Age and diabetes

[Kaha]

Just wondering whether there is any dependency in between age and desirable blood sugar level ? For example what is the desirable range of HbA1c or average daily readings of a diabetic T2 of mid 50?

 

[Nuthead]

Nope. Never seen it anywhere and nether have you. So the answer is no. Strange question. With all the information available it's never a quantified variable anywhere...

 

[phoenix]

Glucose does rise a little in non diabetics as they get older .
There is one study that looked at HbA1cs from subjects in 2 American surveys.
The average Hba1cs for someone 55-59 was about 5.2%, 5.3% and 5.4% ( 3 separate groups, 2 classified as non diabetics, 1 smaller subset that had been properly tested and found to have normal glucose tolerance,)

The graphs are in figure 1
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2551641/

 

[Nuthead]

Glucose does rise a little in non diabetics as they get older .
There is one study that looked at HbA1cs from subjects in 2 American surveys.
The average Hba1cs for someone 55-59 was about 5.2%, 5.3% and 5.4% ( 3 separate groups, 2 classified as non diabetics, 1 smaller subset that had been properly tested and found to have normal glucose tolerance,)

The graphs are in figure 1
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2551641/

So not really revellent. In my opinion
opee

 

[phoenix]

So not really revellent. In my opinion
opee

I think it is relevant in there is a relationship between age and glucose levels which was part of the question asked. There won't be an average for people with diabetes as methods of control vary
I'm in my 60s if I'm going to look at a target that is as close to 'normal' as possible (ie without lots of hypos etc), then it makes more sense to look at those normal in my age group rather than those of a 21 year old.

 

[Nuthead]

I think it is relevant in there is a relationship between age and glucose levels which was part of the question asked. There won't be an average for people with diabetes as methods of control vary
I'm in my 60s if I'm going to look at a target that is as close to 'normal' as possible (ie without lots of hypos etc), then it makes more sense to look at those normal in my age group rather than those of a 21 year old.

friends of mine . Over 60 who are not diabetic have a bg of 4.5 to 5.fasting. tested a few of them and others have been tested by others. ( If this makes sence). Don't see a difference between older and younger people. Yes I have seen tests for younger people.

 

[phoenix]

friends of mine . Over 60 who are not diabetic have a bg of 4.5 to 5.fasting. tested a few of them and others have been tested by others. ( If this makes sence). Don't see a difference between older and younger people. Yes I have seen tests for younger people.

So do I most mornings, but that isn't the same as an HbA1c which looks at the whole picture and isn't in the same units in any case.

If you are interested, here is the data from the NHANEs survey ( that was a random , representative (for age ethnicity etc) sample of over 14,000 people. It is a study that looks at all sorts of health markers and diet to provide data for the US government)
As you can see, people with lower HbA1cs tend to be younger. Only 23% of the subjects had an HbA1c lower than 5% They also found in the paper I linked to above that peoples HbA1c gradually rose over the 12 years of the study ie as they got older.
http://circoutcomes.ahajournals.org/content/3/6/661.full#T2



Interestingly, for some people it may not be good to have levels below 4%. As you can see this group must have had some older people in it since the average age is a bit higher than the group above.
An HbA1c of below 4.0% was associated with almost 3 times the mortality of those with an HbA1c of 5-5.4% ( It maybe because some illnesses can 'damage' red cells so this group may have contained people who were already showing signs of illness when tested )
The levels 6-6..4% were also associated with increased mortality risk but not by as much. (1.3 times)

 

[Nuthead]

Just wondering whether there is any dependency in between age and desirable blood sugar level ? For example what is the desirable range of HbA1c or average daily readings of a diabetic T2 of mid 50?

I think we are reading the question differently. Probably me. I would consider the desirable range to be the same whatever age we may be.

 

[Kaha]

I think the question I asked through my post created some confusion between Nuthead and Phoenx. Let me clarify it.
I think when we grow older our resistance to diabetes and other illnesses get reduced for various reasons. May be the research Phonix is referring to is trying to prove the same. I feel when I was first diagnosed as T2 9 years ago, I had better readings, less medications than now I am having . That is the reason I asked the question . I am afraid if it continues like this, I might need more medication (may be insulin ) because with age my resistance to illness , capacity of physical exercise etc can change to impact the diabetes in negative way.
However , I am happy to see that this post generated some interest for academic discussions. May be further research can be carried out by scientists to find out more about this issue.

 

[sanguine]

I feel when I was first diagnosed as T2 9 years ago, I had better readings, less medications than now I am having .

So what do you typically eat?