Your blood glucose (sugar) levels are a critical part of your overall health and your body’s ability to function properly.
For those of us with diabetes, striving to achieve “normal” blood sugar levels is a constant, hour-by-hour pursuit. And it isn’t easy.
In this article, we’ll look at normal blood sugar levels and goal ranges for people without diabetes and recommended blood sugar goals for people with prediabetes, type 1 diabetes, and type 2 diabetes.
Table of Contents
- Normal blood sugar ranges in people without diabetes (chart)
- Recommended blood sugar ranges in people with diabetes (chart)
- How do you know what your blood glucose level is?
- Diagnosing prediabetes, type 1, and type 2 diabetes
- Your A1c and blood sugar goals
- Your blood sugar isn’t just because of what you eat
- Final thoughts: Still frustrated with your blood sugar and A1c results?
Normal blood sugar ranges in people without diabetes (chart)
For a person without any type of diabetes, blood sugar levels are generally between 70 to 99 mg/dL (3.9 to 5.5 mmol/L) fasting and under 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) after a meal.
Here are the normal blood sugar ranges for a person without diabetes according to the NIH:
Fasting Blood Sugar (e.g., In the Morning Before Eating) | Less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) |
1 to 2 Hours After a Meal | Less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) |
2 to 3 Hours After a Meal | Less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) |
Recommended blood sugar ranges in people with diabetes (chart)
Here are the generally recommended blood sugar ranges for a person with diabetes according to the ADA:
Fasting Blood Sugar (e.g., In the Morning Before Eating) | 80 to 130 mg/dL (4.4 to 7.2 mmol/L) |
1 to 2 Hours After a Meal | Less than 180 mg/dL (10.0 mmol/L) |
Learn more about fasting and after-meal blood sugar levels in: Blood Sugar Chart: Blood Sugar and A1c Targets.
How do you know what your blood glucose level is?
Unless it’s fairly high or low, you generally can’t feel what your blood sugar level is. And in fact, you may not even be able to tell from physical symptoms when it is high or low.
The best way to know your blood sugar level is to either check it with a traditional glucose meter or use a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) device.
For a glucose meter, you do a finger-stick with a lancet, put a drop of blood onto a test strip, and then insert the strip into the meter for a reading. With a CGM, readings are taken from the interstitial fluid (the fluid between the cells) about every 5 minutes via a sensor inserted just under the skin.
Diagnosing prediabetes, type 1, and type 2 diabetes
The following are tests that may be used by your healthcare provider to determine if you have diabetes:
Tests used to diagnose diabetes
Fasting plasma glucose test
This test measures your glucose level at a single point in time, typically after you have been fasting (nothing to eat or drink except water) for at least 8 hours.
Random glucose test
This test measures your glucose level at a single point in time and may be given at any time, whether you have fasted or not.
Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)
For this test, you will have a blood sample taken after fasting for at least 8 hours. Next, you will drink a liquid high in sugar and will have another blood sample taken after 2 hours to see how your blood glucose levels have changed.
(In those who are pregnant, glucose will be checked every hour for 2 to 3 hours to test for gestational diabetes.)
A1c test
This blood test reflects your average glucose levels over the previous 2 to 3 months. You can eat and drink prior to having an A1c test.
A repeat of these tests is typically required to confirm a diabetes diagnosis.
Test results for diagnosing diabetes (chart)
The following blood sugar and A1c results (a measure of glucose control over the previous 2 to 3 months) are used to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes, according to the ADA:
A1c | Fasting Glucose | 2 Hours After a Meal | |
Prediabetes | 5.7 to 6.4 percent | 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) | 140 mg/dL to 199 mg to dL (7.8 to 11.1 mmol/L) |
Diabetes (type 1 or type 2) | 6.5 percent or higher | 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or higher | 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher |
Learn more about diagnosing diabetes in: Types of Diabetes.
Please note: Type 1 diabetes tends to develop very quickly, which means that by the time symptoms are felt, blood sugar levels are often well above 200 mg/dL all the time. For many people, symptoms come on so quickly that they are dismissed as a lingering flu or another seemingly ordinary virus.
By the time blood sugar levels are checked, many people with undiagnosed type 1 diabetes may have levels above 400 mg/dL or higher.
If you suspect that you or a loved one has type 1 diabetes, visit your primary care or urgent care immediately and ask for a urine test to measure ketones in addition to checking blood sugar levels and A1c.
Read more about ketones at diagnosis in: How to Avoid Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA).
Your A1c and blood sugar goals
Managing any type of diabetes is far more complicated than giving a person some insulin and telling them to keep their blood sugars within X and X mg/dL. If you’ve lived with diabetes for more than a few days, you probably already know this.
What is A1c?
“A1c, also known as hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin, or glycohemoglobin, is a blood test that measures your average blood sugar over the last 2 to 3 months,” explains Christel Oerum, MS, in Diabetes Strong’s guide to lowering your A1c.
Although the test reflects the glucose attached to hemoglobin (the protein in your red blood cells) over the past 2 to 3 months, the blood sugar levels in the 2 weeks leading up to your A1c test influence the results the most. Essentially, higher blood sugar levels during this period result in more glucose binding to hemoglobin.
Translating your A1c to a blood sugar level
Using this simple calculator from the ADA, you can translate your most recent A1c result to an “eAG,” or “estimated average glucose level.”
You can also use this translation when working to improve your A1c and achieve closer to normal blood sugar levels.
For instance, if you know an A1c of 6.0 percent equates to an average blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L), then you can look at your current blood sugar results on your CGM and meter and pinpoint what time of day you’re frequently higher than that level.
A1c | eAG |
6 percent | 126 mg/dL |
7 percent | 154 mg/dL |
8 percent | 183 mg/dL |
9 percent | 212 mg/dL |
10 percent | 240 mg/dL |
11 percent | 269 mg/dL |
12 percent | 298 mg/dL |
Normal blood sugar levels in a person without diabetes can result in an A1c of 5.6 percent or lower.
Just a decade or two ago, it was rare for a person with type 1 diabetes to achieve an A1c result below 6.0 percent.
Thanks to new and improved insulin and better technology like CGMs, smarter insulin pumps, and hybrid closed-loop technology (which allows some insulin doses to be automatically delivered), more people with diabetes are now able to safely achieve A1c levels in the higher 5 percent range.
Why your A1c matters
In a nutshell: Your A1c is one of the clearest indicators of your risk for developing diabetes complications like neuropathy (nerve damage), retinopathy (a type of eye disease), nephropathy (kidney disease), cardiovascular disease, and severe infection in any part of your body that requires healing.
For instance, a small cut on your toe could become infected due to high blood sugars, struggle to heal, and become severe enough that the infection could require an amputation.
The general guidelines from the ADA recommend an A1c level of less than 7.0 percent to help prevent diabetes-related complications. Lowering your A1c closer to 6.0 percent may further reduce the risk of microvascular complications (those impacting the small blood vessels), such as those affecting the eyes (retinopathy), kidneys (nephropathy), and nerves (neuropathy).
Some people with diabetes aim for A1c levels in the 5s and lower — especially those who follow strict low-carb diets like the ketogenic diet and the Bernstein diet. However, this hasn’t been proven in research as especially necessary, nor is it reasonably achievable for the larger population of people with diabetes.
It’s also important to remember that your blood sugar levels and your A1c are just information that tells you whether your body needs changes in factors like insulin, other diabetes medications like metformin, your nutrition, or your physical activity.
If you don’t like the number you’re seeing on your glucose meter or your A1c results, use that number as motivation to make changes (with the support of your diabetes healthcare team) in how you safely manage your diabetes in order to get different results.
Determining the right A1c goal for you
Just because a blood sugar range of 70 to 130 mg/dL (3.9 to 7.2 mmol/L) is considered the healthiest for people with diabetes doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the appropriate goal range for you — especially if you have type 1 diabetes, or take insulin as a person with type 2 diabetes.
The reason this may not be the right goal for you is that extremely tight blood sugar management in people taking insulin can potentially lead to frequent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which can be dangerous.
Achieving extremely tight blood sugar management also generally requires a strict nutrition plan, very frequent blood sugar monitoring, precise medication management, and, often, years of experience studying your blood sugar levels.
Your A1c goals should be set in close consultation with your medical team, who can help balance the benefits and risks of different targets based on your health status, lifestyle, and preferences.
Older adults with cognitive or functional limitations or severe comorbidities (major additional health issues) may have a less-stringent A1c goal of less than 8 percent.
It is also worth noting that your A1c targets can change over time as your diabetes management evolves.
A1c goals should be individualized
“A1c goals should be individualized based on the individual capabilities, risks, and prior experiences,” explains Gary Scheiner, MS, CDCES, founder of Integrated Diabetes and author of Think Like a Pancreas.
“For example, we generally aim for very tight A1c levels during pregnancy and more conservative targets in young children and the elderly.”
Scheiner highlights important factors that could justify aiming for a higher A1c, like hypoglycemia unawareness, a condition in which a person with diabetes no longer feels the typical warning signs of low blood sugar.
Hypoglycemia unawareness can put you at significant risk for severe low blood sugars that have the potential to be life-threatening. To reduce that risk, you would aim for higher target blood sugar ranges.
“Someone with significant hypoglycemia unawareness and a history of severe lows should target higher blood glucose levels than someone who can detect and manage their lows more effectively,” adds Scheiner.
“And certainly, someone who has been running A1cs in double digits [like 10 percent or higher] for quite some time should not be targeting an A1c of 6 percent … better to set modest, realistic, achievable goals.”
Read about reducing your A1c in: How to Lower Your A1c and How to Lower A1c Naturally.
Your blood sugar isn’t just because of what you eat
It’s easy to believe that your blood sugar levels are impacted only by what you eat and how much you exercise, but people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who check their blood sugars frequently could tell you otherwise.
It’s especially important to keep this in mind when looking at your own blood sugars and your goals, because there are certain variables and challenges that impact blood sugar levels that you can’t always control.
For example:
- Menstrual cycles: often raise blood sugar and insulin needs
- Adrenaline rushes from competitive sports, heated arguments, roller coaster rides, and other intense situations: raise blood sugar and insulin needs
- The common cold and other illnesses: usually raise blood sugar and insulin needs
- Hormonal changes due to puberty and healthy growth in young adults: raise blood sugar and insulin needs
- An injury that increases overall inflammation levels: raises blood sugar and insulin needs
- Gluconeogenesis during anaerobic exercise: raises blood sugar and insulin needs
While you can’t necessarily prevent these factors that affect your blood sugar from occurring, you can work with your diabetes healthcare team to adjust your insulin, other diabetes medications, nutrition, and activity levels to help compensate for them when they do occur.
For example, when engaging in anaerobic exercise such as weightlifting, many people with type 1 diabetes find it necessary to take a small bolus of insulin prior to or during their workout because anaerobic exercise can actually raise blood sugar.
Final thoughts: Still frustrated with your blood sugar and A1c results?
Your blood sugars and your insulin or medication needs never stay in one place. If you gain weight or lose weight, your insulin and medication needs will change. If you become more active or less active, your needs will change. If you make drastic or even small changes to your nutrition, your needs will change.
Working with your diabetes healthcare team and diabetes coaches who can teach you how to make changes in your overall diabetes management plan is essential. Diabetes is a lifelong learning process.
Take a deep breath and be patient. If you don’t like what you’re seeing on your glucose meter, don’t get mad … get studying! Take good notes and work with your team to make changes to reach your goals.
Manalo,marc
Hi i went to a doctor and do the bloodtest for my bloodsugar it 6.3, since i find out that im prediabetic start reducing eating,take a walk 30-45mins.my weight 64 kls. Become 60 kls. And for 14 days everymorning wake up check my sugar fr 5.7,4.9,5.7,5.2,3.8,5.0,5.6,5.1,5.3,5.7,5.2, until 4.8 to 4.7 and im confuse whats that it mean please.thanks.
Christel Oerum
Great that you’re making positive changes for your health! Your doctor will have to continue to monitor your A1C percentage (3-month average) when you go in for visits and I’d suggest you continue to measure your blood sugars as directed by your doctor.
As described in the article non-diabetic fasting blood sugars should be under 100 mg/dL which is 5.6 mmol/L (the measure you’re using). Most of your blood sugars fall below, which is amazing, it’s a good indicator that you’re doing the right things for your health
sandi
What happens when your A1c and insulin are in normal range but you glucose levels are high?
Christel Oerum
Your A1c is an average of your blood sugars for the last 3 months. That means that if your blood sugars are consistently high it will lead to a elevated A1C
lubna
I am having symptoms of dizziness, shakiness, light headed, bran forging specially right after eating carbs, even one hours after workout and if i missed my meal times which are very much fixed. done the test and doctor told me all ok. but i have same symptoms.
HBA1C is 5.2%/
Fasting blood glucose is 86.9mg/dl and insulin is 5.33uIU/ml
after one hour of 75g glucose drink – blood glucose is 91.5mg/dl and insulin is 40.48 uIU/ml
after 2 hour of 75g glucose drink – blood glucose is 76.7mg/dl and insulin is 27.86 uIU/ml
Christel Oerum
It’s frustrating if you don’t feel well and your doctor won’t listen. I can’t add anything that would help you with a diagnosis except for suggesting that you see another doctor (if you can)
Babatunde
I need your advice my blood sugars range is between 125 to 135 what do I do and I don’t want to take drugs.
Christel Oerum
We have a few articles on the website on how to lower blood sugars, here are a few, and you can use the search functionality to look for more:
https://diabetesstrong.com/how-to-lower-your-a1c/
https://diabetesstrong.com/how-to-lower-your-blood-sugar-with-exercise/
https://diabetesstrong.com/type-2-diabetes/
Glory
Hi,
I’m very confused. I never worried about diabetes until my one hour test came positive during pregnancy but my two hour test was negative so I wasn’t diagnosed with gestational diabetes but since then I started checking my BG repeatedly. My A1c was 4.4 after delivery but whenever I check my BG 2 hours after eating it is very high almost reaching 180 or 200 sometimes after having large portion of rice… so I’m very confused. My fasting BG stays between 78 to 110. Please help me what should I do?
Christel Oerum
I would raise your concern with your doctor during your next visit and ask for an A1C test just to be sure everything is within range. Blood sugar fluctuations are normal, even if you don’t live with diabetes, and as long as your body brings down your numbers by itself your system is most likely working as it should
Glory
Thanks
Katrina Sengupta
I suggest you go to an endocrinologist to have them check. They’ll be better suited to help you. But rice is a carb which will raise your BG levels.
SomeGuy
Have you tried cutting out refined carbohydrates like rice? I am not a Dr. but found that my blood sugar spikes after eating rice (same numbers as you, even closer to 300 at one point). If I eat foods with a low Net Cards (beans/veggies/etc) or have a small portion of rice, with a higher portion of fat, my blood sugar stays in check. I can only give you anecdotal evidence, but cutting out refined carbs has changed my life for the better!!
Julian
Rice has the ability to spike BG really high. My BG have eating something like pasta or potatoes is only about 130. 1 cup of rice and I can see number over 300. I am type 2 so rice is something the I only eat small amounts of very rarely you may have to make a similar change. It is good to learn what elevates your BG and what doesn’t/
Edward Hurt
Hello,
I got diagnosed with type two diabetics about three months ago. I started eating healthy and exercising 2 times a day about 5 days a week. My numbers are looking great for dinner, lunch, and throughout the day, but breakfast is another story. I eating a healthy balance meal, but numbers tend to reach between 150 and 170 mg. I am thinking of trying exercise before eating. Do you have any suggestions?
Christel Oerum
That’s great! Well done on making progress that works for you. The general recommendation is that your blood sugars should be back below 180 mg/dL 2 hours after meals, and sounds like you’re already achieving that. However, utilizing exercise is also a great idea. You could add a 20-30-min walk after your breakfast or another type of cardio (such as biking, jogging, swimming)
Yousef
I am 35 and I am recently diagnosed with diabetes. When i wake up in the morning my sugar level is betwen 110-130. One hour after break fast it is between 140-160. Does it mean i am on the border line ?. Does digestive system symptoms temporary increase blood sugar?
Christel Oerum
Just looking at your post-breakfast blood sugars won’t tell you the whole picture. If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes your doctor should have looked at several different markers, such as your A1C, fasting blood sugars, and antibodies/c-peptides.
I’d suggest you follow your doctor’s guidance on how to manage your blood sugars. Write down your blood sugar patterns and bring them to your next doctor’s visit, that way he/she can better help you adjust your care.
I’m not sure what you mean by digestive symptoms…
James
It’s amazing how many “experts” that write these articles tell you to “work with your team, call your doctor, explain to your healthcare provider, etc., etc., etc.” Where do these people even live?, in doctor land I’m guessing. Who can just pick up their phone and call them?? No one I know. Things take weeks, months with doctors. Please stop putting out that type of information. Unless you’re wealthy or know someone, well, you can figure out the real outcome.
Christel Oerum
Most of us who write here on Diabetes Strong live with diabetes ourselves. Every article is researched but we approach the subjects from the perspective of someone living with diabetes as well. If you want to learn more about us all you have to do is scroll down to read our bios.
We can not and should not give medical advice here, so we always have to refer you back to your doctor. If your current doctor can’t get back to you for weeks and you can’t change doctor, you might want to consider finding another solution. That could be seeing a diabetes educator or finding a doctor in your state that accepts remote patients.
Lidia Jazzie Ortiz
thank you, because my primary books appointments on a quarterly I need a new doctor
Thomas Merthen
I am with you 100%. I have been seeking the elusive “team” for >10 years with no luck.
Mary
Try a small family clinic, usually found in small towns. Many of them are the know you by face, same day appointment types and also tend to have a great bedside manor as well.
Katrina sengupta
First and foremost that comment wasn’t necessary. I needed to speak with an Endocrinologist since I finished chemotherapy March 2019. My primary care physician placed me on diabetic medications, but my numbers weren’t coming down. I decided in March of 2020 to find an endocrinologist to handle my diabetes. I had my doctor send referrals and everything even though my insurance card said no referrals necessary. From March 2020 until my Appointment November 2020 I found my Endocrinologist. You have to advocate for yourself, search for an endocrinologist especially during the pandemic. I see my Endocrinologist every 3 months but no it’s video and I do my labs every 3 months because I have standing orders to go do my labs. Advocate , search and stay on top of your diabetes.
Hayashi
I just pick up the phone and get an appointment with my doctor either the same week or the next. I also have normal insurance. I got my A1C checked 3 days after calling. Try going to a clinic that handles diabetes vs a hospital.
Anthony
I work out frequently and have never had an issues with diabetes. I was in the middle of a few weeks of keto and 16 hour fasts. I did a random lab panel after dropping a good amount of weight and came back with a fasting bg 106 (though I had been drinking coffee, black it was 9 am) my doctor sent me the pre diabetic pamphlet, should I be concerned. Just ate a small McDonald’s meal with my kid and 2 hours later my bg is 104.
Christel Oerum
You probably want to continue to keep an eye on it. That means including an A1C test in your annual medical exams and continue living a healthy lifestyle. If your blood sugars and thereby A1C keeps creeping up your doctor might suggest additional actions to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
Liz
My A1C is super low but my fasting glucose is always high. I talked to my friend who is a Dr and and he said that A1C is not always right for some people. I am now taking metformin. My glucose is also usually lower after eating than before.
Kaytiee
I and my mom have exactly same problem. It could be genetic. Am worried you are taking meds. I will check with my doctor.
Errol
I have been eating a low carb diet (less than 100 g) for more than a month but less than 2 months. I went from 316 pounds down to now about 293 or 294. I have been keeping a close eye on my blood glucose which has always been less than 100 for fasting and no more than 110 post meal. Out of curiosity, I ate about 97g of a banana to see how much of a spike I would get. after 1 hour I was exactly at 130. ( after 30 mins I was at 128, prior to starting the test I was at 106). I’m curious to know if this could mean that I am on my way to reversing insulin resistance or if I’m still borderline insulin resistance
Christel Oerum
Yes, that could very well mean that you are on the right path. Weight loss can for some return their blood sugars to normal levels. More on that here (https://diabetesstrong.com/is-type-2-diabetes-reversible/), and keep up the good work
N
My non-fasting glucose is always well within range, <120, and close to 100 after 2 hours. However, the 3 hour, 4 hour, and 5 hour readings are a bit over 100. Plus, my fasting glucose is around 100-108 range. How can I reverse the process so that I keep the glucose readings well within normal range?
Christel Oerum
Blood sugars fluctuate, even for people who do not live with diabetes. You could start with getting your blood work done at your doctors and he/she can help you assess whether this is something you even need to be focused on.
If your doctor thinks you should work on in, he/she might suggest including walking after your meals, or changes to your diet. You can find more resources on how to manage blood sugars and lowering your A1C here: https://diabetesstrong.com/category/diabetes/type-2/
William
I dont know about you, but I dont nearly enough water and when I bought a glucose meter about two weeks ago over worrying about getting diabetes because some distant relatives have it and one aunt managed to get it, the numbers werent really high either, but enough that I was concerned.
I read that staying hydrated is important because if you arent I guess the glucose can be higher because your blood is more concentrated or something to that effect.
Once I started drinking more water instead of other drinks all day long, my numbers immediately went down into the normal, non diabetic range…ie fasting, no food for 8 hours and some of the readings were 80-84. And two hours after eating, 120 or lower with a pretty fast recovery to entirely normal numbers.
The last three days Ive been slacking off the water again and sure enough the numbers shot right back up. lol. Not really ‘high’, but higher than they should be for a half healthy non diabetic.
I didnt realize that even non diabetics could see increased glucose readings if theyre like I am and not drinking but maybe 4 cups of fluid every day on a good day. lol.