Fasting before a blood test: What you need to know
- Category: Diabetes
- Date: 05-01-2021
Blood sugar tends to peak about an hour after eating and declines after that.
The body needs glucose o function and this glucose comes from the food we eat. After a meal, sugar levels in blood rise and usually peaking after about an hour follwong a meal. A hormone (chemical) called insulin, produced by the pancrease, lowers blood sugar. Fasting blood sugar levels (taken between meals) indicate how the body manages sugar. High levels fasting blood sugar levles suggest that the is not able to lower sugar levels which could be mean one has diabetes.
A fasting blood glucose test is recommended to be done at least 8 hours after the last meal. Therefore it is best done in first thing the morning so that one avoids having to fast during day time.