Glucose is transported around the body by the blood, to reach organs and muscles that need fuel. When we are healthy, our bodies regulate glucose levels in the blood by using the hormones insulin and glucagon, which are produced by the pancreas: Insulinlowersblood sugar levels by moving the ...
A glucose spike, also known as a blood sugar spike, is a sharp, marked rise in the amount of glucose in your blood, typically followed by a comparable decline, also known as a dip or crash. While it is normal for your glucose to rise and fall many times throughout the day, a true...
As glucose levels rise, the pancreas responds by producing more and more insulin, but the cells are still insulin resistant. As this cycle continues, the pancreas exhausts itself, becomes damaged, and reduces the amount of insulin altogether. In the later stages of type 2 diabetes, you might ...
Hyperglycemia (hyper=high +glyc=sugar +emia=blood) also may cause dizziness due to dehydration. High blood sugar levels occur because not enough insulin is available to allow cells to use glucose for energy metabolism. (Interestingly, brain cells do not need insulin to use glucose.) High blood...
Hypoglycemia is the medical term for when your blood sugar levels drop below the normal 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 ...
Brain cells use glucose almost exclusively for their energy needs, and unlike other organs in the body, the brain cannot store glucose for future use. If blood sugarlevels fall, brain function can be immediately compromised. The brain gets its blood supply through four major arteries, the right...
stable. Usually, the body produces more insulin to counteract this, but, for some pregnant people, not enough extra insulin is produced, resulting in blood sugar levels remaining high. As a result, too much glucose remains in the blood, instead of moving to cells where it’s used up as ...
Because sugar overload may lead to obesity and insulin resistance — the top two factors for type 2 diabetes — eating too much sugar has strong ties to the onset of diabetes. As mentioned, sugar causes spikes in blood glucose levels. Over time, this can lead to insulin resistance, where ...
For people with type 1 diabetes, it can also lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition that occurs when your body can no longer burn glucose for energy and starts breaking down fats instead. If you have type 1 diabetes and your glucose levels rise above 250 mg/dL, it's important...
This is to check if you have developed diabetes, problems with your fasting glucose levels, or glucose intolerance. You may need other tests or treatment if you have any of these. Testing may be repeated every 1 to 3 years if you had GDM but normal tests within 12 weeks of giving birth...