Endocrine System, Part 1 - Glands & Hormones: Crash Course Anatomy & Physiology #23 [831a1b]
Post Time: 2025-07-29
Maintaining a healthy blood sugar range is crucial for optimal health, and knowing what constitutes a normal or abnormal level is essential. The American Diabetes Association recommends the following ranges:
- Fasting blood glucose (FBG): Less than 100 mg/dL
- Postprandial blood glucose: Less than 140 mg/dL
- Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c): Below 5.7%
The Dangers of High Blood Sugar Ranges
When your body produces too much insulin, it can lead to high blood sugar levels. Prolonged exposure to high blood sugar ranges can cause damage to organs and tissues, increasing the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and vision loss.
One way to understand how these numbers impact our bodies is by examining the fluctuations in blood sugar that occur throughout the day. Normally, your body's natural response to a meal or snack would be an increase in insulin production followed by a drop back down to normal levels after about 2 hours. However, some individuals may experience higher peaks and prolonged periods of high glucose.
What Causes Fluctuations in Your Blood Sugar Range?
Factors that contribute to fluctuations include:
- Diet: Consuming high-glycemic foods like refined carbohydrates can cause spikes
- Exercise: Insufficient physical activity or excessive exercise can impact insulin sensitivity
- Stress: Cortisol, a hormone released during stress, raises blood sugar levels
For instance, did you know that even seemingly healthy choices like consuming fruit juice can raise your glucose levels? This is due to the natural sugars present in these beverages. Therefore, it's essential to choose healthier alternatives or consume them with caution.
Why Maintaining a Stable Blood Sugar Range Is Crucial
A stable blood sugar range has far-reaching benefits for both physical and mental health:
- Reduced risk of chronic diseases
- Improved energy levels and cognitive function
- Enhanced athletic performance
On the other hand, neglecting to regulate your blood sugar can lead to negative outcomes such as fatigue, weight gain, mood swings, or even organ damage. Understanding how stress impacts our body's natural balance helps us find healthier coping mechanisms.
Blood Sugar Range and Diabetes: What You Should Know
Did you know that maintaining a healthy range is especially crucial for individuals with diabetes? People with type 2 often experience insulin resistance due to various factors like age, genetics, or an unhealthy lifestyle. To better manage the condition:
- Monitor blood sugar frequently
- Adhere to medication as prescribed by your doctor
- Make smart dietary choices
When it comes down to maintaining a stable range while pregnant, there's no one-size-fits-all solution; each case is unique and requires close monitoring with a healthcare provider.
How Sleep Affects Your Blood Sugar Range and What You Can Do
Sleeping disorders or short sleep duration can disrupt glucose control. Aim for 7-8 hours of restful sleep per night to help keep your blood sugar levels stable:
- Practice consistent bedtime routines
- Limit caffeine consumption in the afternoon
- Create a dark, quiet environment
Maintaining healthy ranges requires patience and education about managing factors like stress or diet; tracking progress is an essential step towards informed decision-making.
Hank begins teaching you about your endocrine system by explaining how it uses glands to produce hormones. These hormones are either amino-acid based and water soluble, or steroidal and lipid-soluble, and may target many types of cells or just turn on specific ones. He will also touch on hormone cascades, and how the HPA axis affects your stress response. Pssst... we made flashcards to help you review the content in this episode! Find them on the free Crash Course App! Download it here for Apple Devices: Download it here for Android Devices: Chapters: Introduction: What are Hormones? 00:00 Endocrine System 1:48 Glands & Organs of the Endocrine System 2:42 Hormones Trigger Reactions in Target Cells 3:33 Water Soluble vs Lipid Soluble Hormones 4:16 How the Pancreas Regulates Blood Sugar 5:09 Hormone Cascades 6:05 Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis 6:30 Review 9:15 Credits 9:48 *** Crash Course is now on Patreon! You can support us directly by signing up at Thanks to the following Patrons for their generous monthly contributions that help keep Crash Course free for everyone forever: Mark Brouwer, Jan Schmid, Steve Marshall, Anna-Ester Volozh, Sandra Aft, Brad Wardell, Christian Ludvigsen, Robert Kunz, Jason, A Saslow, Jacob Ash, Jeffrey does heat raise blood sugar Thompson, Jessica Simmons, James Craver, Simun Niclasen, SR Foxley, Roger C. Rocha, Nevin, Spoljaric, Eric Knight, Elliot Beter, Jessica Wode ***SUBBABLE MESSAGES*** TO: Laura Hewett FROM: Amy Paez Greetings from the other side of the world! DFTBA -- TO: Wesley FROM: G Distance is created by the Desert Otherworld, therefore we shall not be destroyed. ***SUPPORTER THANK YOU!*** Thank you so much to all of our awesome supporters for their contributions to help make Crash Course possible and freely available for everyone forever: Mickey Maloney, Dan Smalley, Stephen medicine to lower blood sugar DeCubellis, Vanessa Benavent, Andrew Galante, LankySam!, David Costello, Vanessa Benavent, Kenzo Yasuda, Tessa White -- Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet? Facebook - Twitter - Tumblr - Support blood sugar 600 symptoms Crash Course on Patreon: CC Kids: