Blood sugar is one of the most important constants, which indicates the constancy of the internal environment in the body. However, when talking about this element, most often they mean the level of glucose, since "sugar" includes a whole group of substances.
So, this indicator shows, first of all, how good it is in the body
Carbohydrate metabolism is carried out, since glucose is a kind of fuel for the cells of all tissues and organs. It enters the body in complex carbohydrates, which are further subject to cleavage in the digestive tract, and after that they enter the bloodstream. Accordingly, the blood sugar level depends on the presence of gastrointestinal diseases, due to which there is a decrease in glucose absorption. At the same time, part of it is consumed by the body, and most of it is deposited in the liver in the form of glycogen.
Insulin is the main hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. It regulates the consumption of glucose by cells, as well as the synthesis of glycogen inliver. The main antagonist of insulin is glucagon,
which is a hormone of the pancreas. When the level of sugar in the blood falls below the required level, its increased secretion occurs. It enhances the breakdown of glycogen, which contributes to the release of glucose from the depot. The hormone produced by the adrenal glands, adrenaline, has the same effect.
How much blood sugar should I have?
Ideally, in the morning on an empty stomach, the blood sugar content should be at least three and a half and no more than five and a half mmol / l. In the event that it is found from 5.5 to 6.6 mmol / l, then doctors speak of a borderline state, which indicates glucose tolerance. In the event that its amount is 6.7 mmol / l and above,
doctors conduct a thorough examination for the presence of a disease such as diabetes.
This should take into account some of the features in which the level of sugar in the blood can be raised or lowered. For example, in infants, the amount of sugar is reduced. This fact is due to the physiological characteristics of babies. In infants, the blood sugar content varies from 2.8 to 4.4 mmol / l. Physiological insulin resistance occurs in pregnant women, so they have prerequisites for the development of a special type of diabetes mellitus (gestational). Most often, a sugar index above 7.8 mmol / l is noted between the fourth and eighth months. As a rule, the state comes innormal postpartum.
The increase in glucose occurs after eating, as well as during intense mental and physical stress. For a short time, this level may increase in pathological conditions, for example, in pain, burns, an epileptic seizure, heart attack, angina pectoris. A prolonged increase in the amount of glucose in the blood leads to glucosuria - its appearance in the urine. In this case, the diagnosis of "diabetes mellitus" is made, and the doctor decides how to lower the blood sugar.
In some diseases, on the contrary, a decrease in glucose levels occurs. This may be due to damage to the liver parenchyma, endocrine pathologies, and even errors in the diet. In the event that the cells are constantly in a state of energy starvation, damage to the central nervous system may occur.
