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Healthy Weight Loss Diets |
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Cardiovascular Health, Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis, Diabetes, High Cholesterol, High Triglycerides,
Acid Reflux,
Heartburn, High
Blood Pressure, Hypoglycemia, Irritable
Bowel, Menopause, Arthritis,
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Reduce Cholesterol.
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Hypoglycemia Information
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.
Blood Sugar Range
The normal range for blood sugar is
about 60 mg/dL (milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood) to 120 mg/dL,
depending on when a person last ate. In the fasting state, blood sugar
can occasionally fall below 60 mg/dL and even to below 50 mg/dL and not
indicate a serious abnormality or disease. This can be seen in healthy
women, particularly after prolonged fasting. Blood sugar levels below 45
mg/dL are almost always associated with a serious abnormality.
How Does the Body
Control Glucose?
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).
The pancreas, a gland in the upper
abdomen, produces insulin and glucagon. The pancreas is dotted with
hormone-producing tissue called the islets of Langerhans, which contain
alpha and beta cells. When blood sugar rises after a meal, the beta
cells release insulin. The insulin helps glucose enter body cells,
lowering blood levels of glucose to the normal range. When blood sugar
drops too low, the alpha cells secrete glucagon. This signals the liver
to release stored glycogen and change it back to glucose, raising blood
sugar levels to the normal range. Muscles also store glycogen that can
be converted to glucose.
Symptoms of
Hypoglycemia
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 can
cause excess production of catecholamines, resulting in symptoms similar
to those caused by hypoglycemia but having no relation to blood sugar
levels.
When you feel hypoglycemia symptoms coming on you
should check your blood glucose levels immediately. Your local pharmacy
will sell the do-it-yourself test kit.
If the test shows low
blood sugar levels and/or if hypoglycemia symptoms persist it is advised
you see your physician for immediate examination and treatment.
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