Hi. I'm a type 2 newbie. Can anyone explain how your blood sugar can be 8 m/mol first thing and then drop to 5.2 after breakfast and then climb to 13 by 5pm even though you haven't eaten? Is there any rhyme or reason? (From a confused 51 Yr old woman who isn't on meds yet)
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New unmedicated T2 confused by blood sugar readings
- Thread starter Blue_71
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Our blood sugars are effected by far more than what we eat.
Our levels go up,if we are physically or mentally stressed, if we do certain epexercise, if we are unwell, if we take some medication, … our levels can rise at dufferent times of the day, our livers dump glucose if we fast, …
Lamont D
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First thing is something called dawn phenomenon. It is natural and it prepares you for your day ahead. The liver releases glucagon through a process called glucogenisis.
The drop after food, depending upon your food, can take a little time before rising because of your first phase insulin response or background insulin. Then because of not enough insulin engaging the glucose derived from the food, insulin resistance. That is why you spike too high and you over time will become hyperglycaemic, if your diet is not changed. If you haven't eaten then, I would imagine that similar to the dawn phenomenon, you will have a liver dump. When your energy levels are low or your blood sugar levels drop, your liver will give you more!
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Hi @Blue_71 and welcome to the forums.
The pancreas has a marvellous system of regulating blood sugar through a combination of insulin and glucagon. Insulin is used to bring blood sugar down but glucagon is produced when more sugar is needed and the glucagon stimulates the liver to produce glycogen ( a form of stored sugar). For a non diabetic this system works to keep your levels normal all day even when you fast or eat large quantities of sugar.
For a diabetic, who usually either has insulin resistance (most T2s) or not enough insulin (T1s) the system doesn't work properly, but you can see that the feedback loop means that blood sugar isn't just a question of what you eat...
More information here
www.healthline.com
The pancreas has a marvellous system of regulating blood sugar through a combination of insulin and glucagon. Insulin is used to bring blood sugar down but glucagon is produced when more sugar is needed and the glucagon stimulates the liver to produce glycogen ( a form of stored sugar). For a non diabetic this system works to keep your levels normal all day even when you fast or eat large quantities of sugar.
For a diabetic, who usually either has insulin resistance (most T2s) or not enough insulin (T1s) the system doesn't work properly, but you can see that the feedback loop means that blood sugar isn't just a question of what you eat...
More information here
Insulin and Glucagon: How Do They Work?
Insulin and glucagon are hormones that help regulate the blood sugar (glucose) levels in your body. Find out how they work together.
www.healthline.com
