Blood Sugar

by Dr. Dana Armstrong and Dr. Allen Bennett King

Cite This!
Close 
Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this How Stuff Works article:

Armstrong, Dr. Dana, and Dr. Allen Bennett King.  "Blood Sugar."  12 March 2007.  HowStuffWorks.com. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/blood-sugar.htm>  20 July 2008.
Health Videos
Health Videos

Frequently monitoring your blood sugar level is important to manage diabetes.
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.
Frequently monitoring your
blood sugar level is important
to manage diabetes.

Monitoring your blood sugar is a vital part of the diabetes management process, and frequent self-monitoring is the key to successful diabetes care. Testing your blood sugar, also called glucose, allows you to adjust your food, medication, or activity level so that you can keep your blood sugar level within a healthy range.

When blood sugar is too high, it's called hyperglycemia. If blood sugar levels remain too high for too long, there's a greater likelihood of serious short-term and long-term complications that affect the whole body. Low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia, can result in unpleasant symptoms or even dangerous complications.

Tightly controlling blood sugar levels, however, has been shown to prevent, reduce, or even reverse some of the long-term complications associated with diabetes by up to 60 percent. Tight blood sugar control depends on frequent monitoring. 

Testing your blood sugar multiple times each day can help you understand blood sugar patterns and fluctuations associated with certain foods or alcohol, specific medication doses, your level of activity, illness, and stressors at home or work. With this information, you can then figure out what works best for you -- food, exercise, medications, or insulin -- to keep your levels as close to normal as possible. If you don't test your blood sugar levels, or test only infrequently, you'll never be sure whether your diabetes is really controlled.

Learn more detailed information about why and how to monitor blood sugar and the impact of monitoring on your management of diabetes.

Benefits of Monitoring Blood Sugar
Now you know about some of the factors that affect your blood sugar. Learn more in-depth information about why it's important to monitor your blood sugar.

Glucose Meters
Most glucose meters, used to monitor blood sugar levels, are easy to use and fast. Learn more about how to test your blood sugar level with these devices.

How to Test Blood Sugar
The process of testing your blood sugar isn't complicated, but it is important. Learn more about how to test your blood sugar.

Understanding Blood Sugar Test Results
After you've tested your blood sugar level, you need to know what the result means. Learn more about how to understand your blood sugar test results.

A1c Testing
Although self-monitoring blood sugar is important, it only provides a snapshot of your blood sugar level at that moment. A1c testing indicates how well you've been monitoring your blood sugar level over time. Learn more about this test that doctors frequently recommend.

Urine Test Strips
When your blood sugar level is low, your body starts to burn other sources of energy, which produces toxins that your kidneys filter out. Learn more about how urine test strips can indicate your blood sugar level.

Hypoglycemia
For diabetics, experiencing low blood sugar -- called hypoglycemia -- is to be expected every now and again. But monitoring your blood sugar can help you determine what's likely to cause it, allowing you to prevent it or treat it quickly. Learn more about hypoglycemia and its symptoms.

Hyperglycemia
Over time, hyperglycemia -- or high blood sugar -- can cause extensive damage to your body. It's important to monitor your blood sugar and keep levels within a healthy range. Learn more about hyperglycemia and how it affects your body.

For more information on diabetes in general, try the following links:
  • To learn more about diabetes in general, including diagnosis, causes, symptoms, and treatment, visit our main Diabetes page.
  • Our main Type 1 Diabetes page will tell you more about this form of diabetes, commonly called, "juvenile diabetes."
  • To find out more about type 2 diabetes, which has reached the level of national health epidemic, go to our main Type 2 Diabetes page.

Suggestions for a Diabetic Diet
One of the most important aspects of treating and controlling diabetes is monitoring the food you take into your body. However, there may be more wiggle room than you think. To learn more about proper nutrition and diabetes, try the following links:
  • Our main Diabetic Diet page will show you which food groups are diabetes-friendly and which ones you should avoid.  
  • Visit our Diabetic Recipes page to find simple, delicious meals you can make that won't send your blood sugar into a tailspin. 

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider

Related Ad Categories

Symptom Checker:

  Abdominal Bloating   Abdominal Fullness Prematurely Afte...   Abdominal Lumps   Abdominal Mass   Abdominal Pain   Abdominal Rigidity   Abdominal Sounds   Abdominal Swelling   Abnormal Posturing   Abnormal Tooth Shape   Abnormally Dark Or Light Skin   Absent Menstruation   Absent Thirst   Agitation   Ambiguous Genitalia   Ankle Pain   Appetite Decrease   Appetite Increase   Apraxia   Arachnodactyly   Armpit Lump   Autistic Behavior   Babinski's Reflex   Bed Wetting   Belching   Binge Eating   Blackheads   Bleeding Gums   Bleeding Into The Skin   Blindness   Blockage Of Leg Arteries   Blood In The Semen   Blood in Urine   Bloody Or Tarry Stools   Bone Pain Or Tenderness   Bounding Pulse   Bowel Incontinence   Breast Lump   Breast Pain   Breath Odor   Breath Sounds   Breathing - Slowed Or Stopped   Breathing Difficulty   Breathing Difficulty When Lying Dow...   Breathing That Sounds Abnormal   Broad Nasal Bridge   Bulging Fontanelles   Bullae   Chemosis   Chest Pain   Chills   Clammy Skin   Claw Foot   Claw Hand   Cloudy Cornea   Clubbing Of The Fingers Or Toes   Cold Intolerance   Coloboma Of The Iris   Comedones   Confusion   Constipation   Contracture Deformity   Coughing   Coughing Up Blood   Crying Excessively in Infants   Cyst   Decerebrate Posture   Decorticate Posture   Decreased Consciousness   Decreased Urine Output   Delayed Growth   Delayed or Absent Tooth Formation   Depression   Diarrhea   Difficulty with Urination   Dizziness   Drooling   Drowsiness   Dry Eyes   Dry Hair   Dry Skin   Ear Discharge   Earache   Earlobe Creases   Elbow Pain   Epicanthal Folds   Erection Problems   Erosion   Excessive Or Unwanted Hair In Women   Excessive Thirst   Excessive Urination   Excessive Urination at Night   Excessively Large Fontanelles   Eye Burning, Itching and Discharge   Eye Pain   Eye Redness   Eye Slant   Eyelid Drooping   Eyes That Bulge   Face Pain   Facial Paralysis   Facial Swelling   Fainting   Fatigue   Female Sexual Dysfunction   Fever   Finger Pain   Fingers That Change Color   Flank Pain   Floating Stools   Focal Neurological Deficits   Foot Pain   Foot, Leg, And Ankle Swelling   Foul Smelling Stools   Frequent Or Urgent Urination   Frontal Bossing   Gas (Flatulence)   Gastrointestinal Bleeding   Genital Sores (Female)   Genital Sores (Male)   Groin Lumps   Groin Pain   Gynecomastia   Hair Loss   Hallucinations   Hand Or Foot Spasms   Hand Tremors   Hearing Loss   Heart Murmurs And Other Sounds   Heart Palpitations   Heartburn   Heat Intolerance   Heavy, Prolonged, or Irregular Mens...   Heel Pain   Hemolytic Crisis   Hepatomegaly   Heterochromia   Hiccups   Hip Pain   Hoarseness Or Changing Voice   Hump Behind The Shoulders   Hyperactivity   Hyperelastic Skin   Hypermobile Joints   Hyperventilation   Hypotonia   Impaired Smell   Increased Head Circumference   Indigestion   Infantile Reflexes   Insect Bites And Stings   Intercostal Retractions   Intertrigo   Irritability   Itching   Jaundice (Yellow Skin)   Joint Pain   Joint Swelling   Knee Pain   Leg Pain   Lichenified   Limited Range Of Motion   Lordosis   Low Nasal Bridge   Lower Back Pain   Macule   Malaise   Memory Loss   Metopic Ridge   Microcephaly   Micrognathia   Morbid Obesity   Morning Sickness   Moro Reflex   Motormental Retardation   Mouth Sores   Muscle Aches   Muscle Atrophy   Muscle Cramps   Muscle Function Loss   Muscle Twitching   Nail Abnormalities   Nasal Congestion   Nasal Discharge   Nasal Flaring   Natal Teeth   Nausea And Vomiting   Neck Lumps   Neck Pain   Night Blindness   Nightmares   Nikolsky’s Sign   Nipple Discharge   Nodules   Nosebleed   Numbness And Tingling   Obesity   Opisthotonos   Pain During Sexual Intercourse   Painful Menstrual Periods   Painful Urination   Pale or Clay-Colored Stools   Paleness   Papule   Patches   Patchy Skin Color   Pectus Carinatum   Pectus Excavatum   Penis Pain   Photophobia   Pilonidal Dimple   Pinna Abnormalities And Low-set Ear...   Point Tenderness   Polydactyly   Polyhydramnios   Poor Feeding In Infants   Preauricular Tag Or Pit   Premenstrual Breast Tenderness and ...   Prognathism   Pupils That Are Different Sizes   Purpura   Pustules   Rapid Shallow Breathing   Rash in a Child Under 2 Years   Rashes   Rib Cage Pain   Ridged Sutures   Scales   Scrotal Swelling   Seizures   Sensorineural Deafness   Separated Sutures   Shin Splints   Short Philtrum   Short Stature   Shoulder Pain   Simian Crease   Skeletal Limb Abnormalities   Skin Blushing/flushing   Skin Discoloration   Skin Lumps   Skin Turgor   Sleeping Difficulty   Sneezing   Snoring   Sore Throat   Spasticity   Speech Impairment (adult)   Splenomegaly   Splinter Hemorrhages   Strange Behavior   Stress And Anxiety   Striae   Subcutaneous Emphysema   Sunburn   Sunken Fontanelles   Supernumerary Nipples   Swallowing Difficulty   Swallowing Pain Or Burning   Sweating   Sweating Decrease   Swelling   Swollen Glands   Swollen Gums   Taste Impairment   Telangiectasia   Tenesmus   Testicle Lump   Testicle Pain   Tinnitus   Tongue Problems   Tooth Discoloration   Toothaches   Ulcers   Uncontrollable Eye Movements   Uncontrollable Movement   Uncontrolled Or Slow Movement   Uncoordinated Movement   Unpredictable Or Jerky Movement   Urinary Incontinence   Urine Discoloration   Vaginal Bleeding Between Periods   Vaginal Bleeding In Pregnancy   Vaginal Discharge   Vaginal Itching   Vesicles   Vision Problems   Vomiting Blood   Walking Abnormalities   Watery Eyes   Weak or Absent Pulse   Weakness   Webbing Of The Fingers Or Toes   Weight Gain   Weight Loss   Wheezing   White Spots in the Pupil   Whitehead   Widely Spaced Teeth   Wrinkles   Wrist Pain   Yawning

Diseases and Conditions Glossary:

  ABO Incompatibility   AIDS   ARDS (acute Respiratory Distress Sy...   Aarskog Syndrome   Aase Syndrome   Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm   Abortion - Complete   Abortion - Elective Or Therapeutic   Abortion - Incomplete   Abortion - Infected   Abortion - Threatened   Abscess   Acanthosis Nigricans   Achalasia   Achilles Tendinitis   Achondrogenesis   Achondroplasia   Acidosis   Acne   Acoustic Neuroma   Acoustic Trauma   Acquired Platelet Function Defect   Acrodermatitis   Acrodysostosis   Acromegaly   Actinic Keratosis   Actinomycosis   Acute Adrenal Crisis   Acute Arterial Occlusion - Kidney   Acute Bilateral Obstructive Uropath...   Acute Bronchitis   Acute Cerebellar Ataxia   Acute Cholecystitis (Gallstones)   Acute Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infecti...   Acute Gouty Arthritis   Acute HIV Infection   Acute Interstitial Nephritis Not NS...   Acute Kidney Failure   Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)   Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia In-Depth   Acute Mountain Sickness   Acute Myeloid Leukemia   Acute Nephritic Syndrome   Acute Pancreatitis   Acute Tubular Necrosis   Acute Unilateral Obstructive Uropat...   Acute Upper Airway Obstruction   Addison’s Disease   Adenomyosis   Adhesion   Adjustment Disorder   Adolescent Depression   Adolescent Pregnancy   Adrenocortical Carcinoma   Adrenoleukodystrophy   Adult Still's Disease   Agammaglobulinemia   Age-related Hearing Loss   Agoraphobia   Agranulocytosis   Aicardi Syndrome   Albinism   Alcohol Withdrawal   Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy   Alcoholic Ketoacidosis   Alcoholic Liver Disease   Alcoholic Neuropathy   Alcoholism   Alcoholism In-Depth   Alkalosis   Alkaptonuria   Allergic Conjunctivitis   Allergic Rhinitis   Allergic Rhinitis In-Depth   Allergic Vasculitis   Allergies   Allergy To Mold - Dander - Dust   Alopecia Areata   Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency   Alport Syndrome   Alström Syndrome   Alveolar Abnormalities   Alzheimer’s - Resources   Alzheimer’s Disease   Alzheimer's Disease Epidemic?   Alzheimer's Disease In-Depth   Amaurosis Fugax   Amblyopia   Amebiasis   Amebic Liver Abscess   Amelogenesis Imperfecta   Amenorrhea   Amniotic Constriction Bands   Amphetamine Or Sympathomimetic Into...   Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis   Anal Fissure   Analgesic Nephropathy   Anaphylaxis   Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer   Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome   Anemia   Anemia - B12 Deficiency   Anemia In-Depth   Anemia Of Chronic Disease   Anencephaly   Aneurysm   Aneurysm In The Brain   Angina   Angiodysplasia Of The Colon   Angioedema   Ankylosing Spondylitis   Annular Pancreas   Anorchia   Anorectal Abscess   Anorexia Nervosa   Anthrax   Antisocial Personality Disorder   Anxiety Disorders In-Depth   Aortic Arch Syndrome   Aortic Dissection   Aortic Insufficiency   Aortic Stenosis   Apert Syndrome   Apnea Of Prematurity   Apoplexy   Appendicitis   Arrhenoblastoma of the Ovary   Arrhythmias   Arterial Embolism   Arterial Insufficiency   Arteriosclerosis Of The Extremities   Arteriovenous Malformation - Cerebr...   Arthritis   Arthritis - Resources   Asbestos-related Pleural Effusion   Asbestosis   Ascariasis   Ascites   Aseptic Meningitis   Aseptic Necrosis   Asherman Syndrome   Asperger Syndrome   Aspergillosis   Aspiration Pneumonia   Asthma   Asthma And Allergy - Resources   Asthma In Adults In-Depth   Asthma In Children And Adolescents ...   Astigmatism   Asymptomatic Bacteriuria   Asymptomatic HIV Infection   Ataxia-telangiectasia   Atelectasis   Atheroembolic Renal Disease   Atherosclerosis   Athlete's Foot   Atrial Fibrillation/flutter   Atrial Myxoma   Atrial Septal Defect   Atrophic Vaginitis   Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Dis...   Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Dis...   Atypical Mycobacterial Infection   Atypical Pneumonia   Aural Polyps   Autism   Autism - Resources   Autoerythrocyte Sensitivity   Autoimmune Disorders   Autoimmune Hepatitis   Autonomic Hyperreflexia   Autonomic Neuropathy   Avian Influenza   Avoidant Personality Disorder   Axillary Nerve Dysfunction   Back Pain And Sciatica In-Depth   Back Strain Treatment   Backaches And Stress   Bacterial Gastroenteritis   Baker’s Cyst   Balanitis   Barbiturate Intoxication And Overdo...   Barrett’s Esophagus   Bartholin’s Abscess   Bartter Syndrome   Basal Cell Carcinoma   Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome   Basal Ganglia Dysfunction   Bassen-Kornzweig Syndrome   Bathing Trunk Nevus   Becker's Muscular Dystrophy   Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome   Bedwetting   Bell's Palsy   Benign Ear Cyst Or Tumor   Benign Positional Vertigo   Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia In-Dep...   Beriberi   Bezoar   Bilateral Hydronephrosis   Bile Duct Obstruction   Biliary Atresia   Biliary Stricture   Bipolar Disorder   Bipolar Disorder In-Depth   Birth-acquired Herpes   Birthmarks - Pigmented   Birthmarks - Red   Bladder Cancer   Bladder Outlet Obstruction   Bladder Stones   Blastomycosis   Blastomycosis Skin Lesion   Bleeding Disorders   Bleeding Esophageal Varices   Blepharitis   Blind Loop Syndrome   Blocked Tear Duct   Blood Clots   Blount's Disease   Body Lice   Bone Tumors   Borderline Personality Disorder   Botulism   Bowlegs   Brachial Palsy In Newborns   Brachial Plexopathy   Brain Abscess   Brain Herniation   Brain Tumor - Adults   Brain Tumor - Children   Brain Tumors - Primary In-Depth   Branchial Cleft Cyst   Breast Cancer   Breast Cancer In-Depth   Breast Infection   Breast Milk Jaundice   Breath Holding Spell   Brief Reactive Psychosis   Bronchial Adenoma   Bronchiectasis   Bronchiolitis   Bronchitis   Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia   Brucellosis   Bruxism   Bulimia   Bullous Pemphigoid   Bunions   Burkitt Lymphoma   Bursitis   Byssinosis   CMV - Gastroenteritis/colitis   CMV - Immunocompromised Host   CMV - Pneumonia   CMV Esophagitis   CMV Retinitis   CSF Leak   Campylobacter Enteritis   Canavan Disease   Cancer   Cancer - Penis   Cancer - Renal Pelvis Or Ureter   Cancer - Resources   Cancer - Throat Or Larynx   Cancer - Vulva   Candida Esophagitis   Canker Sore Treatment   Canker Sores   Caplan Syndrome   Caput Succedaneum   Carbunculosis   Carcinoid Syndrome   Cardiac Amyloidosis   Cardiac Tamponade   Cardiogenic Shock   Cardiomyopathy   Carpal Tunnel Syndrome   Carpal Tunnel Syndrome In-Depth   Cat Scratch Disease   Cataract   Cataracts In-Depth   Catheter-associated UTI   Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis   Celiac Disease - Sprue   Cellulitis   Central Pontine Myelinolysis   Central Serous Choroidopathy   Central Sleep Apnea   Cerebral Hypoxia   Cerebral Palsy   Cervical Cancer   Cervical Cancer In-Depth   Cervical Dysplasia   Cervical Polyps   Cervical Spondylosis   Cervicitis   Chagas Disease   Chalazion   Chancroid   Chapped Hands   Chapped Lips   Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (heredi...   Charley Horse   Chediak-Higas