Prandial relates to a meal. Postprandial (from post prandium) means after eating a meal, while preprandial is before a meal.

Usages of postprandial

The term ''postprandial'' is used in many contexts.

Gastronomic or social

Refers to activities performed after a meal, such as drinking cocktails or smoking.

Medical

A common use is in relation to blood sugar (or blood glucose) levels, which are normally measured 2 hours after and before eating in a

postprandial glucose test A postprandial glucose (PPG) test is a blood glucose test that determines the amount of glucose, in the plasma after a meal. The diagnosis is typically restricted to ''postprandial hyperglycemia'' due to lack of strong evidence of co-relation with ...

. This is because blood glucose levels usually rise after a meal. The

American Diabetes Association The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is a United States-based nonprofit that seeks to educate the public about diabetes and to help those affected by it through funding research to manage, cure and prevent diabetes (including type 1 diabetes, ...

recommends a postprandial glucose level under 180 mg/dl and a preprandial plasma glucose between 70 and 130 mg/dl. Other uses of ''postprandial'' include: * Postprandial dip is a mild decrease in blood sugar after eating a big meal. * Postprandial

hyperglycemia Hyperglycemia is a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma. This is generally a blood sugar level higher than 11.1 mmol/L (200 mg/dL), but symptoms may not start to become noticeable until even ...

(PPHG) is high blood sugar following a meal. It can be evaluated in a

. * Postprandial hypotension is a drastic decline in blood pressure which happens after eating a meal.Merck Manual Home Health Handbook
"Postprandial Hypotension."
Last revised February 2003. Last accessed July 13, 2007. * Postprandial regurgitation is a unique symptom of rumination syndrome. * Postprandial thermogenesis is heat production due to metabolism after a meal, temporarily increasing the metabolic rate. * Postprandial abdominal distension usually refers to bloating of the abdomen following a meal, especially a large one. It is generally harmless, but tends to be uncomfortable. Instances of its sudden onset or prolonged duration can, however, be symptoms of certain severe adverse gastro-intestinal conditions such as irritable bowel disease.
Postprandial abdominal distension is also a documented side effect of some medications.

Processes

In the postprandium, there is digestion of food in the

gastrointestinal tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organ (biology), organs of the digestive syste ...

, followed by uptake and various

metabolic Metabolism (, from el, μεταβολή ''metabolē'', "change") is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main functions of metabolism are: the conversion of the energy in food to energy available to run cell ...

processes, mainly anabolic ones (building organic molecules from smaller units). The postprandium is characterized by an increased activity of the

parasympathetic nervous system The parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) is one of the three divisions of the autonomic nervous system, the others being the sympathetic nervous system and the enteric nervous system. The enteric nervous system is sometimes considered part of ...

, putting the body in a state of "rest and digest".

References

{{reflist Medical terminology