What is the sugar check?

Sugary foods have become a staple in the diet of many people in the UK. The recommended daily intake of sugar is under 30g while the average individual in the UK consumes approximately 100g. Along with increasing the risk of tooth decay, excess dietary sugar can have serious effects on health, particularly your risk of heart disease, stroke and developing type-2 diabetes. The sugar check measures the level of key markers of type 2 diabetes: glucose, insulin and HbA1c.

Diabetes is a condition characterised by high blood sugar. Sugar levels are regulated by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin production and your body’s ability to use it is reduced in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively. Glucose is the main sugar circulating in the blood which is broken down from the foods you eat. When levels exceed energy requirements, glucose binds to haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is vital for red blood cells (RBCs), the cells responsible for carrying oxygen in the blood. The complex of glucose and haemoglobin is called haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and the formation is irreversible.

The HbA1c level indicates the average blood glucose over the past 3 months as this is how long RBCs live for. Blood glucose levels are typically high in people with diabetes resulting in elevated HbA1c. Glucose is a short-term marker of blood sugar levels given it fluctuates hugely throughout a single day. Hyperglycaemia occurs when blood sugar levels are too high, and hypoglycaemia occurs when blood sugar levels are too low. Hyperglycaemia is particularly common in people with diabetes as their body’s either do not produce sufficient insulin or are insulin resistant.

Type 2 diabetes is a result of the body becoming resistant to insulin, elevating blood sugar levels. If this resistance is not too severe, the pancreas can counteract it by producing more insulin. If this is the case then it is known as a ‘prediabetic’ state, where further development of insulin resistance could result in type 2 diabetes. Prediabetic individuals may be able to prevent the development of diabetes by changing their diet and lifestyle.

Symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst/hunger, fatigue, blurred vision, sweet-smelling breath, tingling of the extremities, weight changes and nausea.  

Why take the test?

This test measures the level of HbA1c, blood glucose and insulin. It can be used to help detect prediabetes, diagnose diabetes type-2 or monitor a patient already diagnosed with diabetes. If you think you are prediabetic, this test can help guide diet and lifestyle changes to prevent further disease development.