Exploring the Different Types of Blood Sugar Tests: A Comprehensive Guide

Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels provides vital insights into how the body processes glucose, allowing individuals to make informed dietary and lifestyle choices. Understanding your blood sugar levels is also crucial for managing diabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are elevated. 

Stabilising blood sugar levels is essential for individuals living with diabetes. From traditional finger-prick methods like glucometers to continuous glucose monitors that are attached to the body and monitor your blood sugar day and night, various techniques are used to check blood sugar levels. Maintaining stable blood sugar levels can help you enhance your overall health and reduce the risk of long-term health issues. Let’s understand the different types of diabetes tests.

What Is Blood Sugar and Why Is Maintaining It Important?

Blood glucose, also known as blood sugar, constitutes the main sugar in your blood and serves as the primary energy source for your body. This glucose is generated from the food you consume and is released into the blood. When blood glucose levels rise after a meal, it prompts your pancreas to secrete insulin, a hormone that helps the body cells absorb glucose and convert it into energy.

Types of blood sugar can include high or low blood sugar. If you suffer from high blood sugar levels over a prolonged duration, it indicates that your body either produces insufficient insulin, utilises it less effectively, or does both. Consequently, an excess of glucose remains in your blood and fails to reach your cells. Prolonged elevation of blood glucose levels can lead to diabetes. When diabetes is not controlled or treated soon enough, it can bring with it a myriad of health issues such as eye conditions, skin and mouth conditions, nerve damage, kidney disease, heart disease and stroke. Therefore, it is crucial for individuals with diabetes to monitor their blood glucose as follows and maintain their blood glucose levels within the desired range.

Overview of Different Blood Sugar Tests

Your doctor may recommend to you a variety of tests for the initial diagnosis of diabetes and, thereafter, to help monitor your blood glucose levels. The below charts will help you understand the types of blood glucose tests, their results and what they could indicate. 

1. HBA1C Test

Your doctor uses the HBA1C test to assess your average blood sugar level over the previous 2-3 months. Let’s take a look at what HBA1C values indicate.

Value InferenceBelow 5.7%Normal5.7% - 6.4%PrediabetesHigher than 6.5%Diabetes

Blood sugar or HBA1C levels higher than normal but not enough to be at diabetes levels indicate prediabetes. Prediabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes if blood sugar levels are not controlled.

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Fasting Blood Sugar or FBS Test 

This type of blood sugar test evaluates your blood sugar levels after fasting overnight. Let’s take a look at the range of values you may see on the fasting blood sugar test and what they indicate.

ValueInference99 mg/dLNormalBetween 100 and 125 mg/dLPrediabetesHigher than 126 mg/dLDiabetes

1. Glucose Tolerance Test

This test assesses your blood sugar levels before and after consuming a glucose-based liquid. Prior to the test, you will be asked to fast overnight and have your blood drawn the next morning to determine the fasting blood sugar level. Then, you will be asked to drink the given liquid, and your blood sugar levels will be checked at 1 hour, 2 hours, and possibly 3 hours. The table below shows the range of values for normal, prediabetes, and diabetes.

ValueInference140 mg/dL or lessNormalBetween 140 and 199 mg/dLPrediabetesHigher than 200 mg/dLDiabetes

1. Random Blood Sugar or RBS Test

This is a non-fasting type of blood sugar test, which can be done at any time. A blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL or more indicates diabetes.

If type 1 diabetes is suspected, blood may also be tested for autoantibodies and urine may be tested for ketones as ketones in urine are commonly seen in individuals with type 1 diabetes.

1. Tests for Gestational Diabetes

Elevated level of blood sugar during pregnancy is known as gestational diabetes. Your doctor may recommend one of the following types of sugar tests if you are pregnant and are suspected to have diabetes:

• Glucose challenge test: You will be asked to consume a glucose-containing liquid and your blood sugar levels will be checked in one hour. If your blood sugar is high, you will require a glucose tolerance test to reach an accurate diagnosis of gestational diabetes.
• Oral Glucose tolerance test: This test measures blood sugar before and after consuming a glucose-containing liquid as described earlier. You should consult with your doctor to understand your results.

Tips for Preparing and Taking a Blood Sugar Test

Your preparation before the test depends on the type of blood sugar test your doctor recommends. If your healthcare provider requests a fasting blood glucose test or an oral glucose tolerance test, you must refrain from eating or drinking for at least eight hours before the test. The meal consumed the previous day, certain illnesses and medications can affect blood sugar levels. Other blood glucose tests do not require any special preparations.

After the test, you might experience mild discomfort or bruising at the needle insertion site that will typically resolve on its own. You may feel lightheaded after the oral glucose tolerance test; therefore, the doctor might recommend arranging for someone to accompany you home. 

Book Fasting Blood Sugar Test Online at Home With Orange Health Labs

You can quickly book different types of blood sugar tests online with Orange Health Labs. This allows you to get tested at home easily. Some steps you can follow to make an appointment are: 

• Open the “Orange Health” site.
• Click on “Lab tests.”
• You can then go ahead and select one of the many types of glucose tests based on the recommendation by your doctor. This way of testing is convenient and quicker. 

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Blood glucose tests including fasting blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance, and non-fasting tests play a critical role in diagnosing diabetes and monitoring blood sugar levels. These tests are vital in assessing overall health, guiding treatment plans, and preventing potential complications associated with high blood sugar levels. Regular glucose monitoring is one of the best practices that will allow you to lead a happy and healthy life if you have diabetes or are at risk of diabetes.