Blood test results need to be accurate to be useful, and to ensure this, some advance preparation may be required. Most notably, certain cholesterol and glucose tests require fasting. Be sure to understand how you need to prepare for your blood tests, and if fasting is required.

The A1C test is used to diagnose diabetes and prediabetes, and to monitor blood sugars in these conditions. Diet is an important strategy for managing blood sugars, and emphasizing blood sugar-friendly foods within an overall healthy food pattern, can also help lower your A1c.

A low blood protein level can occur with a wide variety of conditions including liver, kidney and digestive diseases, among others.

Children’s bodies tightly regulate blood glucose levels to ensure a constant supply of the sugar to the brain and other body tissues.

Contrary to what many believe, carbohydrates -- that is, sugar and starch -- are not the only macronutrient that stimulates the release of insulin, the hormone responsible for clearing excess glucose from the bloodstream and packing it, in the form of fatty triglycerides, into fat cells.

Glucose and glycogen are both carbohydrates, but glucose is classified as a monosaccharide and sugar. As a single unit, it is a much smaller molecule. According to Virtual Chembook at Elmhurst College, glycogen is classified as a complex carbohydrate and starch, and it's made up of several glucose molecules.

Patients with diabetes try to keep their glucose levels in the normal range to prevent damage to internal organs and nerves, and to preserve their eyesight. They work with physicians as well as specialist nurses and dietitians to achieve this.

Glucose is a type of sugar that is found in the bloodstream. Blood glucose is the main energy source of the body. Having a healthy blood glucose or blood sugar level is important to optimal health and survival.

Glucose is an important energy source for your brain and body. Your body converts carbohydrates and simple sugars in your diet to glucose for fuel usage. Your pancreas releases a hormone called insulin to regulate blood glucose levels.

Hyperkalemia is a condition in which the levels of potassium in the bloodstream are abnormally high. There are many causes for hyperkalemia, mostly related to kidney disease because this organ helps control the levels of potassium in the body, and to hormonal causes.

If you're on a low-carb diet or you're diabetic, you may sometimes notice a funny taste in your mouth when your blood sugar, also known as blood glucose, is low. It isn't bad breath from poor oral hygiene -- it's a result of your body not being able to burn carbohydrates for energy and burning fat instead.

Oxidation is a chemical process that, loosely defined, involves removing electrons from particular areas of a molecule. In biochemical processes, oxidation generally results in the release of energy. As such, when you "burn"