absorption through the hormone insulin, manufactured by the pancreas.
Glucose that’s not directly used as an energy source by brain cells, intestinal cells and red blood cells is taken to the liver, adipose tissue and muscle cells, where it’s absorbed and stored as glycogen. This glycogen can be changed back to glucose and returned to the bloodstream in cases where insulin is low or absent.
So how is blood sugar level measured?
Blood sugar is normally measured in molecular count, the unit for which is mmol/L (millimoles per liter). Additionally it is frequently calculated as a weight in grams, the unit for which is mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter).
So what is a healthy or regular blood sugar level?
Generally, your body maintains its blood glucose level at a reference range of between 3.6 and 5.8 mmol/L (or 64.8 and 104.4 mg/dL).
The mean regular blood glucose level in human beings is around 4 mmol/L (or 72 mg/dL), but the level clearly varies during the day. As you might expect, glucose levels are typically at their lowest in the morning, before the first meal of the day and rise just after eating for one to two hours by a few milliMolar. Having said that, when it comes to diabetics, blood sugar fluctuates more broadly – see further below.
How might blood sugar / glucose levels threaten your health and well-being?
As mentioned above, glucose provides a person’s body with the power that it requires to complete essential physiological functions. Too little sugar / glucose (a low blood sugar level) or excessive sugar / glucose (a high blood sugar level) can lead to severe medical problems and blood sugar levels outside of the normal range could very well be a warning sign of a medical condition.
Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia
A continually high blood sugar level is technically referred to as hyperglycemia, whilst low levels are referred to as hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia is a potentially fatal condition. Symptoms include drowsiness, weakened mental performance, irritability, trembling, twitching, weakness in arm and leg muscles, pale appearance, perspiration, paranoid or aggressive mentality and loss of consciousness. In severe instances, brain damage is possible.
By contrast, hyperglycemia involves the appetite being suppressed for the short term, with longer term health issues including heart problems, diabetes and eye, kidney, and nerve damage.
Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is characterised by continual hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) either because the body does not manufacture sufficient insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that’s produced. It is actually the most commonly encountered disease associated with failure in blood sugar regulation.
For individuals with diabetes, it is of course especially vital to hold blood sugar levels within normal ranges, or else considerable health complications can occur. For instance, nephropathy (kidney disease), neuropathy (nerve disease), retinopathy (eye disease) and cardiovascular diseases (heart diseases).
Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance (a symptom of polycystic ovarian syndrome) is yet another instance of a disorder where blood sugar levels have a crucial role. In this case, the person’s body doesn’t recognise the consumption of sugars and carbohydrates which means that it continues to pump out insulin which isn’t necessary. If this proceeds for an extended time period, the pancreas can shut down and cease to produce insulin altogether. If proper care isn’t taken by those who have this disorder to ensure a well-balanced diet and balanced blood sugar levels, it could at some point bring on type two diabetes.
Can anything else have a bearing on blood sugar levels?
Various factors may affect a person’s blood sugar level. By way of example, it can be briefly elevated as a result of intense stress (such as trauma, stroke, myocardial infarction, surgery or sickness) or as a result of drug / medication usage, which can cause glucose levels to increase or reduce.
Alcohol intake additionally triggers an initial spike in blood sugar, but later tends to cause levels to fall.
Trying to keep your blood sugar level within a healthy range
Making positive and healthy lifestyle choices (and, if required, modifications) is a great first step in keeping your blood sugar levels in control. For example, taking regular exercise and (if need be) reducing your weight in a smart and healthy way.
Dietary adjustments, particularly, can be amazingly helpful in keeping blood sugar levels within normal ranges. For all those with restricted diets (such as diabetics), it can certainly be a difficult task to ensure an optimum consumption of vitamins and minerals each and every day. A lot of people find that top quality, nutrients-fortified meal replacement powders / shakes can help with this.
MEALtime is a liquid meal / meal replacement shake that is rich in quality protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, nutritious herbs and psyllium husks. Best of all, it’s appropriate for diabetics and others wanting to maintain healthy, stable blood sugar levels because the only sugars included are those found naturally in the ingredient fruits.
MEALtime is a fast and simple way to fuel up on the go. Not only does this meal replacement / protein shake contain an array of important vitamins and minerals, but it also has important amino acids, ginseng and aloe vera for energy!
Of course, prior to changing your diet or taking health supplements, always be sure to consult your doctor or qualified health practitioner (particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medications).
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