April 5, 2001
Daily Care
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Question from La Mirada, California, USA:
My fasting blood sugar can increase as much as 40 mg/dl [2.2 mmol/L] from 11:30 pm to 6:00 am or it can decrease by 10 to 15 mg/dl [0.6 to 0.8 mmol/L]. What accounts for these swings? How can blood sugar increase while sleeping?
Answer:
From: DTeam Staff
The blood glucose concentration depends on insulin diet and exercise mainly, but also on hormones that the body produces that can counteract the effects of insulin. These hormones, particularly growth hormone, are secreted at night and can affect blood glucose readings. Thus, several factors can affect diabetes control, and it is not always simple to sort out.
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