• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Question about measuring blood sugar after a meal

DavyJones

Well-Known Member
Messages
48
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
I was wondering, why do we measure glucose 2h after the first bite, and not 1h? Doesn't blood sugar spike the most 1h after consumption?
 
I was wondering, why do we measure glucose 2h after the first bite, and not 1h? Doesn't blood sugar spike the most 1h after consumption?
For me, it lets me know my body's doing what it should, and can cope with what I put in there. I know it goes up after a meal; what I want to know is whether it will come down properly and promptly after that.
 
It is because it is thought that normally by two hours blood sugars should have returned to near normal levels or at least back down to where they where at before eating.
 
From what i understand even a none diabetic can spike after a meal, espicaily one high in carbs.

The glucose response test allows for a spike within the hour for a normal patient (still with an upper limit) but i should revert back within 2 hours.
OGTT-graph.png
 
Today my blood sugars were 10.0 before breakfast and 1 hour after it was 14.9 so I find if I test after 1 hour it will show the rise and after 2 hours it will go down and 3-4 hours I'm back to a stable level. I have tested 4-5 hours too its up to you really and if you have enough test strips.
 
Yes, everyone will have raised blood sugar levels after eating. The trick is to return to base as quickly as possible. 2 hours is generally the time when this should happen depending on what was eaten. You can test at any time you wish, but you need to keep records, be consistent in your testing, and watch for trends rather than the odd outliers.
 
I often test at 1 hour to ensure that I'm not going over 11.0 mmol/l, the logic being that if under 11.0, then it will be lower at 2 hours.
If I do go over 11.0, then I alter what I'm eating to avoid that in the future.
 
From what i understand even a none diabetic can spike after a meal, espicaily one high in carbs.

The glucose response test allows for a spike within the hour for a normal patient (still with an upper limit) but i should revert back within 2 hours.
OGTT-graph.png
Have you got a reference for that graph, I would like to read some more about it?
 
I was wondering, why do we measure glucose 2h after the first bite, and not 1h? Doesn't blood sugar spike the most 1h after consumption?
It seems that 2 hrs is a go to time for most. Maybe actually give some consideration for the meal you’re eating. A meal high in fat will affect BS over a longer period of time.
 
It seems that 2 hrs is a go to time for most. Maybe actually give some consideration for the meal you’re eating. A meal high in fat will affect BS over a longer period of time.
For you maybe? not necessarily for all..
 
https://laboratoryinfo.com/glucose-...inciple-procedure-indications-interpretation/

Its from a "how to" about the glucose response test. Not sure if interpretation changes by country but it reads as a fairly logical document
Seeing that graph reminded me that when I started working in a Biochemistry laboratory, we used to measure blood sugar every 30 minutes for 2 hours and collected urine at hourly intervals.
Diagnostic criteria have changed since then and only the fasting and 2 hour are required and I don't think urine is tested at all.
How times change :)
 
For you maybe? not necessarily for all..
Yes, anyone who, like me, suffers from delayed stomach emptying (gastroparesis), which is said to be a common result of long-term elevated bg, may see their bg fall 1 hour after a meal and even 2 hours after, only to rise at 3 or 4. Unfortunately the length of the delay is unpredictable, which must make bolusing insulin for meals very awkward. IMO when starting testing it is a good idea to test at 1 hour and then again at 2 hours and so on until the bg has gone back to the pre meal level.
 
Hi,

My non D wife & I have done a couple of comparisons over the same meal... One from memory saw her spike in the mid sevens..
Whilst I hit 6.4 with the advantage of some "clever" bolusing for my meal..

Though my wife also took the her own advantage demolishing a 200g? bag of chocolate raisins..

I feel it's "apples & oranges" regarding type of meds used. In conjunction with indevidual metabolism, & of course the type of diet that compliments the meds.
... If meds are used at all.

In short, it's all about staying in range & gauging correctly.

Yes, anyone who, like me, suffers from delayed stomach emptying (gastroparesis), which is said to be a common result of long-term elevated bg, may see their bg fall 1 hour after a meal and even 2 hours after, only to rise at 3 or 4. Unfortunately the length of the delay is unpredictable, which must make bolusing insulin for meals very awkward. IMO when starting testing it is a good idea to test at 1 hour and then again at 2 hours and so on until the bg has gone back to the pre meal level.

The subject of bolusing for meals is a sepperate subject & not in keeping with the requirements of the OP on this topic.

"Apples & oranges." ;) (Or oranges & orange juice...)
 
Back
Top