Look out! These common disinfectants may affect blood sugar readings.

Look out! These common disinfectants may affect blood sugar readings in everyday life. We often use iodine wine or iodine volts to disinfect wounds, but when blood sugar is measured, these commonly used disinfectants become “prohibited”, why?First, it is clear that the core purpose of blood sugar testing is to obtain the exact amount of glucose in blood. However, glucose is a very sensitive substance that is highly susceptible to external factors, especially those with strong oxidizing disinfectants such as iodine wine and iodine volts. Once these disinfectants are in contact with blood, they react chemically with glucose, changing its structure. This chemical change directly affects the accuracy of blood sugar measurements.If we disinfect our fingers with iodine wine or iodine volts, and then use the blood on this finger to measure blood sugar, then the blood sugar can be higher or lower than our actual blood sugar. As a result, it is impossible to obtain an accurate picture of their blood sugar status and to adjust diets, exercise and medication programmes effectively.So, what should be used to disinfect blood sugar? In fact, the simplest and most common is 75% of medical alcohol. Medical alcohol can effectively kill bacteria and viruses, and it does not react to blood glucose and therefore does not affect blood sugar measurements. When using medical alcohol for disinfection, it is recalled that blood is taken after the alcohol is fully volatilized, so that the effect of alcohol on skin irritation and on measurements is avoided.Of course, in addition to the choice of the appropriate disinfectant, there are other concerns about blood sugar detection. For example, it is necessary to keep the fingers clean and dry and to avoid taking blood immediately after overcrowding or massage, as these operations may cause tissue fluids to be mixed into the blood, thus affecting the measurement results.In self-monitoring of blood sugar, diabetics should avoid the use of iodine wine or iodine volts for disinfection in order not to affect the accuracy of test results. Choosing the right sterilisation methods can help us to better control our blood sugar, and thus better manage diabetes. Let’s work together to make every blood sugar test accurate!