Measuring blood sugar several times a day ensures a more accurate assessment of the pre-diabetic condition, which is widespread.
The values of glucose in the blood vary by day and night and are affected by the food we eat, activity, hormones and health. Glucose levels above and below certain levels can damage organs.
According to researchers at Stanford University, blood glucose levels are often not within normal limits.
The most common way to measure blood sugar is to do a fasting blood test that will reveal the glucose level. Another option is to test the levels of glycated hemoglobin "HbA1C" , which reflects the average blood glucose for the last 3 months. However, none of these tests reveal changes in blood sugar that occur throughout the day.
Monitoring of glucose levels at regular intervals several times a day in healthy people shows that fluctuations in blood sugar occur frequently. Prof. Michael Snyder's team reveals that people can be classified into three separate types: those in which glucose levels do not vary much; those in which the blood sugar jumps frequently and others in which the blood sugar levels are neither stable nor have such large peaks as in the second group.
To assess how different people react to the same food, the study team provided participants with three types of snacks: cornflakes with milk, peanut butter bread, and a healthy bar.
The team creates food forecasting models that personally affect everyone. The results show that frequently consumed foods such as cornflakes cause a high glycemic jump in most participants.
The researchers plan to deepen the identification of the physiological causes of glucose deregulation . This includes not only genetic changes, but also the study of the microbiome, the functions of the pancreas, liver and others. So scientists hope to find a way to prevent diabetes and related cardiovascular disease.