Blood glucose levels and Homeostasis

By: Landon A., Jacob R., Nick N., Matt J.

Abstract:
Objective: To measure the milligrams of sugar per deciliter of blood in the test subject's
body and prove how the body keeps homeostasis.
Cautions: Blood must be drawn in order for test to work.
Results: People without diabetes will generate insulin to compensate for an increase in
glucose. People with diabetes however, will not be able to generate enough, if not any,
insulin to compensate for this, making blood sugar levels stay peaked until they can get
insulin through another way, such as injection.

Introduction:
Proper blood glucose levels are required to maintain proper health for your body.
As blood glucose levels rise, the hormone insulin is produced to counter the effect.
Likewise, when blood glucose levels drop, the hormone, glucagon, is released, increasing
the output of glycogen in the blood. This lab will be demonstrating predicted blood
glucose levels before, shortly after, and long after glucose is introduced to the bodys
systems. The results will predicted based on average humans, diabetic humans, and
hypoglycemic humans to note different results based on hormonal inabilities.

Materials:
Glucose sugar meter
Test strips
Lancet
Lancet device
Sharps container.
Procedure:
Note: Perform these tests consecutively in from Baseline to 2 Hours After Sugar Test.
Baseline Test
1) Wash your hands and make sure all materials are sterile.
2) Insert test strip into your meter.
3) Stab yourself with the lancet device and squeeze injection site to produce blood.
4) Hold test strip to the drop of blood, and wait for a result.
5) Record blood glucose level displayed on the screen.

Sugar Cubes Test

1) Consume 5 1 oz. sugar cubes and swallow completely.
 2) Wait 5 minutes.
3) Wash your hands and make sure all materials are sterile.
4) Insert test strip into your meter.
5) Use lancet device on the side of your finger to produce a drop of blood.
6) Hold test strip to the drop of blood, and wait for a result.
7) Record blood glucose level displayed on the screen

2 Hours After Sugar Test

1) Wait 2 hours. Dont eat within this time.
2) Wash your hands and make sure all materials are sterile.
3) Insert test strip into your meter.
4) Use lancet device on the side of your finger to produce a drop of blood.
5) Hold test strip to the drop of blood, and wait for a result.
6) Record blood glucose level displayed on the screen.

Results:
The following are the predicted results of the above experiment on a human male with
no medical conditions.

Test number Blood Glucose level (mg/dL)

1 (baseline) 76

2 (sugar cubes) 79

3 (2 hours after sugar test) 76

The below table represents the predicted results for a human male with diabetes.

Test number Blood Glucose level (mg/dL)

1 (baseline) 80

2 (sugar cubes) 102

3 (2 hours after sugar test) 98

The last predicted test will be of a human male with hypoglycemia (having a below
average blood glucose level).

Test number Blood Glucose Level (mg/dL)

1 (baseline) 68

2 (sugar cubes) 74

3 (2 hours after sugar test) 65

Discussion:
We didnt have enough time/resources to gain actual results, so we did extra
research on what results should resemble, and predicted our results. We had 3 tests for
three different people, and theoretically found that a normal persons blood levels go
back to normal, a person with diabetes has a spike in blood glucose levels and doesnt
return as quickly, and a person with hypoglycemia has an already low blood glucose and
returns after eating . We were able to research enough for us to make accurate,
predicted results. We however, had an original project that was unsuccessful, so it took
up two days of work that we could have used productively. To improve, if we had the
resources and more time, we could have had actual results. However, our research was
very helpful in understanding blood and its way of creating homeostasis in the body.

References:
https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/managing-diabetes/blood-glucose-manageme
nt/strike-the-spike-ii/
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-problems/l
ow-blood-glucose-hypoglycemia
https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/what-is-a-normal-blood-sugar-level/