Name: Cortez, Faith Ann Date:

8/22/22

Activity #2: Benedict’s test for blood sugar

I. Overview: Benedict’s reagent is a chemical reagent and complex mixture of

sodium carbonate, sodium citrate, and copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate. It is
often used in place of Fehling’s solution to detect the presence of reducing
sugars. The presence of other reducing substances also gives a positive result.

II. Objectives: 1. To know the aim of the test for reducing sugars.
2. To determine the presence or absence of reducing sugar in the
solution.
3. To determine the glucose concentration in the solution.
4. To understand the result in the Benedict Test.

III. Materials:
1. Benedict Reagent
2. Test Tube
3. Test Tube Rack
4. Alcohol Lamp
5. Test Tube Holder
IV. Drawing:

-The picture shows that if

the blue reagent changes
its color to reddish-brown
that means it has the
presence of sugar in the
patient’s urine.

V. Questions and Answer:

1. Can Benedict’s Test indicate diabetes mellitus? Why? Explain in 5 sentences.
- Yes, because Benedict Test means is a test that can be used to check for the
presence or absence of sugars in the patient urine. If the urine contains sugar, it
is most often glucose which indicates diabetes or another disorder that relates
to blood sugar regulation. Diabetes mellitus is a simple disorder of diabetes in
the patient body. When you test the urine of the patient that has diabetes
mellitus in benedict reagent, of course, the result will be positive because
diabetes is a group of diseases that affect the body of one person. His/her result
may be positive if you test the patient urine in the benedict test. That means
the patients have sugar in his/her urine because he/she has diabetes so the
result will automatically be positive.

2. What is Hyperglycemia? Hypoglycemia?

- Hyperglycemia is the technical term for high blood glucose. While
hypoglycemia is a low blood sugar level, also called hypoglycemia or hypo,
which is when the level of sugar in your blood drops too low.
3. Give the function of the pancreas in blood sugar determination. Explain.
What hormone controls blood sugar and the hormone that produces blood
sugar?
- The pancreas secretes more insulin when blood sugar levels are too high. The
pancreas releases glucagon to increase blood sugar levels when they drop. This
balance helps the cells get the energy they need while avoiding nerve damage
that can come from persistently high blood sugar levels.

4. What is glucometer? How important is it diabetes control?

- Glucometer is used to measure how much glucose or sugar is in the blood and
to know the blood sugar level. A blood glucose meter is a common tool used by
people with diabetes to help them control their disease. It’s important because
it helps to prevent or postpone long-term, major health issues including heart
disease, eyesight loss, and kidney disease, it's critical to maintain your blood
sugar levels as close to your target range as you can. If you do not control these
illnesses, you may experience more significant side effects including visual loss,
dementia, and renal difficulties.

5. How will you prevent Diabetes mellitus?

- Keeping weight under control, exercising more, eating a healthy diet, and not
smoking. These are all the recommendations to prevent diabetes mellitus.

VI. Learning and Insights:

- My learning and insights to this activity are that the Benedict Test is to help
our body and health to prevent any disease because this kind of test can detect
if our urine has an infection or not. Also, it is important to monitor our blood
sugar to prevent diabetes because it does not provide nutrients to our body and
it can harm our organs such as the pancreas. Aside from Benedict Test, we also
have a glucometer which is to be used in measuring our blood sugar levels. This
measurement is also important to maintain our blood sugar. Furthermore, we
need to balance our blood sugar because it is not good if our blood sugar is too
high or too low in the body. To determine the disorder of blood sugar level we
have hyperglycemia if the blood sugar is too high, while hypoglycemia is when
the blood sugar is too low.

VII. Reference:
1. https://microbiologyinfo.com/benedicts-test-principle-composition-
preparation-procedure-and-result-interpretation/
2. https://www.chemistrylearner.com/benedicts-test.html
3. https://www.woundcareinc.com/resources/hyperglycemia-vs-hypoglycemia-
what-you-need-to-know
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAKCgrnKeBA

FAITH ANN CORTEZ

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