What Level of Blood Sugar is Dangerous?
Parul Dube
May 10, 2023
Diabetes
Diabetes is a long-term (chronic) illness that affects how your body converts food into energy. Your body converts most of the food you consume into sugar (glucose), which is then released into your bloodstream. Your pancreas releases insulin when your blood sugar levels rise.
Insulin is essential for enabling blood sugar to enter your body’s cells to provide them with energy. Unfortunately, when you have diabetes, your body produces insufficient insulin or uses it improperly.
As a result, too much blood sugar remains in your bloodstream due to low insulin or cells themselves cease reacting to insulin. This can eventually lead to significant health issues like renal disease, eyesight loss, and heart disease.
Blood Sugar Levels – An Overview
Call your doctor immediately in case of more than 300 mg/dL readings in a run. In severe cases, blood sugar levels that are incredibly high (much above 300 mg/dL) might cause coma.
A blood sugar level of 180 to 250 mg/dL is high. Low blood sugar is when it is less than 70 mg/dl. Blood sugar levels over 250 mg/dL or below 50 mg/dL are hazardous and needs immediate medical attention. Generally speaking, the ideal blood sugar range is between 70 to 130 mg/dL.
Blood Sugar Chart
People with diabetes must understand their blood sugar levels in order to maintain their health and avoid complications. In addition, since knowing your blood sugar levels might help you take corrective action for undiagnosed blood sugar, it can also be helpful for persons without a diabetes diagnosis.
HealthifyPRO 2.0 comes with a wearable CGM device. Even if you are outwardly healthy, it makes sense to understand how food and other lifestyle factors affect blood glucose levels.
For example, one easy way to reduce blood-glucose spikes is to eat the right food and include adequate physical activity that keeps your metabolic health in check. It helps overall wellbeing when one uses this amazing tool as a preventive measure. Therefore, HealthifyMe PRO 2.0 is for everyone.
Here are some general guidelines for blood sugar ranges:
Fasting
- Normal for a person without diabetes: 70–99 mg/dl (3.9–5.5 mmol/L)
- Official ADA recommendation for someone with diabetes: 80–130 mg/dl (4.4–7.2 mmol/L)
1 to 2 hours after meals
- Normal for a person without diabetes: Less than 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L)
- Official ADA recommendation for someone with diabetes: Less than 180 mg/dl (10.0 mmol/L)
HbA1c
- Normal for person without diabetes: Less than 5.7%
- Official ADA recommendation for someone with diabetes: Less than 7.0%
Are High Blood Sugar Levels Dangerous?
Hyperglycemia refers to when a person’s blood sugar levels go dangerously high. Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) is experienced by Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics and expectant mothers with gestational diabetes.
It can sometimes affect non-diabetics too. But, it often only affects the very sick, such as people who have recently suffered a heart attack, stroke, or severe illness.
To control diabetes, you must ensure that blood sugar levels are as close to normal as possible. But regardless of how cautious you are, if you have diabetes, hyperglycemia can happen at some point. Identifying and treating hyperglycemia is crucial because, if untreated, it can result in significant health issues. Occasional, temporary instances that can be treated easily or resolved independently are not typically alarming. Hyperglycemia, however, poses a risk if blood sugar levels rise significantly or persist for a long time.
Extremely high blood sugar levels might result in potentially fatal consequences like:
- Type 1 diabetics are more likely to have diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), wherein the liver breaksdown, fat as a source of energy, which can result in a diabetic coma.
- People with type 2 diabetes are more likely to experience a hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS), which is extreme dehydration along with decreased alertness or conciousness.
- Regularly having high blood sugar levels for a long time (months or years) can cause lasting harm to organs like the kidneys, blood vessels, eyes, nerves, and nervous system.
If you frequently have hyperglycemia, talk to your doctor or the diabetes care team. To maintain appropriate blood sugar levels, you might need to alter your medication or way of life.
Summary
High blood sugar levels (Hyperglycemia) can have fatal health impacts. Regular monitoring of blood sugar and prompt treatment is important
Are Low Blood Sugar Levels Dangerous?
Your body’s cells require energy to function. Sugar is the body’s primary energy source, commonly known as glucose.
Hypoglycemia is the medical term for when your blood sugar levels drop below the normal range. Low blood sugar can cause various symptoms, but a blood glucose test is the only method to diagnose low blood sugar.
One of the most common causes of low blood sugar is medications for treating diabetes. The pancreas can no longer make insulin when a person has type 1 diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas produces insufficient insulin, or your body has trouble utilising it. Hypoglycemia can occur due to excessive amounts of insulin or oral diabetic medication.
Contrary to popular assumption, low blood sugar is not only a symptom associated with diabetes; but it may occur even when your body produces more insulin than what is considered healthy.Consuming alcohol along with anti diabetic medications can also cause hypoglycaemia
Your cells become energy-starved when your blood sugar levels are too low. Initial signs may include minor ones like hunger and headaches. However, you could face significant risks if you don’t raise your blood sugar levels promptly.
You require the proper insulin dosage to prevent hypoglycemia or excessive blood sugar levels. Your blood sugar levels increase if you have insufficient insulin. On the other hand, using too much insulin would result in a sharp drop in blood sugar.
Summary
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) levels are as dangerous as hyperglycemia. Look out for symptoms such as dizziness, sweating, irritability, confusion and racing heartbeat
5 Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar Levels Quickly
1. Exercise
Exercise lowers your blood sugar levels quickly and effectively. After working out, your blood sugar may remain lower for up to 24 hours. Also, this is because it increases your body’s insulin sensitivity.
As a result, the body needs glucose to function during exercise. In turn, the muscles absorb glucose from the cells, and blood sugar levels often decrease.
You must engage in an activity that increases heart rate. For example,brisk walking and cycling are good exercises.. Importantly, you should examine your urine for ketones if your blood sugar is higher than 240 mg/dl.
You must avoid exercise if ketones are present and get prompt treatment first.
Your doctor will probably advise you to check your blood sugar before exercising if you have type 1 diabetes. You can do it at-home urine ketone testing kits.
Exercise can help you manage your blood sugar levels throughout the day. Still, some forms of exercise, especially short bursts of intense activity, might momentarily raise them. Also, exerting oneself physically sets off the body’s stress response, which releases glucagon to fuel the muscles.
2. Carb Intake
Your blood sugar levels get significantly impacted by the number of carbohydrates you consume. Also, this is because your body converts carbs into simple sugars, primarily glucose.
Insulin then assists your body in using and storing it for energy. This process is affected down, and blood glucose levels can increase when you consume too many carbohydrates or insulin production is less.
Doing this will help you properly plan your meals, enhancing blood sugar control. According to research, a low-carb diet helps lower blood sugar levels and prevent blood sugar spikes.
When checking your blood sugar, you can still consume some carbohydrates. However, choosing whole grains instead of processed grains and refined carbohydrates offers better nutritional value while also lowering blood sugar levels.
3. Fibre Intake
It promotes a more gradual rise in blood sugar levels by delaying carbohydrate breakdown and sugar absorption.
Fibre comes in two varieties: soluble and insoluble. Whereas both are significant, soluble fibre mainly benefits blood sugar management, while insoluble fibre does not. Therefore, a fibre-rich diet can enhance your body’s capacity to control blood sugar and reduce blood sugar levels. As a result, you may be able to manage type 1 diabetes better.
Among the foods high in fibre are vegetables, fruits and legumes. According to USDA, a daily fibre intake of 25 grams is advised for women, while for men, it is 38 grams.
4. Hydration
You may maintain healthy blood sugar levels by drinking enough water. According to research, regular water consumption before a meal may lead to lower fasting blood sugar levels.
Remember that water is one of the healthiest beverages. Avoid sugar-sweetened rinksbecause they can cause blood sugar to rise, weight gain, and increase the risk of diabetes.
5. Monitoring Blood Sugar Levels
You can manage your blood sugar levels more effectively by monitoring them regularly A CGM can perform this at home. You can talk to your doctor about this choice.
You can assess whether you need to change your diet or medicine regular tracking. Additionally, it informs you about how your body responds to certain foods. Further, monitoring your blood sugar continuously may be more beneficial than a one-off practice.
A HealthifyPRO2.0 CGM helps you choose if you should modify a meal rather than altogether avoid it if it causes your blood sugar to surge. Some modifications may include reducing portion sizes or adding more non starchy vegetables.
Summary
One of the most critical aspects of managing diabetes is blood sugar monitoring. Consistently maintaining blood sugar levels within the advised ranges indicates that your diabetes medications, food, and other therapies are effective.
Managing Diabetes – The HealthifyMe Way
Blood sugar ranges are broad estimates. Depending on your overall health status, age, how long you’ve had diabetes, and other circumstances, you can have a somewhat different recommended blood sugar range.
HealthifyMe provides people with diabetes with great assistance in monitoring their blood sugar levels. It contains a wearable CGM device-BIOS that measures your blood glucose levels in real-time. In addition, you can self-monitor your blood glucose levels by seeing the data that appears through the connected device.
BGMs were the tools professionals advised if they felt you had irregular blood sugar levels before CGM became a popular and practical option for measuring glucose levels. The AI-powered solution HealthifyPRO 2.0 uses a mix of technological advancement, extensive metabolic panel testing, a smart scale that decodes your weight concerning your metabolic health and the good old power of human knowledge that comes to you in the form of consultation with the coaches.
The four pillars of the offering, along with a calorie counter, sleep tracker, meal plans and other features, make the fitness journey easy and enjoyable. With the intervention of the app, you get into imbibing healthy habits: like eating from a smaller plate with the right mix of fibre, protein, carbs and good fats and cook recipes that are good for you, including various easy to do physical activities throughout the day. These sound like small measures, but they are incredibly effective in reducing a vast spectrum of lifestyle diseases.
According to studies, monitoring your blood sugar levels throughout the day can help. Your health coach will be able to evaluate whether or not your blood glucose levels are consistently at the ideal level with the help of the findings from this fingerstick test. Additionally, you can utilise the results to adjust your diet, lifestyle, and other factors as appropriate. Further, if you have high blood sugar levels, ask your doctor if you need to take any medications or insulin.
Disclaimer: The purpose of this article is just to disperse knowledge and spread awareness. It does not intend to replace medical advice by professionals. For further information please contact our certified nutritionists Here.
The HealthifyMe Note
Diabetes is a chronic illness that needs regular monitoring and prompt treatment. It is important for diabetics to keep blood sugar levels in the acceptable range as both hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia can be dangerous. A fiber rich diet, sufficient water intake and the right exercise routine are crucial to maintaining blood sugar levels,
Conclusion
When your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin that it does produce, high blood sugar develops. You can lower your blood sugar levels by taking insulin.
When your blood sugar is high, discuss with your doctor how much rapid-acting insulin you should take. Also, discuss changing your diabetes management strategy with a healthcare expert if your blood sugar levels routinely experience extreme highs or lows.
Disclaimer: The purpose of this article is just to disperse knowledge and spread awareness. It does not intend to replace medical advice by professionals. For further information please contact our certified nutritionists Here.
References
- A randomised trial of the feasibility of a low carbohydrate diet vs standard carbohydrate counting in adults with type 1 diabetes taking body weight into account
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26965765/ - Effect of pre-meal water intake on the serum levels of Copeptin, glycemic control, lipid profile and anthropometric indices in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, controlled trial
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34178828/ - Analytical and Clinical Performance of Blood Glucose Monitors
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2825628/#:~:text=When%20performed%20and%20utilized%20properly,part%20of%20their%20treatment%20program.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is the danger zone for blood sugar?
A: Blood sugar levels over 250 mg/dL or below 50 mg/dL are hazardous and call immediate medical attention. The ideal blood sugar range to aim for is typically between 70 and 130 mg/dL.
Q. What is a dangerous blood sugar level for type 2 diabetes?
A: A blood sugar level of more than 600 mg/dL (33.3 mmol/L) is considered a life-threatening condition. In type 2 diabetes, the body either produces insufficient insulin or rejects it. Among the symptoms are excessive thirst, frequent urination, hunger, exhaustion, and blurred eyesight.
Q. When is high blood sugar an emergency?
A: When insulin is either lacking, or the body does not react to the insulin that is there, hyperglycemia occurs, causing blood sugar levels to become too high. It develops if a person with diabetes does not get it treated sufficiently. If you have diabetes and your fasting blood sugar exceeds 125 mg/dL (milligrammes per deciliter), you have hyperglycemia. Fasting is defined as not eating for at least eight hours.
Q. What is the highest blood sugar you can survive?
A: A person should not be getting a diabetic coma. When your blood sugar levels reach 600 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or more, you may have a diabetic coma and become very dehydrated. People with type 2 diabetes who have poorly controlled blood sugar leveks are typically affected. People who are aged, chronically ill, or incapacitated frequently experience it.
Q. What blood sugar level requires hospitalisation?
A: For adults, contact the hospital or other emergency services immediately if you feel dizzy or disoriented or if your blood sugar keeps rising, for instance, to levels above 20.0 mmol/L. If your blood sugar is this high, it’s essential to have someone with you so they can call for you.
Q. What is normal blood sugar by age chart?
A: For someone with diabetes and fasting: 80–130 mg/dl (4.4–7.2 mmol/L) For someone with diabetes, after 1 to 2 hours of meal: Less than 180 mg/dl (10.0 mmol/L).
Q. Is blood sugar 135 high?
A: Medical professionals say a healthy fasting blood sugar range is between 70 and 100 mg/dL (3.9 and 5.6 mmol/L). The doctor will diagnose diabetes if fasting blood sugar is persistently over 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L).
Q. Is 200 blood sugar normal after eating?
A: It is normal when the blood sugar is less than 140 mg/dl two hours after eating. It is pre-diabetes when the reading is between 140 and 200, at which point you must make dietary and exercise changes. It’s normal for the sugar level to rise post-eating. However, it should be below 140.
Q. What time of day is blood sugar highest?
A: For patients with diabetes, the dawn phenomenon is an early-morning increase in blood glucose. Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar levels, results from the dawn phenomenon. It usually takes place between 4 and 8 in the morning.
Q. What causes blood sugar to rise without eating?
A: Insulin serves as a messenger to inform the liver when to release the proper amount of glucose to restore what gets utilised. The liver begins to release glucose too quickly if there is insufficient insulin (as in type 1 diabetes) or if there is enough insulin. Still, it cannot reach the liver (as in type 2 diabetes). In addition, hormone levels like cortisol rise in the early morning hours, which may affect insulin sensitivity. It causes sugar levels to increase even without eating.
What causes diabetes?
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