What Affects Glucose Levels?

Many people nowadays begin to be aware with blood glucose levels (or blood sugar levels). It is because high blood glucose may lead to type-2 diabetes. Diabetes is often said to be "mother of all disease", while diabetes may lead to further organs dysfunction.
Because of this reason, many individuals begin to be curious of what is a normal blood sugar level? And more important is what affects glucose levels?

This information is so important that they can manage their life style in order to avoid diabetes.

Before discussing what affects glucose levels, it's good to know how our body’s metabolism toward blood glucose is.

How Diabetes Occur

1. Everyone knows that every living organism (include human) need food in order to continue living.
2. Foods that enter human body can be divided into 3 main categories; protein, fat and carbohydrates. In this case, carbohydrates are the main role.
3. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy.
4. As carbohydrates are digested by our body, it forms glucose that is transported around the body through our blood stream.
5. By the assistance of insulin (specific hormone that produced by pancreas), glucose will be absorbed by body's cells to be converted into energy.
6. If there's a disturbance in insulin function, this hormone can no longer helps the body's cells to absorb glucose. The result is, there's a rise in blood glucose levels.

There are two kind of blood glucose levels; Fasting blood sugar and postprandial blood sugar. Normal range of fasting blood sugar is 70-100 mg/dL whereas for postprandial blood sugar is below 140 mg/dL.

A rise in glucose levels or a drop in glucose levels both caused bad effects to our body. High blood glucose can lead to diabetes and low blood sugar can cause hypoglycemia.

What affects glucose levels so it can be HIGH?

A rise of blood glucose levels may be affected by:

- Type of carbohydrate that enters your digestion system.

Most foods contain carbohydrate, except fats and meats. When you consume foods that have high glycemic index and glycemic load, your glucose levels will rise.

- Stress

Excessive emotional stress like fear, anger or worry can also cause significant rise in blood glucose.

- Medication

Your blood glucose can also rise when you have not enough medication (a missed dose or ineffective medication).

- Illness

Illness is also form of stress on your body that can result in the increase of blood sugar. Even such a minor illness like flu, infection or cold can raise the blood glucose levels.

- Activity

When you do less activity than your usual activity, it may also lead to rise your blood glucose levels that day.

- Alcohol

After stopping drinking, alcohol can affect the glucose levels to go up.

Although the best way to make sure what your glucose level is, is by checking it, some people may experience the symptoms of high blood glucose. These symptoms can include; frequent urination, excessive feeling of hunger, thirst and tired, sudden weight loss, wound that won't heal or tingling in hands and feet.

What affects glucose levels so it can be LOW?

A drop of blood glucose levels can be affected by:

- Amount of Food

Having fewer amounts of meals than usual or delaying or skipping a meal time can cause a drop of blood sugar levels.

- Activity

Your blood sugar levels can drop when having more activity than usual.

- Medication

Glucose levels can also drop when having more medication, such as taking extra dose.

The signs of hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) may include; shaking, sweating, extreme hunger and fatigue, mood swings or rapid heart beat.

Conclusion

From the above lists, you may notice that food, medication, stress and activity can be factors that affect glucose levels. However, there are may be other variables that cause blood glucose to be fluctuated, such as; women's menstrual cycle and protein consumption.
I suggest to check blood sugar levels regularly and see medical advice immediately when you feel any symptoms of high or low blood glucose levels.