Glucose is one of the basic fuels used in the human body for the production of energy. Energy is required for every single function of the body. When food is digested, glucose is absorbed into the blood and passed around the body. This glucose is then absorbed by the cells of the body that need to produce energy. In a chemical reaction known as metabolism, glucose is broken down in the presence of oxygen to produce heat and energy. The heat produced is used to maintain the body temperature. Energy is used for the various voluntary and involuntary body functions.
Some people suffer from an inability to properly absorb glucose. This may stem from some temporary problem or from diabetes which is a condition associated with the improper production or use of insulin in the body. The glucose tolerance test is a test used to determine how much glucose is being absorbed into the body from the blood. Individuals who suffer from glucose imbalance problems may be in a situation where the tissues and organs of the body are undernourished while the blood of the body contains enough glucose to nourish them. Read more on GTT test.
The glucose tolerance test is conducted to check the level of glucose in an individual after he or she has consumed a certain amount of glucose. The glucose tolerance test results can be used to identify the individual as diabetic or not. If the results fall into the GTT test normal range then there is no need to worry and the patient would be considered healthy. The glucose tolerance test is a test over a period of one hour with subsequent testing possible, depending on the glucose tolerance test results. The individual needs to be on a fast for up to 8 hours before the test. For this reason, most of the tests are administered in the morning.
The individual’s fasting glucose level is measured before the test using a simple blood test. Following this, he or she is fed with a specific amount of glucose in a drink. The subject is then tested for blood glucose levels one hour after this has happened. If the subject has low glucose tolerance test results then it may indicate some absorption problem. If the glucose tolerance test results are high, then the blood test is repeated after three hours without feeding the subject to ensure that the problem of glucose absorption is correctly diagnosed. Further testing to determine the underlying cause of the problem may be done after the glucose tolerance test results are collected.