How Can a Type 2 Diabetic Lower Their Sugar Count?

Blood glucose (sugar) levels for diabetics should be between 90 and 130 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter) when fasting, defined as several hours after a meal. There are three ways to manage this level: limit carbohydrate intake, increase exercise levels, and use medications.

The potential complications of uncontrolled diabetes are serious, and include blindness, heart disease, loss of limbs, and loss of nerve sensitivity. If you have any of the common symptoms of high blood sugar levels, such as constant thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, or slow-to-heal injuries and infections, seek medical care.

Manage Carbohydrate Intake

• Simple sugars (fructose, sucrose) and complex sugars (carbohydrates) are most directly responsible for blood glucose levels. To maintain these levels at an acceptable point, the intake of these sugars must be controlled.

  Only your medical providers can determine an appropriate level of carbohydrates for your particular condition. However 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal is often used as a starting point for a dietary guideline.

  Reduction of carbohydrates consumed will reduce blood glucose levels. Spreading carbohydrate intake evenly throughout the day and avoiding large meals will also tend to keep these levels lower.

Exercise

• Muscles are powered by glucose in the blood. Exercise, which causes these muscles to do more work, will bring down blood sugar levels.

  Aerobic exercise, performed for a minimum or 30 minutes, will typically lower blood glucose by 50 mg/dl.

  Exercise that builds muscle will also tend to decrease blood glucose levels over time, as muscles use glucose even when at rest.

Medications

• There are a wide variety of drugs that can be used to improve control of blood sugar.

  Sulfonylureas stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin, which lowers blood sugar levels. Common sulfonylureas include glyburide (Diabeta, Glynase and Micronase), glipizide (Glucotrol), and glimepiride (Amaryl).

  Meglitinides also cause the pancreas to produce more insulin. The most common of these are nateglinide (Starlix) and repaglinide (Prandin).

  Metformin (Glucophage) is the most commonly proscribed biguanide. This class of drugs causes muscle cells to use insulin more efficiently as well as limiting the liver's production of glucose.

  Thiazolidinediones work on the body in a similar manner to biguanides. The most common of these are pioglitazone (Actos) and rosiglitazone (Avandia).

  Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors such as acarbose (Precose) and miglitol (Glyset) block the conversion of carbohydrates into sugars.

  There are numerous types of insulin used to substitute for human insulin produced by the pancreas. There are short- and long-acting types, and these are commonly mixed to provide the best control. Insulin is the only medication listed in this section that is commonly injected, as it is not available in an oral form.

  High blood sugar is often treated by a combination of two or more of these drug types. Each type has benefits and potential side effects.

Other Techniques

• There are several other techniques which can help minimize blood sugar levels.

  Increased consumption of proteins and fats tends to minimize the number of carbohydrates consumed and limits their absorption rate into the blood.

  Fiber slows the rate at which carbohydrates are converted into blood sugars. Eating foods high in fiber will tend to keep blood glucose levels lower and less prone to spikes.

  One common technique for quantifying the rate at which various foods are turned into glucose is the glycemic index. Foods with a high glycemic index can be quickly converted into glucose, and are more likely to cause high spikes in blood sugar levels. Glycemic load is a method of combining the glycemic index with the calorie count of a food item.

  Consuming foods with a low glycemic index and load will reduce spikes in blood sugar levels, leading to greater control.