How Often Should a Diabetic Test Blood Glucose

Originally, blood glucose levels were tested using urine. But urine is not really a reliable indicator of how much glucose is in the blood, merely how much glucose is being expelled from the blood. Fortunately, advances in technology have allowed us to develop simple, direct testing kits for blood glucose levels.

There are two types of test-strip based glucose measurement meters currently available on the consumer market. These glucose meters don't really do much besides read and process the date presented by the test strips. 

One of the types of test strips on the market uses the reaction of blood components with enzymes to make measurements. The meter uses the resulting color produced by this reaction to give a blood sugar reading.

The other type of test strip sends electrons through the blood that is taken. The way the electrons manage to travel through the blood will allow for a calculation of how much glucose is in the blood.

Regardless of which type of glucose testing kit you use, you will want to measure your glucose as much as is necessary to get an idea of how consistent your blood sugar levels are throughout the day. You will find that after a while you will be able to predict your levels intuitively, and then you may only need to test your levels a couple times per day.

Indications that You Should Test Your Glucose Levels

1. If you have type 2 diabetes and your sugar levels have been fairly steady under your current treatment program, you may only need to test your glucose levels before breakfast and dinner. This is particularly true if you eat healthy foods and exercise regularly.

2. However, regardless of whether you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, if you are injecting yourself with insulin you will need to test your levels a little more often, regardless of how you feel. You can't trust how you feel when you are on insulin because the risks are too high. Insulin can cause your glucose levels to reduce just as drastically as sugar can cause your to go up after eating. You at least need to test before every meal and when you go to bed at night.

3. The general rule of thumb is that there is no risk to testing your glucose too often, but there is plenty of risk to not testing often enough. For example, if you mess up with your diet and eat a dessert or animal fats, you may want to test your blood glucose to make sure it is okay.

An important part of diabetes management is regularly testing your blood glucose. With so many meters on the market, it can be challenging to sort through all the options. 

If you have diabetes—regardless of whether it's type 1 or type 2—regular testing of your blood glucose levels is one of the best ways to understand your diabetes. The information you gather will help you understand how medication, food, and activity affect your blood sugar. 

To measure your blood glucose level most people with diabetes use a lancing device to draw a drop of blood from their finger. The blood is then absorbed by a test strip which is inserted into the meter. A few seconds later, your glucose reading will be displayed. 

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