Blood sugar level - wikipedia Blood sugar level This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2012 ) The fluctuation of blood sugar ( red ) and the sugar - lowering hormone insulin ( blue ) in humans during the course of a day with three meals. One of the effects of a sugar - rich vs a starch - rich meal is highlighted. The blood sugar level, blood sugar concentration, or blood glucose level is the amount of glucose present in the blood of humans and other animals. Glucose is a simple sugar and approximately 4 grams of glucose are present in the blood of humans at all times. The body tightly regulates blood glucose levels as a part of metabolic homeostasis. Glucose is stored in skeletal muscle and liver cells in the form of glycogen ; in fasted individuals, blood glucose is maintained at a constant level at the expense of glycogen stores in the liver and skeletal muscle. In humans, glucose is the primary source of energy and is critical for normal function in a number of tissues, particularly the human brain which consumes approximately 60 % of blood glucose in fasted, sedentary individuals. Glucose can be transported from the intestines or liver to other tissues in the body via the bloodstream ; its uptake by cells is regulated in part by the hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. Glucose levels are usually lowest in the morning, before the first meal of the day, and rise after meals for an hour or two by a few millimoles. Blood sugar levels outside the normal range may be an indicator of a medical condition. A persistently high level is referred to as hyperglycemia ; low levels are referred to as hypoglycemia. Diabetes mellitus is characterized by persistent hyperglycemia from any of several causes, and is the most prominent disease related to failure of blood sugar regulation. There are different methods of testing and measuring blood sugar levels. The intake of alcohol causes an initial surge in blood sugar, and later tends to cause levels to fall. Also, certain drugs can increase or decrease glucose levels. Contents 1 Units 2 Normal values in humans 3 Animals 4 Regulation 5 Abnormality in blood sugar levels 5.1 High blood sugar 5.2 Low blood sugar 6 Glucose measurement 6.1 Sample source 6.2 Sample type 6.3 Measurement techniques 6.4 Clinical correlation 7 Etymology and use of term 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links Units The international standard way of measuring blood glucose levels is in terms of a molar concentration, measured in mmol / L ( millimoles per litre ; or millimolar, abbreviated mM ). In the United States, West - Germany and other countries mass concentration is measured in mg / dL ( milligrams per decilitre ). Since the molecular weight of glucose C H O is 180, the difference between the two units is a factor of 18, so that 1 mmol / L of glucose is equivalent to 18 mg / dL. Normal values in humans Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Many factors affect a person 's blood sugar level. The body 's homeostatic mechanism of blood sugar regulation ( known as glucose homeostasis ), when operating normally, restores the blood sugar level to a narrow range of about 4.4 to 6.1 mmol / L ( 79.2 to 110 mg / dL ) ( as measured by a fasting blood glucose test ). The normal blood glucose level ( tested while fasting ) for non-diabetics, should be between 3.9 and 5.5 mmol / L ( 70 to 100 mg / dL ). The mean normal blood glucose level in humans is about 5.5 mmol / L ( 100 mg / dL ) ; however, this level fluctuates throughout the day. Blood sugar levels for those without diabetes and who are not fasting should be below 6.9 mmol / L ( 125 mg / dL ). The blood glucose target range for diabetics, according to the American Diabetes Association, should be 5.0 -- 7.2 mmol / l ( 90 -- 130 mg / dL ) before meals, and less than 10 mmol / L ( 180 mg / dL ) after meals ( as measured by a blood glucose monitor ). Despite widely variable intervals between meals or the occasional consumption of meals with a substantial carbohydrate load, human blood glucose levels tend to remain within the normal range. However, shortly after eating, the blood glucose level may rise, in non-diabetics, temporarily up to 7.8 mmol / L ( 140 mg / dL ) or slightly more. For people with diabetes maintaining ' tight diabetes control ', the American Diabetes Association recommends a post-meal glucose level of less than 10 mmol / L ( 180 mg / dL ) and a fasting plasma glucose of 3.9 to 7.2 mmol / L ( 70 -- 130 mg / dL ). The actual amount of glucose in the blood and body fluids is very small. In a healthy adult male of 75 kg with a blood volume of 5 liters, a blood glucose level of 5.5 mmol / L ( 100 mg / dL ) amounts to 5g, equivalent to about a teaspoonful of sugar. Part of the reason why this amount is so small is that, to maintain an influx of glucose into cells, enzymes modify glucose by adding phosphate or other groups to it. Animals In general, ranges of blood sugar in common domestic ruminants are lower than in many monogastric mammals. However this generalization does not extend to wild ruminants or camelids. For serum glucose in mg / dL, reference ranges of 42 to 75 for cows, 44 to 81 for sheep, and 48 to 76 for goats, but 61 to 124 for cats ; 62 to 108 for dogs, 62 to 114 for horses, 66 to 116 for pigs, 75 to 155 for rabbits, and 90 to 140 for llamas have been reported. A 90 percent reference interval for serum glucose of 26 to 181 mg / dL has been reported for captured mountain goats ( Oreamnos americanus ), where no effects of the pursuit and capture on measured levels were evident. For beluga whales, the 25 -- 75 percent range for serum glucose has been estimated to be 94 to 115 mg / dL. For the white rhinoceros, one study has indicated that the 95 percent range is 28 to 140 mg / dL. For harp seals, a serum glucose range of 4.9 to 12.1 mmol / L ( i.e. 88 to 218 mg / dL ) has been reported ; for hooded seals, a range of 7.5 to 15.7 mmol / L ( i.e. about 135 to 283 mg / dL ) has been reported. Regulation This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( November 2016 ) Main article : Blood sugar regulation The body 's homeostatic mechanism keeps blood glucose levels within a narrow range. It is composed of several interacting systems, of which hormone regulation is the most important. There are two types of mutually antagonistic metabolic hormones affecting blood glucose levels : catabolic hormones ( such as glucagon, cortisol and catecholamines ) which increase blood glucose ; and one anabolic hormone ( insulin ), which decreases blood glucose. These hormones are secreted from pancreatic islets which are bundles of endocrine tissues. There are four types of pancreatic islets, alpha ( A ) cells, beta ( B ) cells, Delta ( D ) cells and F cells. Glucagon is secreted from alpha cells, while insulin is secreted by beta cells. Together they regulate the blood - glucose levels through negative feedback, a process where the end product of one reaction stimulates the beginning of another reaction. In blood - glucose levels, insulin lowers the concentration of glucose in the blood. The lower blood - glucose level ( a product of the insulin secretion ) triggers glucagon to be secreted, and repeats the cycle. In order for blood glucose to be kept stable, modifications to insulin, glucagon, epinephrine and cortisol are made. Each of these hormones have a different responsibility to keep blood glucose regulated ; when blood sugar is too high, insulin tells muscles to take up excess glucose for storage. Glucagon responds to too low of blood glucose level, it informs the tissue to produce more glucose. Epinephrine prepares the muscles and respiratory system for activity in the case of a `` fight and flight '' response. Lastly, cortisol supplies the body with fuel in times of heavy stress. Abnormality in blood sugar levels High blood sugar Main article : hyperglycemia If blood sugar levels remain too high the body suppresses appetite over the short term. Long - term hyperglycemia causes many of the long - term health problems including heart disease, eye, kidney, and nerve damage. The most common cause of hyperglycemia is diabetes. When diabetes is the cause, physicians typically recommend an anti-diabetic medication as treatment. From the perspective the majority of patients, treatment with an old, well - understood diabetes drug such as metformin will be the safest, most effective, least expensive, most comfortable route to managing the condition. Diet changes and exercise implementation may also be part of a treatment plan for diabetes. Fasting blood glucose levels may be higher than the post meal blood glucose in many of the healthy subjects. Such individuals may be said to have physiological insulin resistance and may develop diabetes mellitus as long term complication. In clinical and laboratory practices, many of the time a healthy normal subject will present a fasting blood glucose value higher than the post meal blood glucose value. This creates confusion since there is a common perception that in blood, postprandial ( PP ) glucose level should be higher than fasting ( F ) glucose level. The repeated investigation subsequently yields somewhat similar type of result. Low blood sugar Main article : hypoglycemia If blood sugar levels drop too low, a potentially fatal condition called hypoglycemia develops. Symptoms may include lethargy, impaired mental functioning ; irritability ; shaking, twitching, weakness in arm and leg muscles ; pale complexion ; sweating ; loss of consciousness. Mechanisms that restore satisfactory blood glucose levels after extreme hypoglycemia ( below 40 mg / dl ) must be quick and effective to prevent extremely serious consequences of insufficient glucose : confusion or unsteadiness and, in the extreme ( below 15 mg / dl ) loss of consciousness and seizures. Without discounting the potentially quite serious conditions and risks due to or oftentimes accompanying hyperglycemia, especially in the long - term ( diabetes or pre-diabetes, obesity or overweight, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, etc. ), it is still generally more dangerous to have too little glucose - especially if levels are very low - in the blood than too much, at least temporarily, because glucose is so important for metabolism and nutrition and the proper functioning of the body 's organs. This is especially the case for those organs that are metabolically active or that require a constant, regulated supply of blood sugar ( the liver and brain are examples ). In healthy individuals, blood glucose - regulating mechanisms are generally quite effective, and symptomatic hypoglycemia is generally found only in diabetics using insulin or other pharmacological treatment, and in starvation or severe malnutrition or malabsorption ( of various causes ), and conditions such as anorexia. Hypoglycemic episodes can vary greatly between persons and from time to time, both in severity and swiftness of onset. For severe cases, prompt medical assistance is essential, as damage to brain and other tissues and even death will result from sufficiently low blood - glucose levels. Glucose measurement Further information : Blood glucose monitoring and Glucose meter Sample source Glucose testing in a fasting individual, show comparable levels of glucose in arterial, venous, and capillary blood. But following meals, capillary and arterial blood glucose levels can be significantly higher than venous levels. This is because tissue cells consume some of the glucose in the blood as it passes from arteries through the capillary bed and into the veins. Although these differences vary widely, one study found that following the consumption of 50 grams of glucose, `` the mean capillary blood glucose concentration is higher than the mean venous blood glucose concentration by 35 %. '' Sample Type This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( December 2016 ) Glucose is measured in whole blood, plasma or serum. Historically, blood glucose values were given in terms of whole blood, but most laboratories now measure and report plasma or serum glucose levels. Because red blood cells ( erythrocytes ) have a higher concentration of protein ( e.g., hemoglobin ) than serum, serum has a higher water content and consequently more dissolved glucose than does whole blood. To convert from whole - blood glucose, multiplication by 1.14 has been shown to generally give the serum / plasma level. Collection of blood in clot tubes for serum chemistry analysis permits the metabolism of glucose in the sample by blood cells until separated by centrifugation. Red blood cells, for instance, do not require insulin to intake glucose from the blood. Higher than normal amounts of white or red blood cell counts can lead to excessive glycolysis in the sample, with substantial reduction of glucose level if the sample is not processed quickly. Ambient temperature at which the blood sample is kept prior to centrifuging and separation of plasma / serum also affects glucose levels. At refrigerator temperatures, glucose remains relatively stable for several hours in a blood sample. Loss of glucose can be prevented by using Fluoride tubes ( i.e., gray - top ) since fluoride inhibits glycolysis. However, these should only be used when blood will be transported from one hospital laboratory to another for glucose measurement. Red - top serum separator tubes also preserve glucose in samples after being centrifuged isolating the serum from cells. To prevent contamination of the sample with intravenous fluids, particular care should be given to drawing blood samples from the arm opposite the one in which an intravenous line is inserted. Alternatively, blood can be drawn from the same arm with an IV line after the IV has been turned off for at least 5 minutes, and the arm has been elevated to drain infused fluids away from the vein. Inattention can lead to large errors, since as little as 10 % contamination with a 5 % glucose solution ( D5W ) will elevate glucose in a sample by 500 mg / dL or more. Remember that the actual concentration of glucose in blood is very low, even in the hyperglycemic. Measurement techniques This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( December 2016 ) Two major methods have been used to measure glucose. The first, still in use in some places, is a chemical method exploiting the nonspecific reducing property of glucose in a reaction with an indicator substance that changes color when reduced. Since other blood compounds also have reducing properties ( e.g., urea, which can be abnormally high in uremic patients ), this technique can produce erroneous readings in some situations ( 5 -- 15 mg / dL has been reported ). The more recent technique, using enzymes specific to glucose, is less susceptible to this kind of error. The two most common employed enzymes are glucose oxidase and hexokinase. Average blood glucose concentrations can also be measured. This method measures the level of glycated hemoglobin, which is representative of the average blood glucose levels over the last, approximately, 120 days. In either case, the chemical system is commonly contained on a test strip which is inserted into a meter, and then has a blood sample applied. Test - strip shapes and their exact chemical composition vary between meter systems and can not be interchanged. Formerly, some test strips were read ( after timing and wiping away the blood sample ) by visual comparison against a color chart printed on the vial label. Strips of this type are still used for urine glucose readings, but for blood glucose levels they are obsolete. Their error rates were, in any case, much higher. Errors when using test strips were often caused by the age of the strip or exposure to high temperatures or humidity. More precise blood glucose measurements are performed in a medical laboratory, using hexokinase, glucose oxidase, or glucose dehydrogenase enzymes. Urine glucose readings, however taken, are much less useful. In properly functioning kidneys, glucose does not appear in urine until the renal threshold for glucose has been exceeded. This is substantially above any normal glucose level, and is evidence of an existing severe hyperglycemic condition. However, as urine is stored in the bladder, any glucose in it might have been produced at any time since the last time the bladder was emptied. Since metabolic conditions change rapidly, as a result of any of several factors, this is delayed news and gives no warning of a developing condition. Blood glucose monitoring is far preferable, both clinically and for home monitoring by patients. Healthy urine glucose levels were first standardized and published in 1965 by Hans Renschler. I. CHEMICAL METHODS A. Oxidation - reduction reaction G l u c o s e + A l k a l i n e c o p p e r t a r t a r a t e → R e d u c t i o n C u p r o u s o x i d e ( displaystyle mathrm ( Glucose ) + mathrm ( Alkaline copper \tartarate ) ( \xrightarrow ( mathrm ( Reduction ) ) ) mathrm ( Cuprous oxide ) ) 1. Alkaline copper reduction Folin - Wu method C u + + + P h o s p h o m o l y b d i c a c i d → O x i d a t i o n P h o s p h o m o l y b d e n u m o x i d e ( displaystyle mathrm ( Cu ) ^ ( + + ) + mathrm ( Phosphomolybdic acid ) ( \xrightarrow ( mathrm ( Oxidation ) ) ) mathrm ( Phosphomolybdenum oxide ) ) Blue end - product Benedict 's method Modification of Folin -- Wu method for qualitative urine glucose Nelson -- Somogyi method C u + + + A r s e n o m o l y b d i c a c i d → O x i d a t i o n A r s e n o m o l y b d e n u m o x i d e ( displaystyle mathrm ( Cu ) ^ ( + + ) + mathrm ( Arsenomolybdic acid ) ( \xrightarrow ( mathrm ( Oxidation ) ) ) mathrm ( Arsenomolybdenum oxide ) ) Blue end - product Neocuproine method C u + + + N e o c u p r o i n e → O x i d a t i o n C u + + n e o c u p r o i n e c o m p l e x ( displaystyle mathrm ( Cu ) ^ ( + + ) + mathrm ( Neocuproine ) ( \xrightarrow ( mathrm ( Oxidation ) ) ) mathrm ( Cu ) ^ ( + + ) mathrm ( neocuproine complex ) ) * Yellow - orange color neocuproine Shaeffer -- Hartmann -- Somogyi Uses the principle of iodine reaction with cuprous byproduct. Excess I is then titrated with thiosulfate. 2. Alkaline Ferricyanide Reduction Hagedorn -- Jensen G l u c o s e + A l k a l i n e f e r r i c y a n i d e ⟶ F e r r o c y a n i d e ( displaystyle mathrm ( Glucose ) + mathrm ( Alkaline \ferricyanide ) longrightarrow mathrm ( Ferrocyanide ) ) Colorless end product ; other reducing substances interfere with reaction B. Condensation Ortho - toluidine method Uses aromatic amines and hot acetic acid Forms Glycosylamine and Schiff 's base which is emerald green in color This is the most specific method, but the reagent used is toxic Anthrone ( phenols ) method Forms hydroxymethyl furfural in hot acetic acid II. ENZYMATIC METHODS A. Glucose oxidase G l u c o s e + O 2 → O x i d a t i o n g l u c o s e o x i d a s e D - glucono - 1, 5 - lactone + H 2 O 2 ( displaystyle mathrm ( Glucose ) + mathrm ( O ) _ ( 2 ) ( \xrightarrow ( ( mathrm ( Oxidation ) ) ) ( mathrm ( glucose oxidase ) ) ) ( \textrm ( D - glucono - 1, 5 - lactone ) ) + mathrm ( H_ ( 2 ) O_ ( 2 ) ) ) Saifer -- Gerstenfeld method H 2 O 2 + O - dianisidine → O x i d a t i o n p e r o x i d a s e H 2 O + o x i d i z e d c h r o m o g e n ( displaystyle mathrm ( H_ ( 2 ) O_ ( 2 ) ) + ( \textit ( O ) ) ( \text ( - dianisidine ) ) ( \xrightarrow ( ( mathrm ( Oxidation ) ) ) ( mathrm ( peroxidase ) ) ) mathrm ( H_ ( 2 ) O ) + mathrm ( oxidized chromogen ) ) Inhibited by reducing substances like BUA, bilirubin, glutathione, ascorbic acid Trinder method uses 4 - aminophenazone oxidatively coupled with phenol Subject to less interference by increases serum levels of creatinine, uric acid or hemoglobin Inhibited by catalase Kodak Ektachem A dry chemistry method Uses spectrophotometry to measure the intensity of color through a lower transparent film Glucometer Home monitoring blood glucose assay method Uses a strip impregnated with a glucose oxidase reagent B. Hexokinase G l u c o s e + A T P → P h o s p h o r y l a t i o n H e x o k i n a s e + M g + + G - 6PO 4 + A D P G - 6PO 4 + N A D P → O x i d a t i o n G - 6PD 6 - Phosphogluconate + N A D P H + H + ( displaystyle ( \begin ( alignedat ) ( 2 ) & mathrm ( Glucose ) + mathrm ( ATP ) ( \xrightarrow ( ( mathrm ( Phosphorylation ) ) ) ( mathrm ( Hexokinase ) + mathrm ( Mg ) ^ ( + + ) ) ) ( \textrm ( G - 6PO ) ) _ ( 4 ) + mathrm ( ADP ) & ( \textrm ( G - 6PO ) ) _ ( 4 ) + mathrm ( NADP ) ( \xrightarrow ( ( mathrm ( Oxidation ) ) ) ( \textrm ( G - 6PD ) ) ) ( \textrm ( 6 - Phosphogluconate ) ) + mathrm ( NADPH ) + mathrm ( H ) ^ ( + ) end ( alignedat ) ) ) NADP as cofactor NADPH ( reduced product ) is measured in 340 nm More specific than glucose oxidase method due to G - 6PO, which inhibits interfering substances except when sample is hemolyzed Clinical correlation The fasting blood glucose level, which is measured after a fast of 8 hours, is the most commonly used indication of overall glucose homeostasis, largely because disturbing events such as food intake are avoided. Conditions affecting glucose levels are shown in the table below. Abnormalities in these test results are due to problems in the multiple control mechanism of glucose regulation. The metabolic response to a carbohydrate challenge is conveniently assessed by a postprandial glucose level drawn 2 hours after a meal or a glucose load. In addition, the glucose tolerance test, consisting of several timed measurements after a standardized amount of oral glucose intake, is used to aid in the diagnosis of diabetes. Error rates for blood glucose measurements systems vary, depending on laboratories, and on the methods used. Colorimetry techniques can be biased by color changes in test strips ( from airborne or finger borne contamination, perhaps ) or interference ( e.g., tinting contaminants ) with light source or the light sensor. Electrical techniques are less susceptible to these errors, though not to others. In home use, the most important issue is not accuracy, but trend. Thus if a meter / test strip system is consistently wrong by 10 %, there will be little consequence, as long as changes ( e.g., due to exercise or medication adjustments ) are properly tracked. In the US, home use blood test meters must be approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration before they can be sold. Finally, there are several influences on blood glucose level aside from food intake. Infection, for instance, tends to change blood glucose levels, as does stress either physical or psychological. Exercise, especially if prolonged or long after the most recent meal, will have an effect as well. In the typical person, maintenance of blood glucose at near constant levels will nevertheless be quite effective. Causes of abnormal glucose levels Persistent hyperglycemia Transient hyperglycemia Persistent hypoglycemia Transient hypoglycemia Reference range, FBG : 70 -- 110 mg / dL Diabetes mellitus Pheochromocytoma Insulinoma Acute alcohol ingestion Adrenal cortical hyperactivity Cushing 's syndrome Severe liver disease Adrenal cortical insufficiency Addison 's disease Drugs : salicylates, antituberculosis agents Hyperthyroidism Acute stress reaction Hypopituitarism Severe liver disease Acromegaly Shock Galactosemia Several glycogen storage diseases Obesity Convulsions Ectopic insulin production from tumors Hereditary fructose intolerance Etymology and use of term This section has no medical references for verification or relies exclusively on non-medical sources. Please review the contents of the section and add the appropriate references if you can. Unsourced or poorly sourced material may be removed. ( June 2016 ) In a physiological context, the term is a misnomer because it refers to glucose, yet other sugars besides glucose are always present. Food contains several different types ( e.g., fructose ( largely from fruits / table sugar / industrial sweeteners ), galactose ( milk and dairy products ), as well as several food additives such as sorbitol, xylose, maltose, etc. ). But because these other sugars are largely inert with regard to the metabolic control system ( i.e., that controlled by insulin secretion ), since glucose is the dominant controlling signal for metabolic regulation, the term has gained currency, and is used by medical staff and lay folk alike. The table above reflects some of the more technical and closely defined terms used in the medical field. See also Saccharide recognition by boronic acids Blood glucose monitoring Glucagon References Jump up ^ Daly, Mark E ; Vale, C ; Walker, M ; Littlefield, A ; Alberti, KG ; Mathers, JC ( 1998 ). `` Acute effects on insulin sensitivity and diurnal metabolic profiles of a high - sucrose compared with a high starch diet '' ( PDF ). Am J Clin Nutr. American Society for Clinical Nutrition. 67 ( 6 ) : 1186 -- 1196. PMID 9625092. Retrieved 2011 - 02 - 19. ^ Jump up to : Wasserman DH ( January 2009 ). `` Four grams of glucose ''. American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism. 296 ( 1 ) : E11 -- 21. PMC 2636990. PMID 18840763. doi : 10.1152 / ajpendo. 90563.2008. Four grams of glucose circulates in the blood of a person weighing 70 kg. This glucose is critical for normal function in many cell types. In accordance with the importance of these 4 g of glucose, a sophisticated control system is in place to maintain blood glucose constant. Our focus has been on the mechanisms by which the flux of glucose from liver to blood and from blood to skeletal muscle is regulated... The brain consumes ∼ 60 % of the blood glucose used in the sedentary, fasted person... The amount of glucose in the blood is preserved at the expense of glycogen reservoirs ( Fig. 2 ). In postabsorptive humans, there are ∼ 100 g of glycogen in the liver and ∼ 400 g of glycogen in muscle. Carbohydrate oxidation by the working muscle can go up by ∼ 10-fold with exercise, and yet after 1 h, blood glucose is maintained at ∼ 4 g... It is now well established that both insulin and exercise cause translocation of GLUT4 to the plasma membrane. Except for the fundamental process of GLUT4 translocation, ( muscle glucose uptake ( MGU ) ) is controlled differently with exercise and insulin. Contraction - stimulated intracellular signaling ( 52, 80 ) and MGU ( 34, 75, 77, 88, 91, 98 ) are insulin independent. Moreover, the fate of glucose extracted from the blood is different in response to exercise and insulin ( 91, 105 ). For these reasons, barriers to glucose flux from blood to muscle must be defined independently for these two controllers of MGU. Jump up ^ Rosemary Walker & Jill Rodgers Type 2 Diabetes -- Your Questions Answered, Dorling Kindersley, 2006, ISBN 1 - 74033 - 550 - 3. Jump up ^ Diabetes FAQs -- Blood Glucose Measurement Units -- Abbott Diabetes Care ^ Jump up to : What are mg / dl and mmol / l ? How to convert ? Glucose ? Cholesterol ? Advameg, Inc. Jump up ^ `` Screening for Type 2 Diabetes ''. Clinical Diabetes. 18 ( 2 ). 2000. Jump up ^ Glucose test -- blood. NIH -- National Institutes of Health. Jump up ^ Davidson, Nancy Klobassa and Moreland, Peggy ( July 26, 2011 ) Living with diabetes blog. mayoclinic.com. Jump up ^ American Diabetes Association ( 2006 ). `` January 2006 Diabetes Care ''. Diabetes Care. 29 ( Supplement 1 ) : 51 -- 580. PMID 16373931. Standards of Medical Care - Table 6 and Table 7, Correlation between A1C level and Mean Plasma Glucose Levels on Multiple Testing over 2 -- 3 months Jump up ^ USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22 ( 2009 ) Jump up ^ Eiler, H. ( 2004 ). `` Endocrine glands ''. In Reese, W.O. Dukes ' Physiology of Domestic Animals ( 12th ed. ). Ithaca, NY : Comstock. pp. 621 -- 669. ISBN 0801442389. Jump up ^ Kahn, C.M., ed. ( 2005 ). Merck Veterinary Manual ( 9th ed. ). Whitehouse Station : Merck & Co. ISBN 0911910506. Jump up ^ Rice, C.G. ; Hall, B. ( 2007 ). `` Hematologic and biochemical reference intervals for mountain goats ( Oreamnos americanus ) : effects of capture conditions ''. Northwest Science. 81 ( 3 ) : 206. doi : 10.3955 / 0029 - 344X - 81.3. 206. Jump up ^ Cornell, LH ; Duffield, DS ; Joseph, BE ; Stark, B ( 1988 ). `` Hematology and serum chemistry values in the beluga ( Delphinapterus leucas ) ''. Journal of wildlife diseases. 24 ( 2 ) : 220 -- 4. PMID 3373628. doi : 10.7589 / 0090 - 3558 - 24.2. 220. Jump up ^ Seal, U.S. ; Barton, R. ; Mather, L. ; Gray, C.W. ( 1976 ). `` Baseline Laboratory Data for the White Rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum simum ) '' ( PDF ). The Journal of Zoo Animal Medicine. 7 ( 1 ) : 11 -- 17. JSTOR 20094341. Jump up ^ Boily, F ; Beaudoin, S ; Measures, LN ( 2006 ). `` Hematology and serum chemistry of harp ( Phoca groenlandica ) and hooded seals ( Cystophora cristata ) during the breeding season, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada ''. Journal of wildlife diseases. 42 ( 1 ) : 115 -- 32. PMID 16699154. doi : 10.7589 / 0090 - 3558 - 42.1. 115. Jump up ^ Lehninger, Albert ; Nelson, David ; Cox, Michael ( 2017 ). Lehininger Principles of Biochemistry. New York : W.H. Freedom. p. 934. ISBN 9781319117689. Jump up ^ Tortora, Gerard ( December 2016 ). Principles Anatomy and Physiology ( 15 ed. ). New York : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp. Chapter 18. ISBN 9781119343738. access - date = requires url = ( help ) Jump up ^ Lehninger, Albert ; Nelson, David ; Cox, Michael ( 2017 ). Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry ( 7th ed. ). New York : W.H. Freeman. p. 930. ISBN 9781319117689. Jump up ^ Consumer Reports Health Best Buy Drugs. `` The Oral Diabetes Drugs : Treating Type 2 Diabetes '' ( PDF ). Best Buy Drugs. Consumer Reports : 2. Retrieved September 18, 2012. Jump up ^ Warade, Jayesh Prabhakar ( 2014 ). `` Fasting blood glucose level higher than post-meal in healthy subjects : a study of 738 subjects '' ( PDF ). World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. 3 ( 4 ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2015 - 04 - 02. ^ Jump up to : Yang, Chiaohsin ( 2012 ). `` A Comparison between Venous and Finger - Prick Blood Sampling on Values of Blood Glucose '' ( PDF ). International Proceedings of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering. 39 : 236. Jump up ^ Somogyi, Michael ( 1948 ). `` Studies of Arteriovenous Differences in Blood Sugar '' ( PDF ). J. Biol. Chem. 174 ( 1 ) : 189 -- 200. PMID 18914074. Jump up ^ Roe, Jeffrey. `` Glucose Concentration Difference Between Arterial, Capillary, and Venous Blood. '' Jump up ^ Cox, David L. Nelson, Michael M. ( 2013 ). Lehninger principles of biochemistry ( 6th ed. ). New York : W.H. Freeman. p. 950. ISBN 9781429234146. access - date = requires url = ( help ) Jump up ^ Cox, David L. Nelson, Michael M. ( 2013 ). Lehninger principles of biochemistry ( 6th ed. ). New York : W.H. Freeman. p. 950. ISBN 9781429234146. ^ Jump up to : Cox, Michael M. ; Lehninger, Albert L. ; Nelson, David L. ( 2017 ). Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. New York : W.H. Freeman. pp. 248 -- 249. ISBN 9781319117689. Jump up ^ Ginsberg, Barry H. ( 1 July 2009 ). `` Factors Affecting Blood Glucose Monitoring : Sources of Errors in Measurement ''. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. pp. 903 -- 913. doi : 10.1177 / 193229680900300438. Retrieved 21 October 2017. Jump up ^ Renschler, HE ; Weicker, H ; Von Baeyer, H ( 1965 ). `` The upper limit of glucose concentration in the urine of healthy subjects ''. Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift. 90 ( 53 ) : 2349 -- 53. PMID 5851934. Jump up ^ Neocuproine MSDS. hazard.com Further reading Henry, John Bernard ( 2001 ). Clinical diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods ( 20th ed. ). Philadelphia : Saunders. ISBN 0721688640. Levine R ( 1986 ). `` Monosaccharides in Health and Disease ''. Annu. Rev. Nutr. 6 : 211 -- 224. Retrieved 25 November 2016. Röder PV, Wu B, Liu Y, Han W ( 2016 ). `` Pancreatic Regulation of Glucose Homeostasis ''. Exp. Mol. Med. 48 ( 3, March ) : e219ff. PMC 4892884. doi : 10.1038 / emm. 2016.6. External links Glucose at Lab Tests Online Glucose ( blood, serum, plasma ) : analyte monograph -- The Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine Human homeostasis Blood composition Blood sugar Osmoregulation Pressure : Renin -- angiotensin system Acid -- base Fluid balance Hemostasis Other Predictive Thermoregulation Reference ranges for blood tests ( CPT 82000 -- 84999 ) Electrolytes Sodium Potassium Chloride Calcium Renal function Creatinine Urea BUN - to - creatinine ratio Plasma osmolality Serum osmolal gap Acid - base Anion gap Arterial blood gas Base excess Bicarbonate CO content Iron tests Ferritin Serum iron Transferrin saturation Total iron - binding capacity Transferrin Transferrin receptor Hormones ACTH stimulation test Thyroid function tests Thyroid - stimulating hormone Metabolism Blood lipids Cardiovascular Cardiac marker Troponin test CPK - MB test Lactate dehydrogenase Myoglobin Glycogen phosphorylase isoenzyme BB Liver function tests Proteins Human serum albumin Serum total protein ALP transaminases ALT AST AST / ALT ratio Bilirubin Unconjugated Conjugated Pancreas Amylase Lipase Pancreatic lipase Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blood_sugar_level&oldid=806722493 '' Categories : Human homeostasis Blood tests Diabetes Hidden categories : Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL Articles needing additional references from March 2012 All articles needing additional references Articles needing additional references from November 2016 All accuracy disputes Articles with disputed statements from May 2013 Articles needing additional references from December 2016 Wikipedia articles needing clarification from August 2010 Articles needing additional medical references from June 2016 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Bân - lâm - gú Беларуская Български Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Basa Jawa ಕನ್ನಡ Magyar Македонски മലയാളം Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Occitan Polski Português Română Русский Scots Simple English Slovenščina Suomi Svenska தமிழ் తెలుగు ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 23 October 2017, at 19 : 22. 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Question: what is the normal range for plasma glucose concentration
Answer: 3.9 and 5.5 mmol/L (70 to 100 mg/dL)