How does blood glucose work?
Blood sugar, or glucose, is the main sugar found in your blood. When you eat or drink, your body breaks down carbohydrates in the food or liquid into sugar for energy.
Then your pancreas produces a hormone called insulin, which helps blood sugar enter your body’s cells. It also helps your body store blood sugar for later use. As the cells use the blood sugar, glucose and insulin levels in the blood decrease.
But with diabetes, your body has trouble regulating glucose. Either your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin, or your body doesn’t process insulin effectively. Therefore, the amount of sugar in your blood is higher than normal. And a lot of glucose in your blood is bad for your body.
A fasting blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose in your blood when it should be at its lowest. That happens in the morning and when you haven’t had anything to eat or drink for a while.
How do I prepare for a fasting blood sugar test?
To prepare for a fasting glucose test, you should have nothing to eat or drink (except water) for 8 to 12 hours. Your healthcare provider will tell you how long to fast.
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What can I expect on the day of the test?
A fasting blood glucose test is often done with a common blood draw. A healthcare provider will:
- Clean the area inside your elbow to kill any germs.
- Tie a band around your upper arm, which will help the veins in your arm fill with blood.
- Insert a clean needle into a vein (which feels like a brief pinch).
- Draw blood into a vial that’s attached to the needle and labeled with your personal information.
- Remove the band and then the needle.
- Put pressure on the needle insertion site to stop the bleeding.
- Place a bandage on the area.
After the test, the healthcare provider will send the blood sample to a lab for testing.
In some cases, your healthcare provider may be able to test your blood sugar with a prick on the finger instead of a needle in the vein. The provider uses a blood glucose monitor and test strip to measure your blood glucose level in the office.
Are there any risks with a fasting blood sugar test?
A blood test is a very common and safe test, with almost no chance of any complications.
