What Are Blood Sugar Levels for Older Adults? (2024)

Your blood sugar increases with age, which raises the risk of type 2 diabetes for adults in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. Using a chart of blood sugar levels by age can help you track glucose.

Blood sugar (glucose) targets for older people tend to be different than for younger people. Estimating the normal blood glucose levels for your age and health needs, you and your healthcare provider can set up a targeted management plan.

What Are Blood Sugar Levels for Older Adults? (1)

Blood Sugar Levels and Older Adults

Both high and low blood sugar are concerns for older adults.

Because blood sugar goes up as you get older, it's essential to track your levels and monitor your risk of diabetes. According to some research, the average age for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis is 47.9 years. In addition, nearly 27% of people with the disease are over age 65.

Low blood sugar is also a concern. Researchers say hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is likely underreported in adults over 65. However, if your blood sugar is too low, driving or other situations could be dangerous because you could suddenly develop symptoms such as dizziness.

Cognitive decline and chronic illnesses can make it hard for some older adults to follow a diabetes care plan or report symptoms to a doctor or caregivers. That can happen even if someone has successfully managed their blood sugar for years.

In these situations, your healthcare provider may:

  • Prescribe a lower dose of medication
  • Consider automated insulin delivery (like an insulin pump) if appropriate
  • Recommend continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)
  • Involve your caregivers in monitoring

Monitoring Blood Sugar in Older Adults

Blood sugar is commonly checked with a device called a glucometer. You may prick a fingertip with a small needle called a lancet. Then you place a drop of blood on atest stripin the glucometer to get a blood sugar reading.

Generally, blood sugar should be checked before meals and at bedtime. Your healthcare provider may want you to check more or less often.

Some people use CGM instead, which eliminates the need for finger sticks and can measure blood sugars in real time as often as every five minutes.

Blood Sugar Levels in Adults Age 50 and Older

The following chart outlines blood sugar levels taken at different times of the day and which levels may indicate a problem.

Level0-2 hours
after meal
2-4 hours
after meal
4-8 hours after meal
Dangerously high300+200+180+
High140-220130-220120-180
Normal90-14090-13080-120
Low80-9070-9060-80
Dangerously low0-800-700-60

A1C Blood Tests and Diabetes

It's likely that your healthcare provider will monitor your hemoglobin A1C levels, often just called A1C or HbA1C. Your A1C level goes up with age. This blood test shows your average blood sugar over the last few months, rather than at a fixed point in time. A1C testing for diabetes is recommended as early as age 35.

Target Blood Sugar Levels in Older Adults

To determine whether your blood sugar is on target, your healthcare provider will monitor multiple readings.

  • Hemoglobin A1C: Known as A1C or HbA1C, this blood test shows your average blood sugar over the last few months, rather than at a fixed point in time.
  • Fasting glucose: Your blood sugar level after not eating for at least eight hours.
  • Bedtime glucose: Your blood sugar level at the end of the day.

Your target A1C levels will vary depending on your overall health and impairments of instrumental activity of daily living (IADL), which are the skills needed to live independently such as using the telephone, shopping, preparing meals, housekeeping, etc.).

Healthy or with few underlying health issues (comorbidities)
Target A1C less than 7.5%
Fasting glucose: 90–130
Bedtime glucose: 90–150

Multiple chronic comorbidities or two or more (IADL)
Target A1C less than 8%
Fasting glucose: 90–150
Bedtime glucose: 100–180

Very poor health or end-stage chronic illness
Target A1C less than 8.5%
Fasting glucose: 100–180
Bedtime glucose: 110–200

Symptoms of Blood Sugar Problems

High blood sugar is called hyperglycemia. Hypoglycemia is defined as a blood glucose level lower than 70 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter).

The two conditions occur for different reasons and are treated differently as well.

Symptoms of High or Low Glucose

High Blood Sugar

  • Blurred vision

  • Confusion

  • Excessive hunger and thirst

  • Fruity-smelling breath

  • Fatigue

Low Blood Sugar

  • Shaking, lack of coordination

  • Confusion

  • Excessive sweating

  • Fast heart rate

  • Slurred speech

People diagnosed with high blood sugar may develop hypoglycemia as a result of taking too much diabetes medication. This type of overtreatment is common in older adults.

Diet and Blood Sugar

Diet is important for managing diabetes. Maintaining a healthy diet can be a challenge for some older people. That's because common gastrointestinal (digestive) issues can put you at risk for poor nutrition.

These issues can include:

  • Swallowing disorders (dysphagia)
  • Anorexia
  • Indigestion and bowel issues
  • Feeling full after eating very little

Keeping a food log can help you and your care team see what nutritional problems you may have.

Older adults may need to add medical nutrition therapy to their diabetes treatment plan. That's when a registered dietitian creates a nutrition plan tailored to your needs.

Some strategies may include:

  • Adding supplements, protein, or liquid calorie boosters to maintain weight
  • Loosening food restrictions
  • Assistance with food prep, eating, grocery shopping, or watching your nutrition

Medication to Regulate Blood Sugar

Healthcare providers may prescribe medication to help control blood sugars.

  • DPP4 inhibitors: These lower your risk of hypoglycemia. Medications in this class include Januvia (sitagliptin), Onglyza (saxagliptin), Tradjenta (linagliptin), and Nesina (alogliptin). Heart failure is a possible side effect of some drugs in this class. You'll need a lower dose if you have poor kidney function.
  • SGLT2 inhibitors: These medications reduce hypoglycemia risk. They include Brenzavvy (bexagliflozin), Farxiga (dapagliflozin), Invokana (canagliflozin), and Jardiance (empagliflozin). Some drugs in this class may be a good option if you have heart disease because some research shows they offer protective cardiac effects. They do have other side effects including kidney impairment, bone loss, and low blood pressure.
  • GLP-1 agonists: Given by injection, either daily or weekly, these drugs include Byetta (exenatide); Ozempic, Rybelsus (semaglutide); Saxenda, Victoza (liraglutide), Trulicity (dulaglutide). Possible side effects include nausea and vomiting. GLP-1 agonists may also raise the risk of pancreatitis.
  • GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonists: These have been approved to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes in addition to diet and exercise. The once-weekly GIP injection Mounjaro (tirzepatide) may cause thyroid cancer.

Summary

Hypoglycemia becomes more likely as you age. It's common for people to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in their late 40s and continuing into their 50s and beyond. The fastest-growing group of people with a diabetes diagnosis is age 65 and over.

The way in which diabetes is managed and treated also changes with age, the development of other health conditions, and medications you take. Blood sugar targets also change, though the need for careful monitoring remains.

Diabetes is managed through diet and medications. Your healthcare provider can recommend, diet, medication, and other changes to help you, including medical nutrition therapy. They also may evaluate your need for support if cognitive decline is a part of your overall health history.

12 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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  2. Xu G, Liu B, Sun Y, Du Y, Snetselaar LG, Hu FB, et al. Prevalence of diagnosed type 1 and type 2 diabetes among US adults in 2016 and 2017: population based study. BMJ. 2018;362:k1497. doi:10.1136/bmj.k1497

  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National diabetes statistics report.

  4. American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 13. Older Adults: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024. Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S244-S257. doi:10.2337/dc24-S013

  5. Diabetes UK. Generally accepted chart of blood sugar levels by age.

  6. Leung E, Wongrakpanich S, Munshi MN. Diabetes management in the elderly. Diabetes Spectr. 2018;31(3):245-253. doi:10.2337/ds18-0033

  7. American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 2. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024. Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S20-S42. doi:10.2337/dc24-S002

  8. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus. Hypoglycemia.

  9. Stanley K. Nutrition considerations for the growing population of older adults with diabetes. Diabetes Spectr. 2014;27(1):29-36. doi:10.2337/diaspect.27.1.29

  10. Taylor SI, Yazdi ZS, Beitelshees AL. Pharmacological treatment of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes. J Clin Invest. 2021;131(2):e142243. doi:10.1172/JCI142243

  11. Zhao X, Wang M, Wen Z, et al. GLP-1 receptor agonists: beyond their pancreatic effects. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021;12:721135. doi:10.3389/fendo.2021.721135

  12. DailyMed. Mounjaro- tirzepatide injection, solution.

What Are Blood Sugar Levels for Older Adults? (2)

By Carisa Brewster
Brewster is a freelance journalist with over 20 years of writing experience specializing in science and healthcare content.

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