Blood Glucose Levels - the Signs of Hypoglycemia
Glucose is the body's fuel. Our brains require it to function properly and our muscles require it to move. It is the food for all of our cells. Therefore, it is important to maintain normal blood glucose levels for our bodies to function properly.
Low blood glucose level is a condition when the level of glucose in your blood drops below a certain point. It is also called as hypoglycemia. It may be caused when you eat too little or exercise more than usual or even if you have taken some diabetes medicine. Typically the low values considered as hypoglycemia are fasting glucose levels of 40mg/dL or 2.2mmol/L in women and below 50mg/dL or 2.8mmol/L in men. As high levels of blood glucose prove harmful for the body so do low blood glucose levels too lead to complications. There are several symptoms that need to be treated right away.
A normal blood sugar level is between 60-100 mg/dl. Your level raises some after a meal and it is lower in the morning when you first awaken. But your blood sugar level should never go below 60 mg/dl if you are not a diabetic. If you have a problem with your blood sugar dropping, commonly called hypoglycemia, you should see your doctor.
Causes of low blood glucose levels
Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas and helps the cells to absorb glucose from the blood. This glucose is the energy that they require to carry out various activities. Insulin helps keep the glucose levels in control. However, too much insulin in the blood causes hypoglycemic episodes. Similarly even if you skip meals and snacks or even if you do not eat enough meal your glucose levels may go low. Among the non diabetics it may be caused due to reactive hypoglycemia which is the overproduction of insulin by the body. It is a very common cause in overweight people. Low glucose levels may be caused due to a disease of the adrenal glands, weakening of pituitary glands, reduction in liver function; alcohol ingestion and sometime even cancer may be a cause.
Hypoglycemia can be caused by many different things. Most cases of hypoglycemia will occur in people who have diabetes. If a diabetic has a decreased appetite or skips a meal and does not adjust their insulin or oral diabetic medicine to compensate, they will have a drop in blood sugar. But there are other conditions that can cause hypoglycemia also. Let's look at a few of them.
Cancer can be a cause of low blood sugar. Chemotherapy will decrease the appetite or lead to nausea and vomiting. Food does not taste the same to people who have had chemotherapy. Skipping meals or eating very little will cause a drop in blood sugar levels.
Excessive alcohol consumption can stop your body from producing glucose which causes your body to use up all of its stored glycogen. This will only occur if you are drinking very heavily and have had nothing to eat.
Liver disease can cause low blood sugar because the liver is a key organ in glucose production. The kidney is also an important organ in glucose production and conditions such as kidney failure will cause hypoglycemia.
A beta cell tumor of the pancreas, called insulinoma, can cause hypoglycemia by causing an overproduction of insulin. Insulin is what controls the amount of glucose in your blood and too much insulin will cause a drop in blood glucose.
Endocrine deficiencies will cause hypoglycemia. The endocrine system is a network of glands that produce hormones that regulate processes throughout the body. These glands are the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, the adrenal glands, the pancreas, ovaries and testicles. Certain disorders of the adrenal glands or the pituitary gland can interfere with glucose production and cause hypoglycemia.
Signs and symptoms of low blood glucose level
There can be different symptoms in different people when their blood glucose levels fall. Symptoms seen often may include a feeling of hunger or hunger pains, shaky feeling, and feeling sweaty or cold. Some may experience headaches, irritability, and crankiness. You may also feel drowsy, weak or unsteady and dizzy when walking. Blurring of vision, double vision, confusion, seizures and even losing consciousness may be among the symptoms of low blood glucose level. For diabetics very high glucose levels as well as very low levels of glucose are equally harmful. It is necessary to remember how your body reacts when the levels are low and understand that the levels have gone too low the next time it happens so that you can take steps to counter it.
Diagnosis and control
If you are experiencing the symptoms of low blood glucose levels contact your doctor and if possible get a home blood glucose apparatus or have test done to confirm the status. If the tests show your glucose level below 2.5mmol/L you have hypoglycemia. Test may also be conducted to find out if you have any tumor in the pancreas. If any other causes are detected specific treatment may be taken. When you experience symptoms of hypoglycemia, during exercises or sport try eating complex carbohydrates before you begin exercising or consume carbohydrates like glucose which you may get from sports drinks.
If you are feeling the symptoms of low blood glucose levels contact your doctor and have tests done immediately to prevent future problems.
If you think someone is having a hypoglycemic episode, it is important to call for help and try to raise their blood sugar as fast as possible. Brain and organ damage can result if their level drops too low for any amount of time. If they are still awake and able to drink, have them drink a glass of juice. It will help if you can add some sugar packets to it. If they are unconscious or bordering on becoming unconscious, get some sugar and place it under their tongue. This area is highly vascular and the sugar will absorb into the bloodstream fast.
Low blood sugar is not for diabetics only. It can happen to almost anyone at anytime without warning.
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