High morning readings

[Natalia D]

Hi all. My husband was diagnosed T2 in August. We managed to lower his HbA1c thrice through the diet. His morning blood sugar is always high though, between 6.4-7.8. In December his numbers got worse. Morning over 8.0 became more frequent. not much changed in his diet (I am cooking his meals), though I try to be nice (celeriac chips, more veggies…). Any ideas? I need an advice.

 

[Dax40]

It's called the dawn phenomenon among diabetics. The body releases glucose to prepare for the day.

My best advice would be to avoid late night eating and starchy vegetables. He could possibly go on a low carb diet.

If he decides to go on low carb it could take 1 to 3 weeks for your body to adapt and he will no longer get high BG in the mornings. It will also reduce his BG on average and low Hba1c.
A low carb diet can also over time make him more insulin sensitive. I my self have had great success with low carb went from 88kg to 76kg in 3 months and my BG is always in the normal range.

 

[Melgar]

@Natalia D , the Dawn phenomenon is perfectly normal. During the early hours our Circadian Rhythm system - we have a master clock in our brain’s hypothalamus , and lots of periphery ones in our organs and muscles. They govern our bodily 24 hour functions. The circadian rhythm is your body’s natural 24 hour clock. It keeps your body in a cycle of sleep at night and wakefulness during the daytime. It reminds you to eat at certain times and so forth. So in the early hours this system gears your body up for waking and activity. It does this by signalling your body to produce and deliver cortisol and growth hormones. Likely raising insulin resistance and up go your sugars ready for your muscles and other energy requiring cells to utilize the glucose that is now circulating hence the rise in blood sugars. In a healthy body, your pancreas and liver , they work as a team, will not allow your early morning blood sugars to rise much, but with someone already dealing with insulin resistance and higher than normal blood sugars becomes a challenge for your pancreas and liver tag team to manage, this can raise your blood sugars, known as the Dawn phenomenon . It can start around 3am and rise slowly. It can accelerate when you get up and go to the loo , make a cup of tea. In some people it can quickly fall, in others this DP can remain until you have a bite to eat. As @Dax40 explains as you work to reduce your blood sugars, over time, your DP will be lowered.

ed spelling

 

[MrsA2]

Hi all. My husband was diagnosed T2 in August. We managed to lower his HbA1c thrice through the diet. His morning blood sugar is always high though, between 6.4-7.8. In December his numbers got worse. Morning over 8.0 became more frequent. not much changed in his diet (I am cooking his meals), though I try to be nice (celeriac chips, more veggies…). Any ideas? I need an advice.

Remember that, although food is the main contributor to bg, it can also be affected by about 40 other things such as
Infection
Illness
Medications
Outside temperature
Exercise (or lack of it)
Exercise (intensity or duration)
Stress
Sleep, quality, duration or lack of

Even fasting

Has he perhaps had any of the bugs going Around? My bg always goes up a couple of points if I get a cold, for example