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What Is Hypoglycemia? Low Blood Sugar Signs, Symptoms, & More.

Diabetic Exchange USA

If you have recently been diagnosed with hypoglycemia, you probably have a lot of questions. You may be wondering: “What is the cause of low blood sugar?” People with diabetes worry their blood sugar levels are too high, but it’s important that your blood sugar levels also don’t get too low.

Hypoglycemia can be dangerous if it’s not treated correctly. Read on to understand low blood sugar and how to treat and prevent hypoglycemia.

Low blood sugar 

Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can happen when people take medications that increase insulin levels. It can also happen when people skip meals, exercise too much, or eat less than normal.

To understand low blood sugar, you need to understand how your body regulates blood sugar. Blood sugar is often referred to as glucose. Glucose comes from starches, sugars, and carbohydrates. 

When you eat, your body absorbs the carbohydrates through the bloodstream, then delivers them to your cells. Your cells use glucose for energy. Your pancreas makes a hormone called insulin, which helps regulate glucose. If you have too much glucose (if you eat too much), your body will change it to fat storage where it can be accessed for energy later.

Glucose is very important for the body because your body uses it to perform all its functions.

Symptoms

Low blood sugar has many symptoms. Most people start to feel the effects of hypoglycemia when their blood sugar is 70 milligrams per deciliter or lower. You may experience some of the following:

  • Hunger

  • Anxiety

  • Sweating

  • Pale skin

  • Fast or irregular heartbeat

  • Sleepiness

  • Shakiness

  • Dizziness

  • Crankiness

  • Mood changes

  • Difficulty sleeping

Without quick treatment, symptoms can get worse. Some more extreme symptoms can be:

  • Confusion

  • Blurred vision

  • Passing out

  • Seizures

If you have diabetes and aren’t responding to your hypoglycemia treatment, seek a doctor immediately. Even if you don’t have diabetes and are experiencing hypoglycemia symptoms, seek a doctor’s help.

If you’re with someone who has a history of hypoglycemia, seek help for them if their symptoms become severe or lose consciousness.

Possible Causes

To understand hypoglycemia, you have to ask “What is the cause of low blood sugar?” Low blood sugar can have multiple causes. Sometimes hypoglycemia is due to diabetes, and sometimes it isn’t.

  • With diabetes

Hypoglycemia caused by diabetes is the most common reason for low blood sugar. If you have type 1 diabetes, you may not make enough insulin. If you have type 2 diabetes, your body is less responsive to it.

Whatever form of diabetes you have, glucose can build up to dangerously high levels in the bloodstream. If this is the case, you can take drugs to lower your blood sugar levels.

Unfortunately, diabetes medication can make your blood sugar drop too low, causing hypoglycemia. It can also occur if you eat less or exercise more after your diabetes medication.

Some other common reasons people with diabetes develop low blood sugar are:

  • Drinking alcohol without eating

  • Skipping meals

  • Not balancing fat, protein, and fiber

  • Not eating enough carbohydrates

  • Waiting too long after a meal to take insulin

  • Eating late

  • Using the wrong type of insulin or taking insulin incorrectly


People with uncontrolled diabetes are especially at risk for hypoglycemia, as they aren’t managing their diabetes. This can trigger not only hypoglycemia symptoms but life-threatening diabetes symptoms as well.

  • Without diabetes

Low blood sugar without diabetes is far less common than diabetes-caused hypoglycemia, but it can still happen. Some reasons you could develop hypoglycemia without diabetes are:

  • Insulin overproduction

Sometimes, a tumor can cause your pancreas to produce too much insulin, resulting in low blood sugar. Tumors can also cause an overproduction of insulin-like substances. Enlargement of pancreas cells that produce insulin can cause too much insulin to be released, resulting in hypoglycemia.

  • Hormonal deficiencies

Tumors can potentially cause hormonal deficiencies that regulate glucose production. 

  • Excessive alcohol

Drinking heavily without eating can cause hypoglycemia. It can potentially hinder your liver from releasing glucose into your bloodstream.

  • Illness

Some critical illnesses, such as cirrhosis and severe hepatitis can cause hypoglycemia. You can also develop low blood sugar from kidney disorders since they can keep your body from properly processing medications. If you have a buildup of medications in your kidney, it can affect your glucose levels.

Anorexia nervosa can also cause low blood sugar. Long-term starvation can result in your body not getting the food and glucose it needs to survive. 

  • Medications

Taking someone else’s medication can accidentally cause hypoglycemia. Someone else’s diabetes medication can cause it, but other medications such as quinine, used to treat malaria, can cause it as well. It’s especially dangerous for children or people with kidney failure to take someone else’s medication.

  • Too much sugar

Sometimes, you can develop reactive or postprandial hypoglycemia. This type of hypoglycemia occurs when you eat a meal that’s high in sugar, and your body produces more insulin than you need. It’s more common in people who have had stomach bypass surgery, but not exclusive to those people.

How to prevent it

There are several things you can do to prevent hypoglycemic episodes. Some of those things are:

  • Check often

Checking your blood sugar frequently can help you manage your blood sugar levels and keep them in a healthy range. If you’ve had hypoglycemic episodes in the past, definitely check your levels before you drive or operate machinery. If you aren’t sure how often to check your blood sugar, ask your doctor.

  • Snack well

If you know your next meal isn’t going to be for another five hours, bring a snack if you’re going out. If your blood sugar is below 100 mg/dL, a snack can keep your blood sugar at healthy ranges between meals.

Keeping a carbohydrate-rich snack on hand can help keep your blood sugar in check when you’re out. 

  • Properly fuel for exercise

Exercise burns up your stored fuel, so your blood sugar can drop quickly if you don’t properly eat beforehand. Check your blood sugar 1-2 hours before you exercise to make sure it’s in a healthy range before you exert yourself. If it’s on the low side, eat a snack that’s rich in carbohydrates. 

If you plan on exercising for an hour or more, you can eat during your workout. Drink sports drinks, eat granola bars, or try exercise gels or candy bars. These can all give you some sugar that will provide you with the glucose you need during your workout.

If you are planning an exercise regimen, it’s important to check with your healthcare team to find the right plan for you. Exercise can cause your blood glucose to drop up to 24 hours after your workout. Check your glucose levels right after exercise, and every 2 to 4 hours until you go to bed. Avoid intense exercise right before bed.

  • Talk with your doctor

Your doctor can help you create a meal plan that works with your medication. They’ll also have a good idea of how to manage your insulin and blood sugar levels. Listen to their suggestions and follow what your doctor prescribes.

  • Eat if you consume alcohol

Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach can cause blood sugar levels to drop. It can cause it to drop immediately, or it may happen hours later. Eat carbohydrate-rich food if you’re drinking, and check your blood sugar levels.


When to seek help

Hypoglycemia is a condition that can lead to serious problems, so it should never be taken lightly. Some extreme symptoms, such as seizures or unconsciousness require emergency care. 

If you’re with someone who loses consciousness or who can’t swallow due to their hypoglycemia, you can administer glucagon to them, either nasally or through injection. Glucagon is a hormone that stimulates the release of sugar into the blood. If you don’t have that on hand, call 911 for emergency services.

Don’t ever inject insulin into someone who can’t swallow or loses consciousness. This will cause their blood sugar levels to drop even further. Don’t try to force fluids or foods, because this could cause them to choke by obstructing their airways.

See your doctor if you have hypoglycemia symptoms several times a week or more. They may need to change your medication timing or dosage to correctly treat your diabetes and low blood sugar.

How to treat it

If you find yourself in a hypoglycemic episode, the American Diabetes Association recommends the “15-15” rule. This is:

  • Eat or drink 15 grams of carbs. This will help raise your blood sugar levels.

  • Check your blood sugar after 15 minutes.

  • If your blood sugar is below 70 mg/dL, consume another 15 grams of carbs.

  • Repeat every 15 minutes until your blood sugar levels are over 70 mg/dL.

If you can’t test your blood sugar, just follow the 15-15 rule until you feel better. Remember that children need fewer carbs, so it’s important to check with their doctor for the correct treatment.

If the 15-15 rule doesn’t work or you feel worse, call your healthcare provider immediately. If symptoms continue to worsen, call 911. They can use a glucagon treatment to release blood sugar into your blood. Your healthcare provider may prescribe glucagon for home use.

Keywords:

  • Hypoglycemia

  • What is the cause of low blood sugar

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