ELI5 Why does High Blood Sugar kill?

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Biology

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I am a newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic and doing research into how to manage everything. I keep seeing to keep blood sugar under 180mg/dl and damage starts there. But why?

Wouldn’t everyone be different? Also what is so damaging at that number? I understand the damage to the kidneys overworking to clean the sugar out but why would it hurt blood vessels in the extremities and eyes?

Is it just that the sugar thickens the blood too much or something?

Basically I understand that high blood sugar causes damage but why? And why specifically at 180mg/dl?

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KingKush8

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Posted: 8 months ago
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