Blood sugar converter
Type a glucose reading and choose the unit to see it in the other one. US meters show mg/dL, while most of the world uses mmol/L; the conversion is a fixed factor. This is a unit converter, not a medical tool.
Runs in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
How to use it
- Type the reading.
- Pick the unit it is in and the unit you want.
- Read the result; the table lists both units at once.
mg/dL = mmol/L × 18.016 and mmol/L = mg/dL ÷ 18.016.
The factor comes from the molar mass of glucose (180.16 g/mol). It is exact for glucose, so there is no rounding apart from what is shown on screen.
Worked example
A reading of 5.5 mmol/L is 5.5 × 18.016 = 99.1 mg/dL. A reading of 126 mg/dL is 126 ÷ 18.016 = 6.99 mmol/L.
Notes
Some older references round the factor to 18. That changes results by about 0.1 %, which is below the accuracy of a home meter. For the average glucose behind an HbA1c result, see the HbA1c converter. Nothing here is a diagnosis; discuss readings with a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert mg/dL to mmol/L?
Divide by 18.016. For example 100 mg/dL ÷ 18.016 = 5.55 mmol/L. To go the other way multiply mmol/L by 18.016.
Why is the factor 18.016?
Glucose has a molar mass of about 180.16 grams per mole. One mmol/L is 0.18016 g/L, which is 18.016 mg/dL, since a decilitre is a tenth of a litre.
Is my reading normal?
This tool only changes units and does not interpret results. Target ranges depend on the person, the time of day and whether you have diabetes, so talk to a doctor or diabetes nurse about yours.
Do some countries use both units?
Yes. The United States, Japan and a few others mainly use mg/dL, while the UK, Canada, Australia and most of Europe use mmol/L. Check the unit printed on your meter or lab report.