THE MOLECULE

Glucose is the body's fuel

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Fuel

Cells burn glucose for energy. The brain depends on a steady supply

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Insulin

A hormone that helps cells take glucose in, which lowers blood glucose

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Balance

In a healthy body, insulin and other hormones keep glucose within a narrow band

Diabetes is what happens when that balance control breaks down.

DIABETES

When the control breaks

Type 1 The body stops making insulin, so it must be replaced by injection or a pump

Type 2 Cells respond poorly to insulin, and over time the body may not make enough

The goal Keep glucose in a healthy range by balancing food, activity, and medication

You can only balance what you can measure, which is why sensors matter.

THE NUMBERS

What is a normal glucose?

Glucose is reported in mg/dL in the U.S. and in mmol/L in much of the world. Divide mg/dL by about 18 to get mmol/L. A typical fasting level without diabetes is roughly 70 to 99 mg/dL.

Most CGM users aim to spend as much of the day as possible between 70 and 180 mg/dL.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Too low is fast, too high is slow

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Too low

Below 70 mg/dL can cause shakiness and confusion, and severe lows can cause seizures or loss of consciousness within hours

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Too high

Years of high glucose damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart

Lows are the urgent danger, and highs are the long-term one.

TWO WAYS TO LOOK

A snapshot or a movie

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Fingerstick

A drop of blood on a test strip gives one number, at one moment

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CGM

A continuous glucose monitor reads automatically every few minutes and shows the trend

Glucose moves all day with meals, exercise, stress, and insulin, so a single reading can miss the story.

UNIT 1 STUDY COMPLETE

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Ready for the Fab Challenge?

You've covered what glucose is, what the numbers mean, and why people measure it so often.