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Pure d-glucose is Your Best Way to Correct Mild and Moderate Lows

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For mild or moderate lows, healthcare professionals and diabetes educators recommend products specially formulated with pure d-glucose over other carbohydrate to get your blood sugar level back into a normal range quickly. In clinical studies* over the past 25 years, pure d-glucose products have been proven to work faster than other glucose-raising foods and drinks. They offer many pluses that make them especially easy for you to always be prepared to correct a low.

Pure d-glucose specially formulated in tablets, liquids and gels:

  1. Is fast-acting
  2. Is packaged for fast and easy access
  3. Comes in pre-measured amounts so you always know the exact amount of glucose you’re consuming
  4. Is available in small-sized containers that are easy to carry and store
  5. Needs no refrigeration so you can keep it anywhere
  6. Contains no fat or caffeine and just a few calories
  7. Comes in a variety of flavors to suit your taste
 hypoglycemia glucose tablets

Fruit juice and hard candies are a good second choice for raising blood sugar. Fruit juice and hard candies are made from two types of sugars: glucose and fructose (more formally called monosaccharides). Glucose raises blood sugar more quickly than fructose, so pure glucose may raise your blood glucose faster than a food that contains a mix of glucose and fructose.

Foods for Lows

While products specially formulated with pure d-glucose are the preferred way to correct a low, let’s face it, sometimes you may not have a pure d-glucose product with you when you need it. Here are a few next-best-choices to raise your blood sugar level.

  1. Small box (4 ounces) or half a glass of 100% fruit juice (any type)
  2. Hard candy (peppermints, LifeSavers) (about 4 to 7 pieces depending on size)
  3. Soft drink or other drink (not a diet drink) containing carbohydrate (about 4 ounces)
  4. Low or fat free milk (8 ounces)
  5. Dried fruit, like raisins (2 tablespoons or a small box)

Word to the wise: Check and correct your blood sugar as soon as you feel symptoms of a low. If you’re unable to check, correct it as a low. It’s safer to have your blood sugar be high for a short time than for it to continue to go low. Remember, however, not to use too much glucose or food (over-correcting). Over-correcting can make your blood sugar rise too high and also make it harder to control your blood sugar over the next few hours and days. Also, too much glucose or food can, over time, lead to weight gain.

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*Treatment of Insulin Reactions in Diabetics, Robert G. Brodows, MD; Catherine Williams, RN; John M. Amatruda, MD; Journal of the American Medical Association, December 28, 1984-Volume 252, No. 24.