Normal Blood Glucose Levels: Diabetes, Prediabetes, and Non-diabetes

Normal blood glucose levels depend not only on your having diabetes. Age, duration of the disease, health conditions, and complications you’ve experienced are significant factors as well. Thus, ideal sugar levels are different for each of us.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) offers standard blood glucose recommendations for people with and without diabetes. Doctors and patients use them to diagnose the disease, monitor whether a treatment is efficient, and take extra measures when necessary.

In the article, we’ll help you get a closer look at the recommendations and existing tests and share how to improve your health using the InRange app for those who have been diagnosed.

Normal sugar level for non-diabetes

When a pancreas makes enough insulin, and a body responds to it healthily, a person has no diabetes.

For most of non-pregnant adults,

• a normal fasting blood sugar level is within a range of 70–100 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter);
• non-fasting levels of sugar are usually <140 mg/dl;
• A1c (your average blood sugar level for 2–3 months) is <5.7%.

Normal sugar level for people with diabetes

Diabetes can be diagnosed when a person has elevated glucose levels. It indicates that a pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or any insulin at all, or a body isn’t responding to the effects of insulin in the proper way.

Type 1 and 2 diabetes

There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.

• T1D occurs when the body does not produce insulin, a hormone necessary for regulating blood sugar levels. People with T1D take insulin injections to keep their sugar levels in check. T1D typically appears during childhood.
  
• T2D, on the other hand, occurs when the body does not utilize insulin correctly. Treatment typically involves a combination of lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, along with medications. T2D diabetes is often diagnosed in adulthood and is becoming increasingly common among young people.

For most of adults with T1D or T2D,

• a normal fasting blood sugar level is between 60 and 130 mg/dl;
• non-fasting sugar levels are usually <180 mg/dl;
• A1c is <7%.

For pregnant with T1D,

• a normal fasting blood sugar level is <95 mg/dl;
• non-fasting sugar levels are usually in a range between 120 and 140 mg/dl;
• A1c is <6%.

Gestational diabetes

It is a form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy in up to 10% of women a year. This condition can lead to health complications for both mother and baby, including preterm delivery, high birth weight, and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Gestational diabetes is often managed through diet, exercise, and insulin therapy.

For gestational diabetes,

• a normal fasting blood sugar level is <95 mg/dl;
• non-fasting sugar levels are usually in a range between 120 and 140 mg/dl;
• The A1c test isn’t effective for diagnosing gestational diabetes as it shows results for the previous 2 or 3 months.

Blood glucose level tests and readings

To check out whether your blood glucose level is normal or not, doctors can offer you one of the several tests used to diagnose and control diabetes.

Below, we offer you general information about the most commonly used tests and their readings. It can be useful for people who suspect they have the disease.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)

With this one, people with diabetes can monitor their blood sugar levels throughout the day and night, thus lowering the use of fingersticks. While a sensor under a person’s skin measures blood sugar, a transmitter sends results to a wearable device. Readings of the test are individual.

It’s an accurate and convenient way to monitor blood glucose changes. All the CGM data can also be sent to a smartphone with a previously loaded diabetes tracker app.

The InRange app helps interpret CGM data.

It offers you TIR (Time-in-Range) monitoring.

You select a period of time, the system analyzes all glucose values by the period, focusing on those within your individual range, and calculates the relative result in percentages.

The higher it is, the better your prognoses are. Low TIR means your lifestyle or treatment plan should be changed, accordingly.

HbA1c (or A1c)

The A1c test is your guide to understanding how well you are managing glucose levels over the long term. It measures your average blood sugar for 2–3 months.

• For non-diabetes, the result is <5,7%.
• For prediabetes, it is from 5.7% to 6.4%.
• For diabetes, it is ⩾6.5%.

If you have diabetes, it’s the best test to monitor progression of the condition and effectiveness of your treatment.

Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)

The FPG test helps check out your sugar level in the morning. To get an exact result, you shouldn’t eat or drink anything except water for a minimum of 8 hours before.

• For non-diabetes, the result is <100 mg/dl.
• For prediabetes, it is in a range between 100 and 125 mg/dl.
• For diabetes, it is ⩾126 mg/dl.

People with diabetes usually take this test every day and write down the results in their diabetes diaries to compare adjacent meanings and see if their lifestyle or treatment plan needs to be changed.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)

The OGTT is a two-hour test used to find out how your body compensates for a spike in glucose. To get exact results, you should go without food for 8 hours. To take the test, a doctor checks out your sugar level before you get a sweet liquid containing ~75 g of glucose and 1, 2, and sometimes 3 hours after you do it.

• For non-diabetes, the results are <140 mg/dl.
• For prediabetes the range is from 140 to 199 mg/dl.
• For diabetes, it is ⩾200 mg/dl.

In some cases, a doctor can offer you a glucose challenge test, a simplified version of OGTT. It doesn’t require staying hungry for the previous 8 hours, and a blood sample is taken only once. The sweet liquid you drink contains ~50 g of glucose instead of ~75 g. If the result of a glucose challenging test is >140 mg/dl, it may become a sign of diabetes—then a doctor offers you an OGTT.

The test is usually taken to confirm a diagnosis after a patient gets an abnormal HbA1c test result.

Random (Casual) Plasma Glucose Test

This test is taken mostly by people who have diabetes several times a day for better managing their condition. All the readings should be saved in a daily record of your blood sugar history to check out the changes, decrease a risk of hypo- and hyperglycemia, and various diabetes complications.

Targets of sugar levels for diabetes are individual, but for non-pregnant adults

• Before a meal (preprandial plasma glucose) the range is 80–130 mg/dl.
• 1–2 hours just after beginning the meal (postprandial plasma glucose) is <180 mg/dl.
• A1C is usually <7% or <154 mg/dl.

Sugar levels may vary. It depends on the time of day, recent food or drink intake, and physical activity. People with diabetes work closely with their healthcare provider to determine what is considered normal for them.

Bonus: how to keep your blood sugar level healthy?

If you have diabetes, or if you are at risk of developing the condition, you should pay much attention to controlling your sugar levels by following your doctor’s individual prescriptions and recommendations.

However, we offer a few general tips to help manage your sugar:

 1. Eat regular meals and snacks. Eating regularly helps prevent big spikes in your sugar levels. Make sure that your meals and snacks are balanced. Choose those including healthy carbohydrates, lean protein, and heart-healthy fats.

 2. Exercise regularly. Physical activity can help you better manage your sugar levels. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on 5 days of the week to keep your sugar in check.

 3. Monitor your blood sugar levels often. Keeping track of your sugar levels on a regular basis is an important part of managing diabetes. Talk to your doctor about appropriate ways to check and monitor your sugar, and do it as often as you need.

 4. Focus on relative results, not only absolute ones. If you use a CGM device and diabetes tracker apps, pay attention to your relative results. It can help you monitor your glucose levels changes over a long period, analyze them, and adjust your lifestyle or treatment to feel better and live longer.

The InRange app is developed for diabetes management.

One of its charts, Avg Glucose, shows glucose values for a selected period (7, 30 or 90 days) and helps users see how their sugar level changes.

Slightly rising and falling levels are normal. Abrupt drops can mean you need to take some measures to feel better.

5. Reduce stress: Stress can have a negative impact on your condition, so finding ways to reduce or manage the stress in your life is important. Consider taking up a relaxing hobby to help keep your stress in check.

By following these tips you can make sure that your blood sugar levels are maintained at healthier levels and reduce the risk of serious complications associated with diabetes.

Wrapping up

1. Over 130 million adults live with prediabetes or diabetes in the US.
2. There are several blood sugar tests. A1c, Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG),  Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), and Random Plasma Glucose Test are the main ones.
3. Normal levels of sugar are individual, but for the majority of non-pregnant adults it is <100 before eating and <140 after eating, while A1c should be <5.7%.
4. Diabetes is diagnosed when your A1c is ⩾6.5%, your OGTT is ⩾200 mg/dl, and your FPG is ⩾126 mg/dl.
5. Random Plasma Sugar Test is taken several times a day, mostly by people who have diabetes.