What Level of Blood Sugar is Dangerous?

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 then releases 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 call 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 action sooner for undetected blood sugar issues, 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?

Hypoglycemia 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, light 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), a state brought on by the body’s desire to consume 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 brought on by the body’s attempt to eliminate excess sugar.
• 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.

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 usual 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 to reduce blood sugar levels and control both types of diabetes.

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 excessive amounts of alcohol, especially over extended periods, is another potential factor in low blood sugar. The liver’s capacity to store glucose and release it into your bloodstream when needed may be hampered by this.

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 hyperglycemia 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.

Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar Levels Quickly

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 receive glucose from the cells, and blood sugar levels often decrease.

You must engage in an activity that causes your heart to beat faster than usual for this to operate. For example, it may entail moving fast while walking. 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 since it may cause your blood sugar to spike even higher. Avoid vigorous exercise if your ketone levels are high, and attempt mild exercise, like strolling.

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.

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Hailey Josephine