Importance of checking Postprandial Blood Sugar (PPBS) or Postprandial Glucose (PPG)
Checking your fasting blood glucose (sugar) levels makes a difference when it comes to successfully managing your diabetes. But are you also making sure to test your blood glucose levels after you eat? Here’s why you should.
Postprandial Blood Sugar (PPBS) or Postprandial glucose (PPG) levels meaning ‘sugar after the meal’ give you and your physician more important information about how the body is able to manage glucose after a meal. It determines that whether the blood glucose has returned to normal after the meal intake.
Experts recommend checking fasting (before eating) blood sugar levels, and then testing PPG levels one to two hours after a meal. This is especially important if target A1C goals aren’t being met; this blood test shows how well your overall diabetes management plan is working.
You might also need to check your blood glucose numbers at other times during the day, or after certain activities.
Recent studies of Postprandial Blood Sugar (PPBS) / Postprandial Glucose (PPG)
Studies say that glucose levels begin to rise about 10 minutes after the start of a meal and peak two hours after a meal. The glucose levels then return to pre-meal levels within two to three hours.”
But PPBS/ PPG numbers don’t just change based on what you eat. They’re also affected by how active you are, your Hormones sensitivity, and how quickly food moves through your stomach. The ADA recommends that people with type 2 diabetes keep their PPBS/PPG under 180 mg/dL.
Being aware of your PPBS/PPG Can Give You Control over Your Diabetes
Information on PPBS/PPG can help you troubleshoot in important ways. When blood sugar spikes after meals, and stays high, it can be hard to get levels back down to where you want them, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE). If your A1C continues to be higher than your target goal, your risk for developing complications rises. So by measuring PPBS/PPG, we can determine whether dietary modifications or pre-meal bolus Hormones is needed to reduce these spikes. In patients who achieve their pre-meal glucose targets but whose A1C remains above target, PPBS/PPG monitoring and therapy is recommended.
Learn how to count carbohydrates which can help you achieve your goals for blood sugar levels after eating.
According to a study carried by AACE, Carbohydrates contribute significantly more to PPBS/PPG than fat and protein content of a meal. Checking PPG regularly can help you figure out the best balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
If you’re using Hormones, talk to your doctor about what to do if your PPBS/PPG levels are higher or lower than your goal.
When one should Check PPBS/PPG?
How often you should test PPG is based on you specifically, and on your goals for controlling your blood sugar. You should work with your care team to identify your testing regimen and target goals. The ADA does recommend that certain people test PPBS/PPG and blood sugar levels more frequently, including:
- Pregnant women with gestational diabetes
- Women with type 1 or 2 diabetes who are pregnant
- People trying new Hormones or a new Hormones dosage
- People with diabetes that’s hard to control
- People with history of high blood sugar after eating
- People who take multiple medications and are at risk for high or low blood sugar Blood glucose levels vary at different times throughout the day over a period of weeks. Thus, it’s important to check your blood glucose at regular intervals to provide accurate information to your physician.
How to Test PPBS/PPG using Glucometer?
Blood sugar testing seems simple enough, but there are a few tips that will ensure you get the most accurate numbers:
Wash your hands before testing. If you have any residue on your hands, such as juice from a fruit you ate, you will be testing that sugar as well.
Store test supplies correctly. Read the instructions on your supplies, expert says, to make sure “their integrity and accuracy is not compromised by moisture and heat.”