Blood glucose and blood sugar both refer to the same thing

Blood glucose and blood sugar both refer to the same thing

Blood glucose and blood sugar are interchangeable terms, and both are crucial to the health of the body; especially for people with diabetes.

Most diabetics will be familiar with the terms blood glucose, blood glucose test, blood glucose level and blood glucose meter, but what does blood glucose really mean? Why do blood sugar levels need to be controlled?

What are blood glucose levels?

Blood sugar levels are literally the amount of glucose in the blood, sometimes called the serum glucose level. Usually, this amount is expressed as millimoles per litre (mmol/l) and stay stable amongst people without diabetes at around 4-8mmol/L.

Spikes in blood sugar will occur following meals, and levels will usually be at their lowest in the early mornings. When it comes to people with diabetes, blood sugar fluctuates more widely.