Post Time: 2025-09-01
The Hidden Connection: Blood Sugar Symptoms and Gut Health
Maintaining a healthy blood sugar range is crucial for overall well-being, but did you know that your gut health plays a significant role in regulating blood sugar levels? The connection between the two might seem obscure at first, but understanding it can help you take control of your health.
The Interplay Between Blood Sugar and Gut Health
Gut bacteria, or the microbiome, produce hormones and enzymes that affect digestion and metabolism. An imbalance in gut flora, known as dysbiosis, has been linked to insulin resistance and glucose intolerance (1). In fact, studies have shown that altering the gut microbiota can lead to changes in blood sugar levels (2).
The Role of Gut Health on Insulin Sensitivity
Insulin sensitivity is a critical factor in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. When your body produces enough insulin, it regulates blood sugar absorption and utilization by cells. However, when gut bacteria are out of balance, they can disrupt the release and action of hormones that regulate appetite, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity (3). For example, research has demonstrated that certain probiotics improve glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes (4).
Nutrient Absorption: A Crucial Connection
Your gut health directly affects nutrient absorption. If your body is not absorbing nutrients efficiently due to poor digestion or inflammation caused by an imbalanced microbiome, it can lead to insulin resistance and blood sugar fluctuations. Conversely, consuming foods high in fiber supports beneficial bacteria growth while regulating digestive hormones (5). Aim for whole, unprocessed foods rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Gut-Brain Communication: A New Avenue
Recent research highlights the intricate communication network between your gut microbiome and brain. The gut-brain axis affects appetite regulation, satiety signals, energy levels, stress response, mood modulation ā all of which impact blood sugar management (6). Foods that nourish the brain include omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil supplements or walnuts.
The Impact on Mental Clarity and Mood
Blood sugar fluctuations can significantly impair cognitive function. A study demonstrated a significant correlation between fasting glucose levels and executive functions such as planning, problem-solving, memory recall ā all vital to overall well-being (7). Furthermore, research has shown that the gut microbiota influences neurotransmitters involved in anxiety-like behaviors.
Maintaining optimal blood sugar range is just one aspect of holistic health. Recognizing its intricate connection with your gut health empowers you to address underlying factors driving fluctuating levels and optimize nutrient intake through a balanced diet rich in whole foods ā setting you on the path toward improved well-being, energy, and cognitive clarity.
How my uncle lowered his blood sugar naturally, reversed his diabetes & lost 34lbs: šš Or watch 10 Clinically Proven Ways To Lower Blood Sugar: š #bloodsugar #diabetes === š¬ Blood Sugar & Diabetes WARNING: Hemoglobin A1c Is NOT Reliable === Specifically, itās about how current blood testing to see if you have āhigh bloodā sugar is actually not very accurate. This is personally very important to me as well because it affected my own blood tests a few year ago. I did a blood test and it showed āhighā A1c levels, which put me in the ādiabeticā range. Different Ways Of Testing Blood Sugar There are different ways to test your blood sugar and thus, potentially predict and/or prevent diabetes. In addition to simply living a healthier and longer life, by having healthy and optimal blood sugar levels. Fasting Blood Sugar/Glucose Levels (FBG) The most common is the fasting blood glucose can antibiotics lower blood sugar tests (FBG). Basically, you donāt eat anything for at least 8 hours and then do a blood test and they see your fasting āglucoseā levels. This is typically done first thing in the morning. You see this all the time with a regular blood test Healthy levels are between 70-100 mg/dL. I prefer it to be on the lower end of this. Unfortunately, this way does NOT tell you how things work in the REAL world - how your body deals with sugar after you eat a regular meal. Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) In this situations, youāre given sugar, about 75 grams of glucose dissolved in water. You drink and then your blood sugar is test at blood sugar over 1000 1 and 2 hours to see how your body handles all of this sugar. I donāt like this method either because in the real world, nobody has 32 oz (4 cups) of soda or something else with that much glucoseā¦ all at onceā¦ by itself ā¦ and without any other food. Thus, this isnāt very reliable. Post Meal Blood Sugar This is how diabetics do it. You eat a meal, you do a blood tests with a simple glucometer and you see what your blood sugar levels are after your meal. This is more accurate in my opinion because this is the REAL world. Of course, the average person isnāt going to be doing this. However, this is how I do it with my professional athletes. Hemoglobin A1c Hemoglobin A1c test has become more popular over the past 10-15 years. This is done because its thought to be more accurate and reliable than the āfasting blood glucoseā (FBG) test. And also a 259 blood sugar after eating lot cheaper and easier than the older, āoral glucose tolerance testā (OGTT). Basically, A1c is a āsnapshotā or the āaverageā blood sugar levels for the past 60-90 days. Specifically, the A1c test measures what percentage of your hemoglobin ā a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen ā is coated with sugar (glycated). The higher your A1C level, the poorer your blood sugar control and the higher your risk of diabetes complications. In theory, this makes sense and seems like a better indicator. Unfortunately, thereās a big problem with A1c levels that most people wonāt tell you and your doctors doesnāt know. Why A1c Is Not Reliable The main problem is that how long your hemoglobin survives, varies greatly in people. And, Iāve seen this in my professional athletes many years ago, including myself. For example, one study1 in Diabetes Journals, showed that red blood cells live longer than average at normal blood sugars. Researchers found that the lifetime of hemoglobin cells of diabetics turned over in as few as 81 days, while they lived as long as 146 days in non-diabetics. This proves that the assumption that everyoneās red blood cells live for three months is false, and that hemoglobin A1c canāt be relied upon as a blood sugar marker. In a person with normal blood sugar, hemoglobin will be around for a lot longer, which means it will accumulate more sugar. THUS, in normal, non-diabetic people, this will drive up the A1c test result ā but it doesnāt mean that the person had too much sugar in their blood. It just means their hemoglobin lived longer and thus, accumulated more sugar. The result is that people with normal blood sugar often test with unexpectedly high A1c levels. I test for: Fasting Blood Glucose A1C Fructosamine Post-Meal Blood Sugar (3 meals daily for 3 days) ========================================Ā Thank you for watching. Please feel free to comment, like or share with your friends. Subscribe to Dr.Sam Robbins's official Youtube channel Like us on Facebook ======================================== Thanks DrSamRobbins