What should my blood sugar targets be?

  • The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends blood sugar targets of 80 to 130 mg/dL before meals and less than 180 mg/dL after meals, while the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) recommends blood sugar targets of less than 110 mg/dL before meals and less than 140 mg/dL after meals.
  • Dr. B suggests blood sugar targets similar to the ADA before meals, targets of 140-160 mg/dL after meals (depending on whether these are checked 1 or 2 hours after the meal), and in the 140 mg/dL range at bedtime.
  • Your blood sugars at bedtime and before breakfast should be within 20-40mg/dL of each other. If you use insulin and your blood sugar drops more than 60 points before breakfast, a change may be needed in your nightly insulin dose.

What are the benefits of reaching these targets?

  • The recommendations from ADA and AACE will help people achieve their A1C goal and are important in reducing the risk of complications from diabetes, including damage to eyes, nerves, and kidneys over time.
  • Keeping your blood sugars in Dr. B’s suggested target ranges will help keep your A1C in a healthy range, generally less than 7%, and avoid hypoglycemia.

How can I achieve these targets?

Recording and sharing blood sugar results with your doctor is important for making adjustments to your medications, food, or activity to help you achieve your desired health goals.

Summary
Keeping your blood sugars in your target range can prevent complications, improve your A1C, and ensure overall better health. General blood sugar targets range from 80-130 mg/dL before meals and 140-180 mg/dL after meals; however, you should always consult your doctor for your specific blood sugar goals as they know what works best for you.

Disclaimer Statement: This is for educational purposes only and not intended as medical advice. For individual medical advice, contact your healthcare practitioner.