Post Time: 2025-07-26
When it comes to monitoring blood sugar levels, young adults often neglect this aspect of their health. However, understanding and managing your blood sugar range is crucial for maintaining overall well-being. In this article, we will explore the importance of tracking your mean fasting blood glucose (FPG) levels and provide valuable tips on how to do so effectively.
The Ideal Blood Sugar Range: A Foundation for Optimal Health
For healthy living, it's essential to know what constitutes a normal blood sugar range. The American Diabetes Association recommends that individuals with diabetes aim for an FPG level of 80-130 mg/dL before meals and less than 180 mg/dL after meals (ADA, n.d.). For young adults without diabetes, the ideal FPG range is generally considered to be between 70-100 mg/dL. By keeping your blood sugar levels within this target range, you can reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The Role of Diet in Maintaining a Healthy Blood Sugar Range
Your diet plays a significant role in maintaining stable blood sugar levels. Incorporating foods that are rich in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can help regulate your FPG levels (Anderson & Bryant-Rush, 2000). On the other hand, consuming high-glycemic index foods like white bread and sugary snacks can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. By making informed food choices and maintaining a balanced diet, you can effectively manage your blood sugar range.
Exercise: A Powerful Tool for Blood Sugar Regulation
Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels (Bourey et al., 1997). Exercise helps to improve insulin sensitivity, which enables your body to more efficiently utilize glucose. As a result, regular exercise can help lower FPG levels and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The Impact of Stress on Blood Sugar Levels
Stress is another significant factor that can affect blood sugar levels (Kirschbaum et al., 1999). When you experience stress, your body releases cortisol, a hormone that raises glucose in the bloodstream. This can lead to fluctuations in FPG levels and increase the risk of developing chronic diseases.
The Importance of Sleep for Blood Sugar Regulation
Getting adequate sleep is essential for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels (Buxton et al., 2010). During deep sleep, your body regulates its glucose metabolism, helping to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. By prioritizing sleep and establishing a consistent sleep schedule, you can help regulate your FPG levels.
Monitoring Your Blood Sugar Range Effectively
To effectively monitor your blood sugar range, it's essential to use the right tools. A glucometer or continuous glucose monitoring system (CGM) device can provide accurate readings of your FPG levels and track changes over time. By understanding how different factors like diet, exercise, stress, and sleep impact your blood sugar levels, you can make informed decisions about maintaining a healthy range.
Conclusion
Maintaining a healthy mean fasting blood glucose level is crucial for young adults to prevent chronic diseases. By following the tips outlined in this article – including tracking FPG levels effectively, incorporating fiber-rich foods into their diet, exercising regularly, managing stress levels, prioritizing sleep, and using accurate monitoring tools – they can achieve optimal health outcomes.
References:
ADA (n.d.). Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022. Diabetes Care.
Anderson & Bryant-Rush (2000). Effects on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 19(4), 436-444.
Bourey et al. (1997). Exercise effects on metabolic parameters in obese subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 27(11), 857-863.
Buxton et al. (2010). Sleep duration and glucose regulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 39(5), e33-e43.
Kirschbaum et al. (1999). Cortisol response to psychological stress in humans: A study using the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in comparison with physical exercise stressors. Psychophysiology, 36(1), 47-54.
This episode I describe the science of fat loss, including how fat is mobilized and oxidized (burned) and how to increase fat burning by leveraging the nervous system. Most people don't realize it, but our neurons connect to our fat and release epinephrine/adrenaline to facilitate fat oxidation. I explain how this can be accomplished with non-exercise movements such as fidgeting 298 blood sugar level to burn thousands of calories of fat a day-- a practice is rarely discussed but very well supported by the science literature. I also discuss an optimal fat loss protocol using cold to create shiver, and how specific types and timing of exercise impact fat loss. I discuss if exercising fasted indeed increases fat oxidation-- it turns out the type and duration of exercise really matters. And I discuss the use of caffeine, GLP1 from Mate or guayusa and emerging new prescription compounds for fat loss. The episode includes a lot of tools, links to cost-free resources and explanation of the science underlying each tool for fat loss. #HubermanLab #FatLoss #Science Thank you to our sponsors: InsideTracker - ExpressVPN - Athletic Greens - Cold Protocols via The Cold Plunge: Our Patreon page: Supplements from Thorne: Social: Instagram - Twitter - Facebook - Website - Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:06:00 Fat Loss: The Key Role of Neurons 00:08:44 The First Law of Fat Loss 00:11:00 Neurons Connect To Fat! (& That Really Matters) 00:13:38 5 Pillars of Metabolism: Sleep, Essential Fatty Acids, Glutamine, Microbiome, Thyroid 00:19:20 Mindset Truly Matters: Amazing Examples of Beliefs on Fat Loss 00:23:08 Our Brain Talks To Our Fat 00:25:00 The Most Incredible & Dangerous Fat Loss Agent 00:27:28 Losing Fat Is a Two-Part Process: Mobilization and Oxidation 00:32:25 The Critical Role of Adrenaline/Epinephrine, But NOT from Adrenal Glands 00:34:45 Fidgeting & Shivering: A Powerful Science-Supported Method For Fat Loss 00:41:24 How Fidgeting Works: Promotes Epinephrine Release into Fat. “N-E-A-T” 00:44:55 Two Ways of Using Shivering To Accelerate Fat Loss 00:47:30 White, Brown & Beige Fat; & Using Cold-Induced Shiver To Burn Fat 00:50:25 How To Use Cold Properly To Stimulate Fat Loss: Succinate Release Is Key/Shiver 00:52:26 Exact Protocols: (1-5X per week); Don’t Adapt! Submerge and Exit “Sets & Reps” 00:56:15 thecoldplunge.com see “protocols” tab Cold-Shiver-Fat-Loss Tool (cost free) 00:58:03 If Fat-Loss Is Your Goal, Avoid Cold Adaptation: Remember Polar Bear Swimmers 00:58:17 Irisin: Underwhelming; Succinate Is The Real Deal 01:00:00 Brown Fat, Why Babies Can’t Shiver and Becoming a Hotter Furnace, Adding Heat 01:01:55 Ice On Back of The Neck, Cold Underpants: Not A Great Idea For Fat Loss 01:04:00 A Key Paper For the Aficionados: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2826518/ 01:05:00 Spot Reduction: There May Be Hope After All. Targeting Specific Fat Pads. 01:09:20 Exercising For Fat Loss: What Is Best? High Intensity, Sprinting, Moderate Intensity? 01:13:30 Exercising Fasted: Does It Truly Accelerate Fat Loss/Oxidation. 01:16:30 The 90 Minute Rule: After 90 Minutes, The Fasted Exercisers Start To Burn More Fat 01:18:15 If High-Intensity Training Is Done First, The Benefits of Fasting Arrive Before 90min. 01:22:44 Post-Exercise Metabolic Increases: How To Bias This Toward Fat Oxidation 01:26:05 A Protocol For Exercise-Induced Fat Loss; Adrenalin Is The Effector 01:28:50 Supplements/Compounds how to reduce blood sugar level by diet For Fat Loss Part: Caffeine Fidgeting, & Caffeine Adaptation 01:34:30 Ephedrine, Fenfluramine: Removed From Market Due to Safety Concerns 01:35:22 GLP1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide 1), Yerba Mate, Guayusa Tea, Semaglutide 01:40:30 Berberine, Metformin: Glucose/Insulin Reduction, Increase Fat Oxidation: But Caution 01:41:28 Gardner Lab Results: What You Eat May Not Matter, But Adherence Is Key Tool 01:43:00 examine.com & Enter “Yerba Mate”: Lowers Heart Rate Even Though Is a Stimulant 01:44:35 Acetly-L-Carnitine: Facilitates Fat Oxidation 01:48:00 Summary List of what exercise is good for high blood sugar Tools & How Nervous System Controls Fat Loss 01:51:20 Cost Free & Other Ways To Support Our Podcast, Making Sure We See Feedback Please note that The Huberman Lab Podcast is distinct from Dr. Huberman's teaching and research roles at Stanford University School of Medicine. The information provided in this show is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The Huberman Lab Podcast, its employees, guests and affiliates assume no liability for the application of the information discussed. Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac -