I am a newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic and doing research into how to manage everything. I keep seeing to keep blood sugar under 180mg/dl and damage starts there. But why?
Wouldn’t everyone be different? Also what is so damaging at that number? I understand the damage to the kidneys overworking to clean the sugar out but why would it hurt blood vessels in the extremities and eyes?
Is it just that the sugar thickens the blood too much or something?
Basically I understand that high blood sugar causes damage but why? And why specifically at 180mg/dl?
In: Biology
Also type1 here. No insulin means your body cant use glucose for energy, it can only use stored fat it burns. This produces ketones, acids that end up in your blood. Staying high, like 300+ for too long will turn your blood to acid and your organs will start shutting down. It feels about how it sounds, last time I lost my insurance I lasted 11 days before I could barely walk across a room and I was throwing up everywhere, shit myself and forgot who my wife and child were. Dam near died, probably should have.
So while the sugar does do some damage, it takes a while, and the more immediate effects are much more dangerous in the short term. Also 180 is pretty high, you should shoot for around 100. Get a dexcom continuous blood sugar monitor, it makes it much easier than those shitty finger sticks
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