Glycemia FAQs - Understanding Glycemia Levels

Glycemia is the concentration of glucose in the blood. It is usually expressed in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl)] in the US and other countries. It may also be expressed in millimol per decilitre (mmol/dl) especially in Europe.

Glycemia is controlled by several physiological processes. It tends to fluctuate to higher levels after meals, due to the gastric and intestinal absorption of carbohydrates of low molecular weight present in the diet or broken down from other kinds of foodstuffs, such as starches (polysaccharides), and to lower levels with usage by cell metabolism, particularly after stress, temperature regulation and physical exhertion. Another input to glycemia levels is gluconeogenesis, whereby glycogen stored in the liver and skeletal muscles, or aminoacids and lipids are converted to glucose via several metabolic chains. Excess glucose is converted to glycogen or to triglycerides for energy storage.

Glucose is the most important source of metabolic energy for the majority of cells, particularly for some cells (e.g., neurons and erythrocytes) which are almost totally dependent on it. The brain requires a fairly stable glycemia in order to function normally. Concentrations of less than about 30 mg/dl or greater than about 300 mg/dl can produce confusion, unconsciousness and convulsions.

Several hormones are involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism, such as insulin, glucagon (secreted by the pancreas), adrenalin (secreted by the adrenal glands), glucocorticoids and steroid hormones (secreted by the gonads and adrenal glands).

Glycemia fluctuates physiologically within a narrow range. Excessively low levels (e.g. a fasting glycemia of 70 mg/dl or below) are classed as hypoglycemia. These may result from poor diet, or as a side effect of diabetes medication. Excessively high levels (e.g., 250 mg/dl or more) are classed as hyperglycemia and are a particular threat to diabetes sufferers.

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Hyperglycemia - Symptoms And Treatments