Why do you need to know your glucose level? This is a substance that plays a huge biological role in the human body. About what is his norm in the blood, we will tell in the presented article.
General information
Surely each of you at least once in your life donated blood to detect glucose levels. This is a very standard procedure during a medical examination. It should be noted that the word “glucose” comes from the ancient Greek λυκύς, which literally translates as “sweet”.
This substance is the main and most universal source of energy to ensure all metabolic processes occurring in the human body. It is found in juices of a huge number of berries and fruits, including grape.
So what is glucose? The formula of this six-atom sugar is as follows - C6H12O6. It should also be noted that the glucose unit is part of some disaccharides (sucrose, lactose and maltose) and polysaccharides (glycogen, starch and cellulose).
Physical properties of glucose
It is a crystalline, colorless substance that has a sweetish taste. It is easily soluble in water, as well as in an ammonia solution of copper hydroxide, concentrated - zinc chloride and sulfuric acid.
The biological role of sugar
It is imperative to know your glucose level. Indeed, in the human body, it is the main source of energy. As you know, the blood sugar levels in young children and adults are the same. This is due to the fact that it is regulated by the nervous and endocrine systems. If its level is overestimated or, conversely, lowered, then this indicates a malfunction in the body.
What sugar should be?
Glucose should normally be in the range of 3.3 to 5.5 mmol / L. But the physiological processes that continuously occur in the body during digestion can quite easily influence its level. This is due to the fact that after the intake of food in the digestive tract, absorption of simple carbohydrates into the blood immediately occurs. At the same time, complex ones are broken down by enzymes to simple ones and then also enter the bloodstream. As a result of such chemical actions, sugar levels can rise significantly. Its excess enters the liver. In between meals, when the glucose content decreases markedly, it is quickly removed from its original “storage” to maintain the required minimum level.
Low glucose
This phenomenon can be observed due to insufficient intake of simple carbohydrates in the body (for example, during diets). Also, the sugar level drops noticeably immediately after training or hard physical work. Deficiency of this substance in the blood is not uncommon for nursing mothers, as they "share" it with their child.
It should be especially noted that if sugar remains low for a long time, this can lead to a hypoglycemic state. By the way, such a deviation is observed not only after heavy physical exertion or with a lack of carbohydrates, but also with violations of the pancreas, liver or kidneys.
High sugar
Every day, people with a disease such as diabetes are becoming more and more. This is due not only to the fact that people began to consume a huge amount of simple carbohydrates, but also to the fact that most of them stopped leading a mobile lifestyle.
The main sign of diabetes is hyperglycemia. This term is used to make a diagnosis only when glucose is increased in a person’s blood. Analysis to detect this deviation is carried out by a standard laboratory blood test, which is taken from a finger or vein.
The main problem in the diagnosis of diabetes is that this deviation can occur for a long time without any symptoms. That is why people at risk are given two or three times a year blood to detect high sugar.
Let's look at together who is predisposed to such a disease:
- obese people;
- people with vascular disorders.
Reasons that may contribute to the development of this ailment:
- hereditary predisposition (if one of the relatives has this pathology);
- autoimmune diseases;
- viral infections, etc.
The main signs of high glucose
To understand what level of sugar you have, you should definitely have a blood test. However, there are some signs by which you can understand that your body suffers from an excess of this substance:
- fatigue;
- weight loss with good appetite;
- weakness;
- constant thirst;
- profuse and frequent urination;
- dry mouth
- headache.
In addition, the following symptoms are characteristic of increased glucose in the blood: nightly urination, pustular skin lesions, hard-to-heal sores and boils, long-healing wounds and scratches, a general decrease in immunity, decreased performance, frequent colds, decreased eyesight, itching in the groin and so forth
Signs of low blood glucose
Symptoms of such a pathological condition may include:
- the appearance of trembling in the upper and lower extremities;
- decreased visual acuity;
- dizziness;
- lethargy;
- low blood pressure;
- drowsiness;
- excessive sweating ;
- delayed reaction;
- cold limbs, as well as ears and nose;
- decreased performance due to energy loss;
- nausea.