Glucose
Learn about Glucose levels for diabetes screening and metabolic health. Track blood sugar patterns for optimal wellness monitoring.
What is Glucose?
Glucose is the primary sugar in your blood and the main source of energy for your body’s cells. Blood glucose levels reflect how well your body processes sugar from food and how effectively insulin regulates blood sugar.
Why is it Tested?
Doctors order glucose tests to screen for diabetes, prediabetes, and hypoglycemia. It’s also used to monitor diabetes management and assess metabolic function. Fasting glucose provides the most standardized measurement for diagnosis.
Normal Ranges
American Diabetes Association criteria for fasting glucose:
- Normal: 70–99 mg/dL
- Prediabetes (IFG): 100–125 mg/dL
- Diabetes: ≥126 mg/dL
These ranges apply to fasting glucose measured after at least 8 hours without food.
Reference ranges vary by authority. Track yours across multiple standards with automatic unit conversions in LabsVault.
What do Abnormal Results Mean?
Abnormal results are not a diagnosis. Always discuss your results with a qualified healthcare provider before making any medical decisions.
Low Glucose (Hypoglycemia)
Values below 70 mg/dL may indicate:
- Insulin overdose in diabetics
- Prolonged fasting or malnutrition
- Pancreatic tumors (insulinomas)
- Liver disease
- Some medications
High Glucose (Hyperglycemia)
Elevated levels suggest:
- Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes
- Prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose)
- Stress or illness
- Certain medications (steroids)
- Pancreatic disorders
How to Track Over Time
Regular glucose monitoring reveals trends in metabolic health and diabetes risk. Gradual increases over time may signal developing insulin resistance, while consistent control in diabetics indicates effective management. Pair with HbA1c for comprehensive long-term glucose assessment.
Track your Glucose results over time
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