Time between eating and measuring Glucose levels

[GeordieBoi]

I have been measuring my levels now for a few months (as a Type II on dietary control only), both early evening (post-prandial - ~6hrs post food) and early morning. I find that my evening levels are averaging (quite tight control, little variation) about 6.7 mmol/L and the early morning are 8.8 mmol/L (fair bit of variation and spikes). In both cases the trend is downwards. I have recorded the food intake prior to each measurement and often find no logic to the level and what was consumed. I know about the early morning surge (Fight or flight, catecholamines, corticosteroids etc - I am a Biochemist). I was under the impression there was a sort term relationship between food eaten and level i.e. I eat a packet of biscuits and within a few hours my level should be quite high, I eat little or no carbs and my level should be reasonable just like my early evening leve where I am usually eating salads ?

I don't understand where I can eat good, healthy and low carb and yet 6 hrs later my level might be >9 mmol/L. Can anyone suggest whether I am missing something please ?

 

[reidpj]

Hi Geordie

Have you considered 'liver dumps'

Peter

 

[Dougie22]

I just can't comment as I couldn't and wouldn't want to go 6 hours without food during the day. I am following the "less more often" mantra so it's rare for me to have more than two or three hours between eating something. Most people seem to test 2 hours after eating with occasional 1 hour or 3 hour tests if they suspect a particular food is releasing faster or slower. 6 hours seems more like a fasting test. Have you tried testing after 2 hours?

My fasting overnights don't seem to follow much logic, ranging from 7.3 or so down to 5.8 for no apparent reason.

 

[GeordieBoi]

I picked the evening timeslot quite deliberately as essentially a Fasting sample (6 hrs is pretty much fasting, as you suggest) but NOT early morning because of the impact of the 'waking surge' of BG (and others) which occurs after sleep. Given that this would also reflect a relatively active fasting period too (compared to overnight/sleep anyway), I felt it might also show up a different pattern (and indeed it has). Given that my work day is usually fairly busy, I don't to have time for (or indeed think about food other than the occasional coffee.

 

[carty]

I have done research into DB from my own trials with different foods and times of testing and I have come to the very scientific conclusion that DB is a totally unscientific and illogical disease :mrgreen:
Carol

 

[GeordieBoi]

Yep, rapidly reaching that conclusion myself

 

[Grazer]

I think you'll find that most of us test 2 hrs after eating for various reasons:-

1) After eating, our BG rises and returns to something approaching our standard 2 hrs later, depending on type of food eaten (low or high GI). The 2 hrs gives us a standard for comparison. If you wait 6 hrs, then your results are pretty random. In that time, you would expect your BG to continue to reduce, but it won't neccesarily. It may go down to a fasting level, or it may go even lower according to exercise levels and as a result dump Glycogen from the liver to raise your BG to match your energy requirements. You could thus have an increased BG. My BG is about 6-8 2 hrs after eating according to food type, but after fasting 24 hrs (due to a hospital test requirement) my BG was 9!

2) By testing at 2 hrs, you can compare results with expectations that are set by doctors, diabetes organisations etc around the world to see how you're progressing. There are tables showing desired BG levels at the 2 hr stage.

3) using a constant 2 hr stage, and testing randomly after different meals at different times of the day, you can see how time-of-day affects you. For example, I can eat lots of carbs in the morning but my response gets worse as the day goes on. some people are better in the evenings, and can't have much at all for breakfast

Hope this helps and good luck. I'm on dietary control only as well by the way

 

[GeordieBoi]

Thanks for the insight, Grazer...good stuff. I'd almost agree with your view on the 2hr post prandial were it not for the fact that my 'random' 6hr-ish post prandial is virtually consistently running at 6.7 (remarkably & surprisingly consistent even).

I may go overboard and try measuring 2 hrs pp as well just to see if there is any variation ?

BTW, I resemble that remark ...both the Ex-chocaholic AND the "not really cured".

Do you (or anyone reading this) know if there is any direct impact of exercise in relation to the short term values i.e. if I go for a 5 miles run (Ha ha) will my level be lower some hours later ?

 

[hallii]

From my observations the time of day (and probably other factors, maybe temperature and how much excercise etc.) can affect how your body reacts to a given food, I cannot eat cereals in the morning without a significant spike, I can eat small portions in the afternoon and evening without any problems.

I can only eat about three small new potatoes, boiled without a spike, but I can eat quite a few chips without any major spike. Maybe the fat slows the absorption down.

I can eat certain things (like a lump of 80% dark chocolate) if I eat something like cabbage or raw carrots just before or after.

I don't know but I suspect that if your body decides it needs some BGs and you only eat low carb food, then the liver takes over and puimps out some of it's secret stash.

So it might be better to eat at least some low GI carbs with each meal, and that is much what I do, I keep the carbs down but do not try to eliminate them. My BGs are pretty stable and rarely go above 8 mmol they are usually around 5 or 7 ish.

H

 

[Grazer]

Do you (or anyone reading this) know if there is any direct impact of exercise in relation to the short term values i.e. if I go for a 5 miles run (Ha ha) will my level be lower some hours later ?

Definitely!

Normally, as I say, my BG 2hrs after a meal is 6-8. Recently, I tested 2 hrs after eating on the 9th hole at my golf course (discretely!) having heaved a golf trolley round the course for two hours and about 2.5 miles. My BG was 3.9!

I exercise on a strider machine for 10 mins energetically after eating, - if I don't, my 2 hrs readings are about 1 to 1.5 higher.

 

[Dougie22]

I go to the gym three times a week. If I measure after an hours exercise, I'm very low compared to normal, but it comes back to a more regular level after a while. Definitely helps me bring levels down but I haven't done enough detailed measurement to be any more specific at this stage.

 

[SparkJack]

Hi Geordie Boi
I am about to give up testing before breakfast.I'm type 2 on metformin and its always between 8/9 'sh even if 6 or so the night before.Have tried the carb just before bedtime and it has not worked for me.

I try to be lower carb - normal mortals are recommended to eat 230g- so I aim for 60-100 because I'm trying to lose weight. Averaging 1.5 lbs a week currently. I have found that if I eat say fresh raspberries (about 85g)and double cream (150ml) that it helps my BS if I eat 2/3 brazil nuts or half a dozen smaller nuts (before or after). I've also made other adjustments such as if I make fruit based smoothies I add flax seed and use soya milk rather than even semi-skimmed milk and this seems to help too + 10g of protein powder.

Diabetes is a truly strange beast and so individual that this forum is essential to find out how others manage. I still feel as though I'm treading through high carb treacle after 7 years.....

 

[Dougie22]

After the chat around exercise levels affecting BG, I decided to do a quick check today. My fasting level was 7.0, not unusual for me. I then had a breakfast of OJ, Benecol, Total 0% yoghurt with rasperies and a handful of oat based muesli, followed by coffee and a small gingernut (pretty normal for me). Without exercise, I would have expected a 12.00 reading of about 5.9 or so.
I did 800 calories worth of treadmill and my 12.00 reading, half an hour aftwer finishing, was 5.0. This is a very low reading for me which I rarely achieve at this stage.
For me then, exercise brings my level down, at least temporarily.