Normal blood sugar levels

People often wonder what normal blood sugar levels are. The answer to this is often not so easy. However, a good indication can be given after measuring the blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels indicate whether someone suffers from diabetes. By means of a blood sugar test it is determined whether you have diabetes or not, or if you are in a so-called preliminary phase of diabetes. There are several ways to measure this. The most famous of these is done at the general practice, but nowadays more and more people do this themselves at home in their own environment with a prick in their finger. In this article you can read what these blood sugar levels mean and when one speaks about normal blood sugar levels or diabetes.

 

Measure blood sugar levels

What one means by normal blood sugar levels depends, among other things, on the moment of pricking. There are two measurement moments to measure blood sugar levels. The most common way is on an empty stomach before eating anything. The second option of measuring, less known but certainly used, is measuring after a meal. The second measurement is usually taken 2 hours after a meal, as this is when most of the blood sugar is in the body. When the doctor diagnoses diabetes, it's always the first method of measurement, where one goes to the doctor's office on an empty stomach. Do you measure the blood sugar yourself by means of a small prick in the finger with a blood sugar meter? Then you can determine the best measurement moment yourself.

The data below can be used to determine whether someone has diabetes.

 

When do I have diabetes

Blood sugar - pricked sober (nothing eaten or drunk except water eight hours before):

• Below 6,1 mmol / l - no diabetes
• Between 6,1 and 6,9 mmol / l - preliminary phase of diabetes
• Above 6,9 mmol / l - diabetes

Blood sugar - not pricked sober (about one and a half to two hours after a meal, when there is the most blood sugar in the blood):

• Below 7,8 mmol / l - no diabetes
• Between 7,8 and 11 mmol / l - preliminary phase of diabetes
• Above 11 mmol / l - diabetes

Source: Diabetes fund

 

What are normal blood sugar levels

One speaks of normal blood sugar levels when the blood sugar levels on an empty stomach are between 4 and 6,1 mmol/L. With a small upward fluctuation, for example at a blood sugar level of 6,4 mmol / L, one does not directly speak of diabetes. The moment of measurement for the blood sugar levels is of course a snapshot and a small deviation is common. In such cases, it is advisable to measure the blood sugar levels for a week and take the average of the 7 days. In a measurement in which food has been consumed up to two hours in advance, one speaks of normal blood sugar levels if the amount mmol/L is between 4 and 8.

 

Different types of diabetes

Diabetes is divided into two categories. Diabetes type one and Diabetes type two. With diabetes type one, the body can no longer produce insulin itself and one is often forced to inject insulin by means of an insulin syringe. With diabetes type two, which is the most common disease in our western world, insulin does not play a role. Often it is the patient's unhealthy lifestyle that causes type two diabetes.

 

Don't forget to measure the blood sugar yourself, measuring is knowing!

As you've just read, we speak of normal blood sugar levels when the amount of mmol/l is between 4 and 8, depending on the measurement moment. Fortunately, you can determine the moment of measurement yourself and you will soon know whether you fall under the risk group or whether you suffer from diabetes. Due to the increasing prosperity in our Western civilization, diabetes and especially type 2 diabetes is no longer an exception. In fact, it's very easy to live with and for the most part it doesn't interfere with your daily life. If you still have doubts about your blood sugar levels after reading this article, you can of course always take a measurement yourself or visit your doctor, but do this on an empty stomach.