In the last article I explained the three primary markers we use to track blood sugar: fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and hemoglobin A1c (A1c). We also looked at what the medical establishment considers as “normal” for these markers. The table below summarizes those values.
| Marker | Normal | Pre-diabetes | Diabetes |
| Fasting blood glucose (mg/dL) | <99 | 100-125 | >126 |
| OGGT / post-meal (mg/dL after 2 hours) | <140 | 140-199 | >200 |
| Hemoglobin A1c (%) | <6 | 6-6.4 | >6.4 |
In this article, we’re going to look at just how “normal” those normal levels are – according to the scientific literature. We’ll also consider which of these three markers is most important in preventing diabesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. But before we do that, I’d like to make an important point: context is everything.
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this article series, there are potential problems with how well these tests are utilized to diagnose diabetes. This is an area that needs further study, but continuous glucose monitoring for the general population may be a better marker.
In my work with patients, I never use any single marker alone to determine whether someone has a blood sugar issue. I run a full blood panel that includes fasting glucose, fasting insulin, A1c, fructosamine, uric acid and triglycerides (along with other lipids), and I also have them do post-meal testing at home over a period of 3 days with a range of foods.
If they have a few post-meal spikes and all other markers or normal, I’m not concerned. If their fasting BG, A1c and fructosamine are all elevated, and they’re having spikes, then I’m concerned and I will investigate further.
On a similar note, I’ve written that A1c is not a reliable marker for individuals because of context: there are many non-blood sugar-related conditions that can make A1c appear high or low. So if someone is normal on all of the other blood sugar markers, but has high A1c, I’m usually not concerned.
With all of that said, let’s take a look at some of the research.
Fasting Blood Sugar
According to continuous glucose monitoring studies of healthy people, a normal fasting blood sugar is 89 mg/dL or less. Many normal people have fasting blood sugar in the mid-to-high 70s.
While most doctors will tell you that anything under 100 mg/dL is normal, it may not be. In this study, people with FBG levels above 95 had more than 3x the risk of developing future diabetes than people with FBG levels below 90. This study showed progressively increasing risk of heart disease in men with FBG levels above 85 mg/dL, as compared to those with FBG levels of 81 mg/dL or lower.
Far more important than a single fasting blood glucose reading is the number of hours a day our blood sugar spends elevated over the level known to cause complications, which is roughly 140 mg/dl (7.7 mmol/L). I’ll discuss this in more detail in the OGGT section.
One caveat here is that very low-carb diets will produce elevated fasting blood glucose levels. Why? Because low-carb diets induce insulin resistance. Restricting carbohydrates produces a natural drop in insulin levels, which in turn activates hormone sensitive lipase. Fat tissue is then broken down, and non-esterified fatty acids (a.k.a. “free fatty acids” or NEFA) are released into the bloodstream. These NEFA are taken up by the muscles, which use them as fuel. And since the muscle’s needs for fuel has been met, it decreases sensitivity to insulin. You can read more about this at Hyperlipid.
So, if you eat a low-carb diet and have borderline high FBG (i.e. 90-105), it may not be cause for concern. Your post-meal blood sugars and A1c levels are more important.
Hemoglobin A1c
In spite of what the American Diabetes Association (ADA) tells us, a truly normal A1c is between 4.6% and 5.3%.
But while A1c is a good way to measure blood sugar in large population studies, it’s not as accurate for individuals. An A1c of 5.1% maps to an average blood sugar of about 100 mg/dL. But some people’s A1c results are always a little higher than their FBG and OGTT numbers would predict, and other people’s are always a little lower.
This is probably due to the fact that several factors can influence red blood cells.
A number of studies show that A1c levels below the diabetic range are associated with cardiovascular disease. This study showed that A1c levels lower than 5% had the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and that a 1% increase (to 6%) significantly increased CVD risk. Another study showed an even tighter correlation between A1c and CVD, indicating a linear increase in CVD as A1c rose above 4.6% – a level that corresponds to a fasting blood glucose of just 86 mg/dL. Finally, this study showed that the risk of heart disease in people without diabetes doubles for every percentage point increase above 4.6%.
Studies also consistently show that A1c levels considered “normal” by the ADA fail to predict future diabetes. This study found that using the ADA criteria of an A1c of 6% as normal missed 70% of individuals with diabetes, 71-84% with dysglycemia, and 82-94% with pre-diabetes. How’s that for accuracy?
What we’ve learned so far, then, is that the fasting blood glucose and A1c levels recommended by the ADA are not reliable cut-offs for predicting or preventing future diabetes and heart disease. This is problematic, to say the least, because the A1c and FBG are the only glucose tests the vast majority of people get from their doctors.
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OGTT / Post-Meal Blood Sugars
If you recall, the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) measures how our blood sugar responds to drinking a challenge solution of 75 grams of glucose. I don’t recommend this test, because A) it’s not realistic (no one ever drinks 75 grams of pure glucose), and B) it can produce horrible side effects for people with poor glucose control.
However, there’s another more realistic and convenient way to achieve a similar measurement, and that is simply using a glucometer to test your blood sugar one and two hours after you eat a meal. This is called post-prandial (post-meal) blood sugar testing. As we go through this section, the numbers I use apply to both OGTT and post-meal testing.
As the table at the beginning of this article indicates, the ADA considers OGTT of between 140 – 199 two hours after the challenge to be pre-diabetic, and levels above 200 to be diabetic.
But once again, continuous glucose monitoring studies suggest that the ADA levels are far too high. Most people’s blood sugar drops below 120 mg/dL two hours after a meal, and many healthy people drop below 100 mg/dL or return to baseline.
A continuous glucose monitoring study showed that sensor glucose concentrations were between 71 – 120 mg/dL for 91% of the day. Sensor values were less than or equal to 60 or 140 mg/dL for only 0.2% and 0.4% of the day, respectively.
On the other hand, some studies suggest that even healthy people with no known blood sugar problems can experience post-meal spikes above 140 mg/dL at one hour. As I said in the beginning of the article, context is everything and all of the markers for blood sugar must be interpreted together.
If post-meal blood sugars do rise above 140 mg/dL and stay there for a significant period of time, the consequences are severe. Prolonged exposure to blood sugars above 140 mg/dL causes irreversible beta cell loss (the beta cells produce insulin) and nerve damage. Diabetic retinopathy is an extremely common (and serious) diabetic complication. Cancer rates increase as post-meal blood sugars rise above 160 mg/dL. This study showed stroke risk increased by 25% for every 18 mg/dL rise in post-meal blood sugars. Finally, 1-hour OGTT readings above 155 mg/dL correlate strongly with increased CVD risk.
What does it all mean?
Let’s take a look again at what the ADA thinks is “normal” blood sugar:
| Marker | Normal | Pre-diabetes | Diabetes |
| Fasting blood glucose (mg/dL) | <99 | 100-125 | >126 |
| OGGT / post-meal (mg/dL after 2 hours) | <140 | 140-199 | >200 |
| Hemoglobin A1c (%) | <6 | 6-6.4 | >6.4 |
But as we’ve seen in this article, these levels depend highly on context and whether all markers are elevated, or just a few of them.
If you’re interested in health and longevity – instead of just slowing the onset of serious disease by a few years – you might consider shooting for these targets. But remember to interpret the numbers together, and also remember that blood sugar is highly variable. If you wake up one morning and have a fasting blood sugar of 95, but your A1c and post-meal numbers are still normal, that’s usually no cause for concern. Likewise, if you see a one-hour post-meal spike of 145 mg/dL, but all of your other numbers are normal, that is also usually no cause for concern.
| Marker | Ideal |
| Fasting blood glucose (mg/dL) | <86* |
| OGGT / post-meal (mg/dL after 2 hours) | <120 |
| Hemoglobin A1c (%) | <5.3 |
*If you’re following a low-carb diet, fasting blood sugars in the 90s and even low 100s may not be a problem, provided your A1c and post-meal blood sugars are within the normal range.
And the good news is that this can be done cheaply, safely and conveniently at home, without a doctor’s order and without subjecting yourself to the brutality of an OGTT.
I’ll describe exactly how to do this in the next article.
Better supplementation. Fewer supplements.
Close the nutrient gap to feel and perform your best.
A daily stack of supplements designed to meet your most critical needs.
Anybody ever try intermittent fasting to bring their sugar under control?
Why in the heck doesn’t someone from this website answer a question….looks like there are a lot more QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS ON THE SUBJECT…..but I’m just askin”
You do realise you’re “commenting” on a blog which was posted over 5 years ago, don’t you? The best you can expect is some novice Johnny-come-lately like myself to comment on your comment.
I am a 26 year old male and am overweight. I have never paid attention to my health. My usual meals are high in carbs and sugar. Recently, i did a post meal blood glucose test and it was 168 after a very high carb meal. My friend says that this is way above normal and that i could be having pre-diabetes. How can i know for certain that i do not have diabetes, and am still in the pre-diabetic range? Also, is it possible to reverse pre-diabetes and get back to normal?
I have been a diabetic for nearly 15 years. The first 10 trying to treat with diet and exercise the last 5 on 2000mg metformin daily. My last a1c was only 7.5 but the last month sugars have been very high. Fasting being between 11-17.
My doctor just added glyburide to my prescriptions and a new hbp medications as my bp was 158/70. I’m worried I may be causing long term problems. My regular fasting blood sugar for the last few years has been between 8 and 10.
How do I check my A1c?
While you should always involve your doctor in complex diagnosis like this one, you can order your own test at directlabs.com
There docs write it up, and you go to quest diagnostics near you to get the draw, the you get the answers online, which you can the share with your doc (if you desire)
Hope this helps!
You can buy an at-home A1C test. Available at most drugstores and at amazon. Do a google search on “at-home a1c test”.
Your doctor has to order it, an A1c give an approximate average of your past 3 month blood sugar range.
Go to Wal-Mart and get a Relay A1c test it comes in a pack 02 two and cost 23.00. and you can get your A1c results in 5 mins.
i was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2013 and tried exercise and diet control but my sugar yo-yoed and i decided i didn’t want to send the rest of my life on metformin or glipzide so the only thing left to do was learn to do the keto diet. so i went on youtube and studied all the videos from scientist ,m.d n.p’s and keto recipes now my blood sugar never runs over post 140. you must give up sugar and foods that turn to sugar. The first week will be pure hell it’s called kept flu and u withdraw like a junkie and want to quit,but after about 3 days life will change .u feel superior to sugar eaters. i did this and i am a 71 year old african-american female.now burning fat and losing fat. i feel good and feel younger. i feel empowered. oh do only mild exercise until u feel strong again. good luck
Carolyn….what is your opinion of high fructose corn syrup?
Deadly stuff. Stay away.
Carolyn Gray is absolutely correct! My post prandial blood glucose numbers were quite high for years (150-300). I finally started a ketogenic diet and my blood glucose numbers have dropped into the 70’s and 80’s. Also, I have lost 31 pounds without any cravings or effort. Perhaps Keto won’t work for everyone, but everyone with life-threatening diabetes owes it to themselves to try this. As I said meals based on the Keto diet are not even difficult and very tasty.
Chris:
I am a old patient of yours from 5 years ago. I have been following a low carb (30-50g/day) mostly paleo diet. I consume little or no table sugar or sweetners (except for what may be added to sauces when I eat out) and get my carbs from vegetables, limited rice and limited fruit. Most of my diet is healthy fat and proteins – tuna sashimi, grass-fed steak, beef bone soup, raw milk kefir, plain greek yogurt, eggs, baked salmon or ocean fish, steamed or sautéed ocean shrimp, salads and vegetables and occasional fruit like kiwi, bananas, mangos, watermelon and lots of fresh young coconut (3-4 per day) both the coconut water and the meat.
I have noticed that my fasting blood glucose (mg/dL) has been between 105-110 and my A1c is around 6.1 – 6.2% but my OGGT/post meal 2 hours after lunch over the last three days has fluctuated from 96, 132 and 120. My blood sugar has not gone over 140 but again, I consume very few carbs and no wheat, grains, or sugars (other than those from fruit in the morning, fresh young coconuts throughout the day, or occasional rice, dark (85%) chocolate (seldom) or once a week air-popped popcorn with olive oil. In fact my lowest levels, at 96-98, are usually 2-3 hours after I have eaten more carbs from chocolate or air-popped popcorn. Could my body be overcompensating from a low carb diet and producing higher blood sugar levels since higher carbs seem to result in lower figures two hours after eating them. My doctor has prescribed metformin (500mg once per day) but so far I have tried to see if I can manage through diet and have not taken the medication. Again my latest fasting blog sugar level is 110 and my A1c is 6.2% even though my two hour OGGT levels are consistently all below 132. Should I be concerned? Should I take the medication? Note that my lipase levels are at 653 mg/dl (normal is 23-300) and my CKMB is at 31.2 (normal 0-16). While my LDL is low, my VLDL is high at 48.8 (normal <30) and my triglycerides have risen over the past six months to 245 (normal <149.6).
In addition, I should add that my other blood tests are normal except for slightly elevated uric acid (476 umo/dl or 8 mg/dl) levels and slightly low Vitamin D (26.9) and HDL levels (37). I do try and exercise 3-4 times a week for 20-30 minutes each time, I weigh 156-158 lbs, 5″8″ tall, have normal blood pressure at 110/70 and I am 53 years old.
Thank you for this article. I had a blood panel done as part of a physical. I got a call that everything is ‘normal,’ but after looking at my report and Googling what all of the acronyms means and so forth, I wasn’t happen with a couple of levels glucose, at 99, being one of them.
Thanks for the clearer information. I am active, but I think stress and secondarily diet are factors. I’m going to make some lifestyle changes to get these levels back into optimal form and at a follow up get a full lipid panel.
My fasting was 85 and my 2 hour levels were in the mid 140s. I have neuropathy and retinal damage.
My a1c Level for 3 mo blood check up was 6.7 yet I test twice a day and he readings are 106 96 112 I watch everything I eat and check the labels as well as the carbs can you explain this my dr keeps saying I eat junk food that is not true
What is your daily carb intake? Getting rid of grain entirely especially wheat and keeping carbs to under 30grams/day, my dad has normal blood sugar and is no longer considered diabetic and has shed 75lbs and I just started and am no longer considered prediabetic and down 30lbs and counting.
My a1c Level for 3 mo blood check up was 6.7 yet I test twice a day and he readings are 106 96 112 I watch everything I eat and check the labels as well as the carbs can you explain this my dr keeps saying I eat junk food that is not tru
Not trying to explain anything, just mentioning that your diet and numbers mirror my own. Five months ago diagnosed T1 and using CGM. 43 unit Lantus daily plus rapid insulin at meals.
Hi I was just diagnosed with type 1 and my blood sugars are all over the place. Today before dinner, I got a reading of 98 so I did not take insulin. Then after dinner my levels were 135. Ugh. I hope I figure this out. Is it good to stay under 30 carbs a day? I am on 60 carbs at breakfast and 45 at lunch and dinner with two snacks. I take 20 units of L insulin at night and then adjust before meals if my levels are over 100 with apidara. I take metformn 2x a day.
Hello Chris, I have been dealing with emerging LADA since 2012. Back then my A1c was 4.7 my c peptide was 0.77..ref range 0.80 to 3.10, and my GAD65 was >30.0 REF RANGE 1.0 or less. No positive IA-2 or insulin antibody. These were quest diagnostics ranges. I do have Graves Disease of the thyroid although that has been in remission for years.
I have checked my blood sugars off and on since the doctor told me I may be heading to lada type diabetes. But that not to worry about it. My primary and most other medical technicians and nurses have never heard of 1.5. When I ask my primary to monitor me for it, he just looks at me and says you dont have juvenile diabetes!
I was never vigilant about it till recently because I figured the doctors should know , right? Now I am checking because I feel sick all the time, headaches sick to my stomach , fatigue that makes me feel like im going into a coma. And blood sugars all over the place.
My FBGs have been between 89 and 110 in the mornings, but its my post meal bg’s that are scaring me to death. post meal is 155 to 192, and it takes a bit before they go down to 121 or under. I noticed ketones in my urine at trace to sometimes moderate levels also.
The problem is every time I ask my doctor about it, he does a stick test and its in the so called normal range ie: 95 to 118. So is it going to come down to a DKA event before they will admit I have diabetes? I am really scared been feeling terribly sickly for about 6 months now. Will I die if I go into DKA, I live alone also so is this something I wont have time to call for help? I have so many health conditions, I have UC and UCTD, Sjorgrens syndrome, the thyroid issues that flare from time to time, I have some kind of motosensory nueropathy in lower legs, and a form of small vessel vasculitus. I dont think I could survive diabetes on top of them all.
This article is fascinating. My dad who is 73 just got diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Over the last several months, he’s lost 20 pounds without trying. His fasting blood sugar level is 120. Do you think that could be cause for his weight loss? I am worried it could be something more serious.
Yes, and it is serious.
If this gives you hope, last year in April I went to the emergency room thinking I was having a heart attack. They found my BG to be at 380 mg/dl (it was probably like that for a couple of years at least) and my A1C was around 13. I changed my diet and started exercising. I get my carbs through veggies, beans, and very seldom rice and bread. When my BG spikes above 120 after a meal, I do something that works some major muscles in my body, like legs. I do stairs but it is totally your preference. Today, a year later, my BG is constantly around 100 through the day (depending on what I eat and after exercise it dips) and 80 to 90 fasting. My A1C is now 6.4 and going down (4 months ago it was 6.7).
It is possible to control this with discipline, and it doesn’t have to be painful! I still eat a lot of variety, and I enjoy beer! (and not always in moderation). Have hope!
Oh, and I will add that 5 mg Glipizide is all I take for the diabetes. That is a very baby dose, and it helps my body produce more insulin. I could totally manage my BG without it but my doc won’t take me off of it quite yet.
From all the research I have done, your dad’s situation is diabetic. His kidneys are working overtime to flush out the excess glucose in the blood in effect urinating away the calories. This is the cause of the unexplained weight loss. He needs to get diabetic treatment before his kidneys and other organs suffer permanent damage.
63 year old female – normal weight , exercise a lot. All cholesterol levels are good. Had a1c levels as high as 6.1 and just got test results today of 5.6 (after really watching what I eat). My fasting numbers are always 99, 100 or 101. Was pretty proud of my a1c of 5.6 till I saw fasting of 100. If a1c goes down should not my fasting number too?
Was wondering if anyone else has the same problem as myself. I used to weigh 237lbs with a fasting BS of 333 and A1C of 9.8. After extensive lifestyle changes and exercise , wt loss, and food changes my wt is now 174, fasting BS is 102 and A1C is 5.9. My problem now is sometimes when I eat a light meal my blood sugars readings can be in the 150s. They have come down where my ranges are 90s to 120s. Case in point, yesterday my fasting BS was 101, I ate for breakfast 2 hard boil eggs and 2 slices of turkey bacon. For lunch I had a grilled chicken salad 2 hrs after I ate my readings were under 110. I ate 3oz of grilled chicken with a side of cauliflower, and 2 hrs after I ate I started to feel sick. I thought my BS was going to be low but when I checked it the reading was 152. I am so confused why this is happening
Hi Tiffany! That sounds like you really have taken charge of your life and have recovered to better numbers all around! However, I am noticing the confusing meals you speak of and couldn’t help but notice the chicken. I just read the book, How Not to Die, by Michael Greger and he talks about arachidonic acid in chicken that can be inflammatory. And it seams to me, getting down the inflammatory response is key. I’m not an expert! But you might enjoy the book I mentioned. It has helped me a lot! Good Luck, and GO YOU, Tiffany!
I’m a 52 y/o female, 130 lbs. My question is, why did my FBG go from 91 down to 85 only 10 minutes after eating a banana muffin AND a cupcake? I’m not diabetic. We just took blood sugars in class as an experiment.
Sometimes the finger tip tests vary widely and its very aggravating. You can only assume you are near one of the numbers.
Many times the results are inaccurate, either due to poor cleaning of the site, malfunction of the machine/sticks, or simple patient excitement. When I use to get a wild result, I’d rewash my hands with a different soap, try different fingers or sit for a few minutes to calm down.
Assuming that the test were performed correctly, its common for blood sugar to lower right after a meal because insulin usually reaches the blood stream much faster than sugar, let me explain:
The time your body takes to absorb sugar varies greatly between foods, even first thing in the morning. The different types of “sugars” (like fructose, sucrose, galactose, or glucose) are usually combined within foods, and they all need to be converted to glucose differently for your body to absorb it.
There are many factors that affect the timing of the conversion, and the quantity of glucose available after eating (diet, pancreas health, tissue glucose resistance, stress, etc). However, our bodies can release insulin even before eating by just thinking about the food, and the blood sugar available will be temporarily lower due to a higher-insulin lower-blood sugar ratio.
I’d like to measure my BG post meals but am unclear about process. Testing 1 hour and 2 hours after meal? And what is target range?
Here’s a link to the article that explains the process.
http://chriskresser.com/how-to-prevent-diabetes-and-heart-disease-for-16/
I am a retired registered nurse and am 76 years old. I have been diabetic for about 15 years mostly with only Metformin 1500/day. Last August I was diagnosed with Afib at the same time as my doctor told me I had to find another doctor due to changes in the health system. STRESSOR! The only abnormals in my labs were Cholesterol 209,Triglycerides 192, and HA1C 7.4 .I was put on Xarelto. Tests were set up at a heart clinic . Prior to the tests, My brother died, I was told I did not need surgery on my shoulder and was so happy about that that I ate a large amount of chocolate ice cream (no added sugar) the day before the test. My stress test (treadmill) came back normal ,my EKG came back normal, my echocardiogram came back normal. My 48 hour Holter readings came back that I had afib and a heart rate of over 120 and was put on Metoprolol .After the Xarelto my fasting blood sugar went to 225 and I immediately gained 6 pounds. My new doctor put me on Glimepride 2 mg. I could not tolerate the Xarelto financially and physically so I was put on Coumadin .I had another EKG that came back normal Then my BS dropped too low in the afternoon,and I stopped my Glimepride. Went on the Paleo diet and lost the 6 lbs in a month. But my fasting blood glucose is high….188 this am.
I am having much difficulty with my diet. Eating high fat, low carbs, My diet consists of eggs, meat, butter, sweet potatoes and green beans.Avoiding foods that affect the Coumadin. I feel that my original stress caused so much problems and it went downhill from there with all this medication. My third EKG showed no aFib so I guess I go in and out of Afib. My one doctor said a fasting 160 blood sugar was normal for a diabetic. This is all so confusing! I feel like I am really messing up my body. Thanks for any reply.
You should get a second opinion
You poor thing. High fat? Seriously? Those high fat low carb diets are horrible, IMHO. They may — may — look good at first, but see the long term. I don’t want to frighten you, but long term on those dies is, well, not so long term.
I have been watching nutrition videos about eating plant based diet — specifically about diabetes and cancer, and heart. ONLY by good eating, my cholesterol went down 60 points, my BP is down, my tryglicerides crazy good. Im so happy. And I lost weight, and feel good. the guy that gives the information has been doing it for 20 years, Dr Greger, MD. He hasa about 200 very short youtube videos. All science based. All he does is report the scientific literature, in every short video, thats what he does.
Oh my, Judy! But medical community is head in sand on treatments that bring health instead of reliance on meds. Check out the rest of Chris’s articles and also Dr Richard K. Bernstein who has a good forum to peruse and excellent books available in kindle, hardback and used bookstores.
You will have to take charge of your own health destiny. Consider by your own devised trials (test test test to find what foods affect you and McKesson meter with TRUEresult test strips stand up with the freestyle freedom lite at a fraction of the cost…look on Amazon) what is best for your health. Dr. Bernstein says we ALL deserve good blood sugar levels.
I have same addl issues, warfarin, metoprolol, afib mostly just the once when I had pneumonia coughing spasm. Check out Dr Koufman on silent reflux.
LCHFMP can be good but studies show vegan can help some people. We are all unique, standalone, never one size fits all. Don’t give up. YOU can DO IT!
Godspeed your journey!
There is a lot of great information here. I am confused however, about the rationale that LC eating induces insulin resistance which elevates fasting blood glucose levels. I’ve been on a LC diet for about 45 days now and my numbers have been lower than I’ve ever seen. This morning they were 66! I try to stay under 25 calories a day and do not take medication. Prior to the diet, my post-meal numbers were sky high, often in the upper 100s and even into the 200 range. Now they are typically within the 90-120 area.
Sorry, I meant to say I try to stay under 25 grams of carbs per day.
yesterday i did my fasting blood sugar not finger prick but blood sample sent to the lab it was 5.8mmol/l.i am not a known diabetic.my electrolytes are within normal range and i am still waiting for my hb1ac and lipids level.in october last year my fbs was 5.0 and it has been so for the last 15 years.since i am a nurse i get easy access to blood prick test.i did my prick 2hours after taking my lunch and it was 5.2.i am not obese i am 70kg and my height 1m80cm.
My fasting blood sugar was 116 at my last physical in Nov. he did not tell me that I was prediabetic until I called him and asked about that level being high. My cholesterol is always 160 or less. Triglycerides are on the low end, good cholesterol is extremely on the high end which is good, the bad cholesterol is on the very low end. My blood pressure is always 85/60 or so. It runs low. I have a one touch ultra monitor and tried it out today for the first time. My FBS was 96 then 101, then 92. All this in a matter of a few minutes. My husbands was 79. So I guess I am on the high side. My Dr. Told me the blood work looked great and Merry Christmas. That was when I asked him by phone about the FBG being 116. That’s when he said “oh you are prediabetic” but keep doing what you have been doing. I am 57, female, at 120, Bmi is 25, very active. I do drink wine several times a week, not much sugar and I eat lots of salmon and salads. Not many carbs. What could I do different? All my parents, grandparents and siblings were/are diabetic and on meds. If it’s in the genes, what more can you do? I don’t need to lose weight. Thanks. Darlene Moore
Darlene, I have a reply to Angela today you can read about CRP for something else to do. Your numbers are the same as mine except my fasting is a little worse (higher), other lipids sound about the same. Also your wine and food sounds about the same, and family history is the same. See if you can see Angela’s post today and get some meaningful info from my comment. I keep my inflammation below the .1 which is the lowest the high sensitivity CRP test can measure. I have had .8, and then found turmeric lowered it to “too low” to measure mark which is <.1 as the result. You can also read about the Insulin test on Dr. Mercola website. I got that test and was pretty pleased using Mercola's recommended levels. Beware the regular medical system is waiting for pretty high glucose levels and need people to be very deep into diabetes before prescribing meds. There are greater risks of having too low glucose (fainting while driving or on stairs for example); thus they have to make sure glucose is so high that the meds will just help from going too too high. For pre-diabetes the best things we can do is avoid sugars, carbs, and try to get lots of exercise. After that we have like an average 110 to 120 glucose and like your Doc says, try and keep doing what you are doing to stay there.
Darlene,
Make sure you are getting all 46 essential nutrients the body can’t make. Even a slight deficit in one critical component can impact your body’s ability to properly control blood sugar. My family had a history of Diabetes and my mother died of kidney failure last year. I refuse to give much weight to the genetic concept as to many studies show you can change your history. I take the Sona vitamin/mineral complex and a blended Omega product. There is also a product called Diabetes Defense which has a patented process and double blind clinical trials to back up benefits. I have perfect sugar and refuse to ever take any prescription drugs. I found the above on Amazon and also a site called essentialvitaminsandminerals.com
Aghhhh! I’m frustrated! I was DX as prediabetic July 15th, A1c of 6.2. Scared the crap out of me. Started lifestyle changes the next day. I’m basically on the Mediterranean diet, lots of veggies, fish, and whole grains. I cut out high GI carbs, all sugar and anything processed. I limit my carbs to 100 a day. If I don’t prepare it, it doesn’t get eaten. I stepped up my exercise and, as a result, have dropped 30 lbs. I still have 15 to go to get my BMI under 25. My PP numbers are almost always 120 or less at one hour and between 95 and 110 at two hours. My FBG is almost always around 98 -105. Had my A1c checked today and only dropped to 5.8. I’m a little disappointed as I’ve been working hard. I thought it would be lower than that. I am not currently on Metformin. Am I expecting too much too soon? Words of encouragement and advice to get my numbers lower would be greatly appreciated .
Angela, 6.2 is an average of 131 mg/dl, and 5.8 equates to 120 mg/dl average. That is a pretty big jump and improvement if you consider that as 24/7 x 7days a week cumulative ongoing improvement. Just Google A1C converter and you can out in the numbers your self. My lesson learned is becoming pleased with every small victory in this department; and as well it is wise to check improvement in inflammation reduction by getting the CRP test at the same time as your A1C. I have years of disappointment trying every supplement touted for lower glucose. I do find much ease and comfort knowing I can keep my inflammation under 0.1, and that my A1C equates to under 120. Why 120? well there is a great book(s) by Jenny Ruhl e.g. Blood Sugar 101 which explains the severity of spiking over 140, and benefits of staying below that, and the absence of risk below 120. After much review you should be able to also conclude that eating in ways that keeps an even 120 more less, is tremendously better than meeting a FBG, or having an A1C of 5.5 but self measurements after some meals of 160 for example. Overall you have to be thrilled with what you have accomplished. One topic that I have not found investigated is A1C risk assessment under a near Zero inflammation situation. I always hear all diseases start with inflammation and when you have it the first medical objective is to reduce inflammation. So I would like to know if an A1C that equates to 120 average is safe when CRP is <.1. CRP can be reduced quickly with Turmeric (boiled and taken by the teaspoon, 4 -6 a day). I hope you can eat Jenny's book and learn about turmeric. Congrats on changing your lifestyle – I know it works – 5 years for me so far and will never go back.
“read” Jenny’s book – clearly a typo in my last sentence – sorry 🙂
Glenn, do you have a link for turmeric preparation? I dry roast mine in skillet, add water (1:2 turmeric to water, 2 tsp black pepper and black seed oil), keep cooking as I stir until it reduces to paste consistency. I put tsp of paste in coconut milk. Interested in your prep technique. Gratsi and Godspeed!
Unfortunately, turmeric, cinnamon, etc. don’t work well by themselves. I have experimented with my own BG and it had little effect.
One of the problems with type 2 diabetes is beta cell burn out, according to articles from John Hopkins and other institutes. When beta cell continuously produce insulin, they can become damaged and burn out over time. This is why type 2 diabetes can be a life long problem. If you aren’t to that point, then you don’t want to do things that make your body produce more insulin, you want to make your body handle BG by other means, and the ONLY WAY TO DO THAT is through vigorous exercise. When you cause your muscles to burn a lot of glucose quickly, it uses other methods of signaling than insulin when transferring BG to the cells. This gives your beta cells a rest, letting them heal.
Angela, you might want to check out the book “Grain Brain” . I try to avoid grains to rare occasions and small does. The mummies of Egypt were discovered to have lots of diabetes from grains. Grains are excellent for spawning civilization and feeding mass numbers to live into their 40’s. Beyond that, its pretty much poisoness like sugar is. Stick to the veggies and fruit for fiber and enjoy smoothies and quality meats and fish, eggs etc. nuts, seeds, avocados etc.
Hi all. I had gestational diabetes during both pregnancies and was monitoring for the inevitable type 2 diabetes to come. It still took me by surprise. It is CRUCIAL to recognize and prevent diabetes asap. You may have to also go thru several docs before finding one that takes this as seriously as to you do. After 2 years of messing around with the wrong ones I ended up with excruciating diabetic neuropathy in my feet that now requires medication. The best advice I can give (not a doc) is to eat a good diet and exercise. Strangely the doc that got me under control with meds, did not give me the right foods to eat. It was my GP who is very homeopathic that did so. He explained to me that I make plenty of insulin, my body just does not recognize it. He said that insulin is the key that opens my cells so that the sugar can get in and feed them. I had to initially get on a long acting insulin. He told me if I did not get my diet under control my key maker (pancreas) would get tired, give up and I would be insulin dependent for the rest of my life. The diet is easy. I eat protein. I can eat nuts that grow no trees (peanuts do not). I can eat vegetables that grow above the ground. I can eat pit fruits and berries for good carbs (not a lot). Fruits, not the juices. It is important to get the fiber. Stay away from anything that is a seed or made from them: grains, rice. That is pretty much it. Doing that I have almost weaned off my long acting insulin and am taking only 1000 mg. Metformin/day (I can’t tolerate more than that). I am going in the right direction but wish I had never gotten here. Sorry for the long rant. I am not a doctor, but wanted to share my experience. If you do not think you are getting answers, find someone who can give them to you. It is really OK to ask your doctor questions and make sure you understand. If your doc is put out by that you need a new one.
hi,
thanks for sharing your experience..
but i wish to know what your insulin level pleasee
i have a blood sugar level(glucometre) of around 20, which is high, and this last for more than 10 yearsss.. all doctor cant explain this because all test is normal ( liver, heart, everything)
one day we got hospitalized and they injected insulin,,after that fall into a coma.
we just test the insulin level and it seems to be ok
anyone who experience to share please
thank
Expecting a GP to prescribe a diet healthy for diabetics is not within the realm of Western Medicine practices. Simply put, most of them don’t have a clue. Diabetes (and Pre-Diabetes) must be self-managed on a daily basis.