Symptoms of hypoglycemia

• Adjustment to your current medications, if they are a contributing factor • Management of an underlying illness causing hypoglycemia, if applicable • Dietary changes including consuming complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and beans, and choosing balanced meals with fiber and protein • Eating every three hours to prevent blood sugar highs and lows • Consume a 15-gram serving of carbohydrates, either hard candy, dried fruit, or juice • Have a sports drink or snack after doing an intense workout on an empty stomach (no further medical help is needed) • Use glucagon, a prescription medication that is either inhaled through the nose or injected (recommended in severe cases) • American Diabetes Association. • Eckert-Norton M, Kirk S, eds. J Clin Endocrinol & Metab. 2013;98(10):39A-40A. doi:10.1210/jc.2013-v98i10-39A • Evans Kreider K, Pereira K, Padilla BI. Diabetes Ther. 2017;8(6):1427-1435. doi:10.1007/s13300-017-0325-9 • Volčanšek Š, Rahne Perc U, Lunder M, Pongrac Barlovič D. Metabolites. 2022 Dec 8;12(12):1232. doi:10.3390/metabo12121232. • Hypoglycemia Support Foundation. • Hypoglycemia Support Foundation. • Drummond JB, Barbosa IG, Dantzer R, Teixeira AL. Brain Behav Immun. 2018 Oct;73:41-50. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2018.05.003. • Kalra S, Unnikrishnan AG, Sahay R. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2014;18(1):1-3. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.126517 • Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center. • University of Michigan Medicine. • John Hopkins Medicine. • MedlinePlus. • Associati...

Overview What is hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)? Hypoglycemia happens when the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood drops below the range that’s healthy for you. It’s also called low blood sugar or low blood glucose. Hypoglycemia is common in people with For most people with diabetes, hypoglycemia is when your blood sugar level is below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 3.9 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). For most people without diabetes, hypoglycemia is when your blood sugar level is below 55 mg/dL or 3.1 mmol/L. Hypoglycemia requires immediate treatment by eating or drinking sugar/ What is blood sugar? Glucose (sugar) mainly comes from carbohydrates in the food and drinks you consume. It’s your body’s main source of energy. Your blood carries glucose to all of your body’s cells to use for energy. Glucose is very important because it’s the primary source of energy for your If you don’t have diabetes, several bodily processes naturally help keep your blood glucose in a healthy range. People who have diabetes must use medication, like oral diabetes medications or synthetic insulin, and/or lifestyle changes to help keep their blood sugar levels in range. Low blood sugar often happens due to excess insulin — whether your body naturally makes too much or you inject too much synthetic insulin. Other hormonal and metabolic issues can also lead to low blood sugar. If your blood sugar drops below the healthy range, it causes certain symptoms like shakiness and a faster heart...

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. While it may seem alarming when it happens, there’s a good explanation for what’s happening to your body. To better understand what’s going on and how you can treat and prevent future episodes, we talked to registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD. What is reactive hypoglycemia? Reactive hypoglycemia occurs when your body experiences low blood sugar after a meal. “It typically occurs about 2 hours after a meal,” says Zumpano, “and can sometimes even happen up to 4 hours after eating.” It’s important to note that it’s different than hypoglycemia, too. “Hypoglycemia is related to a fasting state when you haven’t eaten anything for an extended period,” she adds. “And your blood sugar naturally drops below what’s considered a normal range.”People who have diabetes or impaired fasting glucose are more prone to experiencing hypoglycemia. Symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia While reactive hypoglycemia is different than hypoglycemia, they share similar symptoms, including: • Shaking or trembling. • Sweating and chills. • • Faster • • Hunger. • Nausea. • Nervousness or irritability. • Weakness. What causes it? While we know what causes hypoglycemia, the cause of reactive hypoglycemia remains a bit of a mystery, says Zumpano. “Alcohol and high sugar intake are potential triggers for some, but the exact cause is still un...

Hypoglycemia is the term for low blood glucose (sugar). Glucose is produced from the food you eat and from the liver, which stores a form of glucose called glycogen. Glucose is the “fuel” that the brain and other parts of the body need to function properly. Patients with severe hypoglycemia may experience unconsciousness or seizures due to low blood sugar. Severe hypoglycemia can be dangerous and must be treated promptly. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include: Feeling shaky, sweaty, weak, headache, confusion, feeling like you may pass out, and feeling the heart racing. Endocrine Connection Hypoglycemia Unawareness or Impaired Awareness The goal is to help a person recognize symptoms of hypoglycemia early on so they can take action sooner before the glucose drops too low. In some cases, if a person does not experience the symptoms of hypoglycemia this is called hypoglycemia unawareness. Hypoglycemia unawareness can occur in those patients with diabetes who live with chronically low blood glucose levels so the body stops having symptoms when it occurs. Elderly patients using insulin are at higher risk for hypoglycemia unawareness. The brain and body of those with hypoglycemia unawareness is accustomed to long-standing hypoglycemia, so their normal response to hypoglycemia is impaired. These people may function and live normally with blood glucose values in the 70's, and only experience symptoms of hypoglycemia when the glucose values drop into the 50's or below. People with hypog...

All day long, your • • Reactive hypoglycemia often happens not long after you eat. You may hear it called postprandial hypoglycemia. Symptoms of Reactive Hypoglycemia The symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia generally start within 4 hours after a meal. They can include: • • • Racing • Confusion • Dizziness • Irritability • • • Light-headedness • • Shaking • • Feeling • Extreme tiredness • Weakness Causes of Reactive Hypoglycemia The answer isn’t always clear. It’s likely the result of your body making too much Reactive hypoglycemia can also result from tumors, Diagnosing Reactive Hypoglycemia Talk to your doctor if you think you’ve had an episode of hypoglycemia. They’ll ask about your symptoms, medical history, and if other people in your family have had diabetes. The doctor may You might need a mixed-meal tolerance test, or MMTT. You’ll get a syrupy drink to raise your Treatment for Reactive Hypoglycemia Treatment depends on what’s causing your hypoglycemia. If you have diabetes, check your blood sugar levels. For people with diabetes, a reading below 70 mg/dL means you’re hypoglycemic. Eat 15 grams of carbohydrates, then check your blood sugar after 15 minutes. If it’s still below 70 mg/dL, have another serving. Repeat until your blood sugar is at least 70 mg/dL. Talk to your doctor to see if you need a new treatment plan. If you know the specific cause of your hypoglycemia, your doctor will treat that cause. For example, if a medicine or tumor is triggering your hypoglyce...

It’s common to associate hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, with diabetes. However, Reactive hypoglycemia, or postprandial hypoglycemia, occurs within four hours of eating a meal. This differs from fasting hypoglycemia, or a sugar crash that happens as a result of fasting. The exact cause of reactive hypoglycemia isn’t known. Most experts think it’s related to the foods you eat and the time it takes for these foods to digest. If you have frequent sugar crashes and don’t have diabetes, it may be time to talk to your doctor about dietary changes and potential treatments. Reactive hypoglycemia is one of the two types of non-diabetes-related hypoglycemia. The other type is fasting hypoglycemia. According to the Still, it’s possible to have Glucose is procured from the foods that you eat, not just sugary foods. You can get glucose from any source of carbohydrates, including fruits, vegetables, and grains. In order to deliver glucose to the muscles and cells in your body, as well as maintain proper levels of glucose in the bloodstream, your body relies on a hormone called Insulin issues are the hallmarks of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t have enough insulin to regulate blood glucose. You may also have Still, insulin problems aren’t exclusive to diabetes. When you have hypoglycemia, you have too much insulin circulating in the blood. You may start feeling the effects of a sugar crash when your glucose reading reaches Most people with reactive hypoglycemia don’t ap...