The Effects Of Hypoglycemia

The Effects Of Hypoglycemia
Glucose, a form of sugar, is the body's main fuel. Hypoglycemia, or
low blood sugar, occurs when blood levels of glucose drop too low to
fuel the body's activity.

Carbohydrates (sugars and starches) are the body's main dietary
sources of glucose. During digestion, the glucose is absorbed into the
blood stream (hence the term "blood sugar"), which carries it to every
cell in the body. Unused glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen.

Hypoglycemia can occur as a complication of diabetes, as a condition in itself, or in association with other disorders.

The amount of glucose in the blood is controlled mainly by the
hormones insulin and glucagon. Too much or too little of these hormones
can cause blood sugar levels to fall too low (hypoglycemia) or rise too
high (hyperglycemia). Other hormones that influence blood sugar levels
are cortisol, growth hormone, and catecholamines (epinephrine and
norepinephrine).

A person with hypoglycemia may feel weak, drowsy, confused, hungry,
and dizzy. Paleness, headache, irritability, trembling, sweating, rapid
heart beat, and a cold, clammy feeling are also signs of low blood
sugar. In severe cases, a person can lose consciousness and even lapse
into a coma.

The symptoms associated with hypoglycemia are sometimes mistaken for
symptoms caused by conditions not related to blood sugar. For example,
unusual stress and Anxiety.html">anxiety can cause excess
production of catecholamines, resulting in symptoms similar to those
caused by hypoglycemia but having no relation to blood sugar levels.

The most common cause of hypoglycemia is as a complication of
diabetes. Diabetes occurs when the body cannot use glucose for fuel
because either the pancreas is not able to make enough insulin or the
insulin that is available is not effective. As a result, glucose builds
up in the blood instead of getting into body cells.

The aim of treatment in diabetes is to lower high blood sugar
levels. To do this, people with diabetes may use insulin or oral drugs,
depending on the type of diabetes they have or the severity of their
condition. Hypoglycemia occurs most often in people who use insulin to
lower their blood sugar. All people with type 1 diabetes and some
people with type 2 diabetes use insulin. People with type 2 diabetes
who take oral drugs called sulfonylureas are also vulnerable to low
blood sugar episodes.

Conditions that can lead to hypoglycemia in people with diabetes
include taking too much medication, missing or delaying a meal, eating
too little food for the amount of insulin taken, exercising too
strenuously, drinking too much alcohol, or any combination of these
factors. People who have diabetes often refer to hypoglycemia as an
"insulin reaction."

Hypoglycemia in people who do not have diabetes is far less common
than once believed. However, it can occur in some people under certain
conditions such as early pregnancy, prolonged fasting, and long periods
of strenuous exercise. People on beta blocker medications who exercise
are at higher risk of hypoglycemia, and aspirin can induce hypoglycemia
in some children. Drinking alcohol can cause blood sugar to drop in
some sensitive individuals, and hypoglycemia has been well documented
in chronic alcoholics and binge drinkers. Eating unripe ackee fruit
from Jamaica is a rare cause of low blood sugar.

A diagnosis of reactive hypoglycemia is considered only after other
possible causes of low blood sugar have been ruled out. Reactive
hypoglycemia with no known cause is a condition in which the symptoms
of low blood sugar appear 2 to 5 hours after eating foods high in
glucose.

Ten to 20 years ago, hypoglycemia was a popular diagnosis. However,
studies now show that this condition is actually quite rare. In these
studies, most patients who experienced the symptoms of hypoglycemia
after eating glucose-rich foods consistently had normal levels of blood
sugar--above 60 mg/dL. Some researchers have suggested that some people
may be extra sensitive to the body's normal release of the hormone
epinephrine after a meal.

People with symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia unrelated to other
medical conditions or problems are usually advised to follow a healthy
eating plan. The doctor or dietitian may suggest that such a person
avoid foods high in carbohydrates; eat small, frequent meals and snacks
throughout the day; exercise regularly; and eat a variety of foods,
including whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.

Fasting hypoglycemia occurs when the stomach is empty. It usually
develops in the early morning when a person awakens. As with other
forms of hypoglycemia, the symptoms include headache, lack of energy,
and an inability to concentrate. Fasting hypoglycemia may be caused by
a variety of conditions such as hereditary enzyme or hormone
deficiencies, liver disease, and insulin-producing tumors.

In hereditary fructose intolerance, a disorder usually seen in
children, the body is unable to metabolize the natural sugar fructose.
Attacks of hypoglycemia, marked by seizures, vomiting, and
unconsciousness, are treated by giving glucose and eliminating fructose
from the diet.

Galactosemia, a rare genetic disorder, hampers the body's ability to
process the sugar galactose. An infant with this disorder may appear
normal at birth, but after a few days or weeks of drinking milk (which
contains galactose), the child may begin to vomit, lose weight, and
develop cataracts. The liver may fail to release stored glycogen into
the blood, triggering hypoglycemia. Removing milk from the diet is the
usual treatment.

Glycine can be used for the treatment of hypoglycemia. Glycine
stimulates the release of glucagon, which mobilizes glycogen, which is
then released into the blood as glucose.
Hypoglycemia can cause potassium loss.