Blood Glucose Unit Converter
Medically reviewed by Dr. Chhaya Makhija, MD, DipABLM — September 2026
Instantly convert blood glucose readings between mg/dL and mmol/L. Includes ADA target ranges in both units and a full reference table.
🔄 mg/dL ↔ mmol/L Converter
Reference Table — Common BG Values
| mg/dL | mmol/L | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 54 | 3.0 | Severe hypoglycemia threshold (ADA) |
| 70 | 3.9 | Hypoglycemia alert level — treat immediately |
| 80 | 4.4 | ADA fasting target (lower bound) |
| 100 | 5.6 | Typical pre-meal target |
| 130 | 7.2 | ADA pre-meal target (upper bound) |
| 140 | 7.8 | ADA 1-hr post-meal target (upper bound) |
| 180 | 10.0 | ADA 2-hr post-meal target (upper bound) |
| 250 | 13.9 | Moderate hyperglycemia — consider correction |
| 300 | 16.7 | Check ketones — DKA risk, seek guidance |
Full Conversion Chart: mg/dL to mmol/L
Every common blood glucose value from 40 to 600 mg/dL (33.3 mmol/L) converted to mmol/L. Values below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) are hypoglycemic; values above 180 mg/dL (10.0 mmol/L) are above the typical post-meal target.
| mg/dL | mmol/L | mg/dL | mmol/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 2.2 | 165 | 9.2 |
| 45 | 2.5 | 170 | 9.4 |
| 50 | 2.8 | 175 | 9.7 |
| 54 | 3.0 | 180 | 10.0 |
| 60 | 3.3 | 190 | 10.5 |
| 65 | 3.6 | 200 | 11.1 |
| 70 | 3.9 | 210 | 11.7 |
| 75 | 4.2 | 220 | 12.2 |
| 80 | 4.4 | 230 | 12.8 |
| 85 | 4.7 | 240 | 13.3 |
| 90 | 5.0 | 250 | 13.9 |
| 95 | 5.3 | 260 | 14.4 |
| 100 | 5.6 | 270 | 15.0 |
| 105 | 5.8 | 280 | 15.5 |
| 110 | 6.1 | 290 | 16.1 |
| 115 | 6.4 | 300 | 16.7 |
| 120 | 6.7 | 320 | 17.8 |
| 125 | 6.9 | 340 | 18.9 |
| 126 | 7.0 | 350 | 19.4 |
| 130 | 7.2 | 360 | 20.0 |
| 135 | 7.5 | 380 | 21.1 |
| 140 | 7.8 | 400 | 22.2 |
| 145 | 8.0 | 450 | 25.0 |
| 150 | 8.3 | 500 | 27.8 |
| 155 | 8.6 | 550 | 30.5 |
| 160 | 8.9 | 600 | 33.3 |
mmol/L to mg/dL Chart
| mmol/L | mg/dL | mmol/L | mg/dL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 | 36 | 8.5 | 153 |
| 2.5 | 45 | 9.0 | 162 |
| 3.0 | 54 | 9.5 | 171 |
| 3.5 | 63 | 10.0 | 180 |
| 3.9 | 70 | 11.0 | 198 |
| 4.0 | 72 | 12.0 | 216 |
| 4.5 | 81 | 13.0 | 234 |
| 5.0 | 90 | 14.0 | 252 |
| 5.5 | 99 | 15.0 | 270 |
| 6.0 | 108 | 16.0 | 288 |
| 6.5 | 117 | 18.0 | 324 |
| 7.0 | 126 | 20.0 | 360 |
| 7.5 | 135 | 25.0 | 450 |
| 8.0 | 144 | 30.0 | 541 |
What Your Reading Means (Both Units)
The ADA uses the following diagnostic thresholds. A single reading is not a diagnosis — laboratory confirmation and clinical evaluation are required.
Fasting Blood Glucose
| Category | mg/dL | mmol/L |
|---|---|---|
| Hypoglycemia | < 70 | < 3.9 |
| Normal | 70–99 | 3.9–5.5 |
| Prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose) | 100–125 | 5.6–6.9 |
| Diabetes range | ≥ 126 | ≥ 7.0 |
2-Hour Post-Meal / OGTT
| Category | mg/dL | mmol/L |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | < 140 | < 7.8 |
| Prediabetes (impaired glucose tolerance) | 140–199 | 7.8–11.0 |
| Diabetes range | ≥ 200 | ≥ 11.1 |
Thresholds: ADA Standards of Care — Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes. Diagnosis requires confirmation by a healthcare provider.
ADA Blood Glucose Targets (2024)
| Target | mg/dL | mmol/L |
|---|---|---|
| Fasting / pre-meal | 80–130 | 4.4–7.2 |
| 1-hour post-meal | < 140 | < 7.8 |
| 2-hour post-meal | < 180 | < 10.0 |
| Hypoglycemia alert | < 70 | < 3.9 |
| Severe hypoglycemia | < 54 | < 3.0 |
| Pregnancy fasting | < 95 | < 5.3 |
| Pregnancy 1-hr post-meal | < 140 | < 7.8 |
Source: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes — 2026.
Conversion Formula
The factor 18.016 is the molecular weight of glucose (180.16 g/mol) divided by 10. Often rounded to 18 for quick mental math.
Which Countries Use mg/dL vs mmol/L?
The same blood glucose reading is written two ways depending on where you are. mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre) is standard in the United States, and also common across much of Latin America, the Middle East, Japan, and parts of Europe. mmol/L (millimoles per litre) is the SI unit used in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, and most of Europe.
The numbers look very different — 180 mg/dL (10.0 mmol/L) and 10.0 mmol/L are the same glucose level — which is why travellers, people using a meter bought abroad, and anyone reading research from another country need a quick conversion. The relationship is fixed, so this converter is exact, not an estimate.
Once a reading is in the unit you work in, three tools take it further. The HbA1c calculator turns an A1c into an average glucose in either unit. The correction dose calculator uses a current reading against your target to estimate a correction. For continuous monitor data, the GMI calculator converts a 14-day average into an A1c-equivalent. Insulin resistance is scored separately from a fasting sample with the HOMA-IR calculator.
Limitations & Safety Notes
- The conversion itself is exact arithmetic, but it cannot tell you whether the reading is accurate. Meters and CGM sensors carry their own error — the ISO 15197 standard permits up to ±15% deviation from a lab reference.
- The 18.0182 divisor is specific to glucose, derived from its molar mass. Do not reuse it for cholesterol, creatinine or any other analyte, each of which has its own factor.
- Reporting conventions differ: mmol/L is normally given to one decimal place, mg/dL as a whole number. Converting back and forth repeatedly compounds rounding error.
- A converted number is not a target. Glycemic goals differ by age, pregnancy status, hypoglycemia history and comorbidity, and are set with your care team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert mg/dL to mmol/L?
Divide the mg/dL value by 18.016 (often rounded to 18). For example, 180 mg/dL (10.0 mmol/L) ÷ 18 = 10.0 mmol/L. To go the other way, multiply the mmol/L value by 18.016.
What is 180 mg/dL (10.0 mmol/L) in mmol/L?
180 mg/dL equals 10.0 mmol/L. This is the ADA's upper target for 2-hour post-meal glucose in most non-pregnant adults.
Why are there two units for blood glucose?
mg/dL measures the mass of glucose per decilitre and is used mainly in the United States; mmol/L measures the number of glucose molecules per litre and is the SI unit used across most of the world. Both describe the identical glucose level.
Is the mg/dL to mmol/L conversion exact?
Yes. Unlike A1c-to-glucose estimates, this is a fixed mathematical relationship based on the molecular weight of glucose (180.16 g/mol), so the result is exact.
What is 100 mg/dL in mmol/L?
100 mg/dL equals 5.6 mmol/L. As a fasting value, this sits at the lower edge of the ADA prediabetes range (100–125 mg/dL fasting), so a fasting reading of 100 is worth discussing with your provider.
What is 120 mg/dL in mmol/L?
120 mg/dL equals 6.7 mmol/L. This is within the ADA pre-meal target range for most adults with diabetes (80–130 mg/dL) and is also the ADA 2-hour post-meal upper target for pregnancy.
What is 140 mg/dL in mmol/L?
140 mg/dL equals 7.8 mmol/L. On a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test, 140–199 mg/dL (7.8–11.0 mmol/L) is the ADA prediabetes range; below 140 is normal. It is also the ADA 1-hour post-meal upper target.
What is 126 mg/dL in mmol/L?
126 mg/dL equals 7.0 mmol/L. A fasting glucose of 126 mg/dL or higher, confirmed on repeat testing, is the ADA diagnostic threshold for diabetes.
What is 10 mmol/L in mg/dL?
10 mmol/L equals 180 mg/dL. This is the ADA upper target for 2-hour post-meal glucose in most non-pregnant adults, and a common CGM high-alert setting.
What is 11 mmol/L in mg/dL?
11 mmol/L equals 198 mg/dL — essentially the 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) threshold. A random glucose of 200 mg/dL or higher with symptoms, or a 2-hour OGTT value at that level, is in the ADA diabetes diagnostic range.
Sources
- American Diabetes Association. Standards of Care in Diabetes — 2026. Diabetes Care. 2026;49(Suppl 1). Link — glycemic targets, which the ADA publishes in both mg/dL and mmol/L.
- Conversion basis: glucose has a molar mass of approximately 180.16 g/mol, so 1 mmol/L equals about 18.0 mg/dL. This calculator uses the more precise divisor 18.0182 rather than the rounded 18 used in some quick-reference charts.
- International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and the ADA both support dual reporting of glucose and HbA1c units, which is why laboratory reports differ by country rather than by measurement method.
Written by Ryan Mitchell · Last updated: September 2026