What Is Glucose?
Glucose is also known as blood sugar. Glucose keeps the body's mechanism in top working order. When the blood glucose levels are normal, it goes unnoticed in the body. But when the glucose differs from the recommended boundaries, an individual will start noticing its unhealthy effects on everyday functioning. It is the simplest form of carbohydrate, a monosaccharide, it has one sugar. Other monosaccharides include fructose, galactose, and ribose.
In the form of carbohydrates, glucose is considered the body's preferred source of fuel. Carbohydrates create energy to keep an individual alive, and people can get glucose from bread, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. As glucose is essential for our day-to-day life, glucose levels that are unhealthy or out of control can have severe and permanent effects.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a metabolic condition that affects the process of turning food into energy. The condition occurs when the blood sugar is too high. There are different types of diabetes, such as type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (elevated blood sugar during pregnancy). It requires careful management to maintain blood sugar levels within a healthy range to prevent complications.
How Does the Body Process Glucose?
Our body ideally processes glucose multiple times a day. After the food intake, our body immediately starts to process glucose. The enzymes begin to break down the process with the help of the pancreas. The pancreas produces hormones, including insulin, which plays an integral part in dealing with glucose. After every meal, our body sends a signal to the pancreas that it needs to release insulin to deal with the rising blood glucose level.
The reason why diabetes occurs is the pancreas does not produce enough insulin in the way it should. In that case, people are suggested to take Insulin injections by the doctor to process and regulate near-normal glucose levels in the body. Another reason for diabetes is insulin resistance, where the liver does not recognize the insulin present in the body and continues to make an inappropriate amount of glucose. The liver is the most important organ for maintaining blood glucose levels, as it helps with the storage of glucose and releases glucose whenever necessary.
When the body does not produce enough insulin, it can release free fatty acids from the stored fats, which can lead to a condition called ketoacidosis. There is an increased accumulation of ketones and waste products due to fat metabolism in ketoacidosis. These ketones are toxic when present in large quantities.
How to Test Blood Glucose Levels?
Testing blood glucose levels are important for people with diabetes. Most people with this condition undergo blood sugar checks regularly as part of their daily routine.
The common way to test blood glucose levels at home is by a simple blood test. The tip of the finger is pricked using a small needle called a lancet. The finger is squeezed to produce a small drop of blood, put onto the test strip. The test strip is inserted into the meter, which measures the blood glucose levels. The results are obtained within 20 seconds.
What Are the Normal Levels of Glucose?
Maintaining normal glucose levels helps the body to run effectively and healthily. The normal blood glucose levels are,
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Before eating - 90 to 130 mg/dL (milligram per deciliter).
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One hour after food - 180 mg/dL.
People having diabetes should pay special attention to their blood glucose levels. There are a variety of reasons for the blood sugar levels to increase, they are,
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Heavy meals.
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Missed diabetes medications.
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Illness.
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Lack of physical activity.
What Happens When Blood Sugar Levels Are Too High or Too Low?
When the blood glucose levels are too high, Insulin will help bring the blood sugar levels down. People with diabetes need to administer synthetic Insulin when their blood sugar levels are too high. When in less serious situations, walking, exercise, and other physical activities help to lower blood glucose levels.
Blood glucose levels are too low when it is below 70 mg/dL, and this condition is known as hypoglycemia. Also, when the blood glucose levels are too low, it is considered very serious. It can occur when people with diabetes,
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Skip their meals.
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Eat less than usual.
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Exercise excessively.
Having a meal or drinking juices can increase lowered blood glucose levels. Low blood sugar can result in a loss of consciousness. If it occurs, it is essential to seek a doctor’s help.
What Happens When Glucose Levels Go Unregulated?
The long-term complications of unregulated glucose levels are,
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Neuropathy.
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Blindness.
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Heart diseases.
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Skin infections.
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Problems in the joints and extremities.
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Severe dehydration.
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Coma.
More severe complications are,
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Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome.
What Are the Risks Associated With an Increase in Blood Glucose Levels?
Blood glucose level rises after you eat. Then the glucose levels lower a few hours later because insulin moves glucose into the cells. The blood glucose should be less than 100 mg/dL between meals. This is known as fasting blood sugar level. There are two types of diabetes mellitus,
a) Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus:
In patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, the body does not have enough insulin. This is because their immune system starts to attack and eventually destroy the pancreas cells, where the insulin is made.
b) Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus:
In type 2 diabetes mellitus, the cells will not respond to insulin as they should. So the pancreas will need to produce more and more insulin to move the glucose into the cells for further metabolism. Day by day, the pancreas becomes damaged and will not make enough insulin which the body needs.
When there is insufficient insulin, the glucose cannot be moved into the cells, and the blood glucose levels stay high. Blood glucose levels above 200 mg/dL after 2 hours of every meal or above 125 mg/dL on fasting is called hyperglycemia.
High glucose levels in the bloodstream for an extended period of time can damage the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to the organs. High blood sugar levels can increase the risk of,
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Heart disease.
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Kidney disease.
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Nerve damage.
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Retinopathy.
Conclusion:
People with diabetes mellitus should test their blood glucose levels often. Regular exercise, a non-sugary diet, and anti-diabetic medicine help keep the blood glucose levels normal to prevent further complications.
