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Abnormal Glucose Levels

Blood glucose, commonly known as blood sugar, plays an important role in the functioning of the human body. Most important, blood glucose provides the energy needed to help the brain perform the multiplicity of tasks that are part of your everyday routine. As with cholesterol and food, however, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. It is also possible to have too little.

  1. Normal Blood Glucose

    • Interviewed by ABC News in January 2008, Dr. Edward S. Horton, a professor at Harvard Medical School and head of clinical research at Joslin Diabetes Center, pointed out that blood sugar levels vary according to the time of day at which the glucose level is tested. The normal range for a fasting glucose level, such as you might have upon awaking before having breakfast, is between 70 and 100 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter). After eating, a normal reading would probably be no higher than 135 or 140 mg/dl, according to Horton.

    Diabetic Sensitivity

    • Patients with diabetes can experience far more extreme swings in their blood glucose levels than are likely to be seen in nondiabetic individuals. Glucose levels that are either too high---hyperglycemic---or too low---hypoglycemic---can pose extremely serious health threats to diabetics, who by the very nature of their disease are unable to process dietary sugar in the same way that most people can. This is why diabetics must test their blood glucose level frequently and make the necessary adjustments if abnormal levels are detected.

    Hyperglycemia

    • Hyperglycemia exists when blood sugar levels climb above the 180 to 200 mg/dl mark. A reading in this range indicates that the blood glucose level has outpaced the capacity of the kidneys to reabsorb the blood sugar, and as a result excess glucose spills over into the urine. Once blood glucose levels get out of control on the high end, they can sometimes soar as high as 400 or 500 mg/dl, threatening mental function.

    Hypoglycemia

    • Diabetics who experience hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, will begin to notice symptoms if glucose levels drop below 60 or 65 mg/dl. Common symptoms are hunger and shakiness. This condition can be rapidly reversed if something is eaten to increase blood glucose levels. If prompt action is not taken, glucose levels may continue to plummet, eventually resulting in a rapid deterioration of mental function followed by the loss of consciousness and/or seizures.

    Glucose Levels in Nondiabetics

    • Hypoglycemia in nondiabetics usually falls into one of two categories: reactive and fasting. The causes of the former are not completely clear, although it has been suggested that sensitivity to the hormone epinephrine or glucagon deficiencies may be responsible for some cases. Fasting hypoglycemia is indicated when a blood sugar level of 50 mg/dl or lower is obtained upon awaking from a full night's sleep or in the interval between meals. Those experiencing fasting hypoglycemia should see a doctor promptly. Hyperglycemia in nondiabetics can be caused by obesity, certain eating disorders, cyclical vomiting syndrome, certain medications and gastroperesis, in which the emptying of the stomach's contents is delayed.

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