# Glucose variability

Glucose variability is how much your blood sugar swings up and down over hours and days. It is measured a few ways. Common ones are the standard deviation, the coefficient of variation, and the 'mean amplitude of glycemic excursions' (MAGE). Big swings are linked to oxidative stress, blood-vessel damage, and diabetic complications. And that link holds on top of your average glucose, not just because of it. In people without diabetes, lower variability goes with better metabolic health. Continuous glucose monitors increasingly track it as a longevity-relevant marker.

## Sources

- Hirakawa Y, Arima H, Zoungas S, Ninomiya T, Cooper M, Hamet P, et al.. (2014). Impact of Visit-to-Visit Glycemic Variability on the Risks of Macrovascular and Microvascular Events and All-Cause Mortality in Type 2 Diabetes: The ADVANCE Trial. Diabetes Care. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc14-0199
- Kovatchev B. (2019). Glycemic Variability: Risk Factors, Assessment, and Control. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932296819826111

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_Canonical: https://longevity-switzerland.com/en/glossary/glucose-variability · Part of Longevity Cities · Updated 2026-06-22_