How Does High Blood Sugar Affect Brain Function?
Hyperglycemia Your body converts any sugar and carbohydrates that you eat into a substance known as blood glucose. When glucose enters your bloodstream, your pancreas secretes a hormone called insulin, which bonds with the blood glucose. This reaction allows the blood glucose to provide your body with energy and feed your brain. Your pancreas constantly monitors your body’s blood glucose level and produces an adequate supply of insulin in response. If you produce more blood glucose and insulin than your body needs at that time, the excess is stored away as fat. When you don’t have enough glucose in your bloodstream, that excess fat is broken down to create fuel and food for your body and brain. Normal blood glucose levels are between 70 mg/dl and 120 mg/dl (milligrams of glucose to deciliters of blood). When your blood glucose level rises above 120 mg/dl, you can experience what is known as hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar. A blood glucose level below 70 mg/dl signals the onset of hy
