1) What are normal blood glucose levels?
2) Should someone who doesn't have Type 2 diabetes* check their blood glucose levels?
3) When should I be concerned with my blood glucose level?
1)
A random, non-fasting blood sugar(glucose) between 70 and 140 is considered normal
A level of 140-200 indicates pre-diabetes.
Greater than 200 is diabetes.1
An 8hr. fasting level between 70 and 90 is considered normal
A level of 100-125 indicates pre-diabetes.
Greater than 125 indicates diabetes.1
2) The #1 cause of Type 2 diabetes is being overweight. You don't have to watch CNN very long to be reminded of our country's obesity epidemic along with corresponding rise in obesity related diseases such as Type 2 diabetes.
The trouble with Type 2 diabetes is that symptoms may seem harmless at first thus being overlooked. In fact, you can have type 2 diabetes for years and not even know it.
You should look for:
- increased thirst and more frequent urination- probably the most common
- blurred vision
- extreme hunger
- fatigue
- slower healing sores
So what if you have few to no symptoms? It is still important to have your blood glucose level checked every 2 years.1
3)
When your blood glucose level falls out of the normal range indicated in answer #1.
Reference:
1. Mayo Clinic.
