What Causes Hypoglycemia

If you think you have hypoglycemia then take heart and keep reading. When you are finished reading this article you will know what causes hypoglycemia and all information you need to help you understand your condition. Understanding what you are dealing with and why are the first steps toward controlling your hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia happens when the concentration of sugar, or glucose, in your blood drops to a level your body isn't used to. Normal values for blood sugar is 70mg/dl to 110mg/dl. If you fall below 70mg/dl and it happens often then you could be hypoglycemic. Anyone can have a glycemic episode once in a while but if you are consistently having symptoms then you and your doctor should discuss adding the diagnosis to your medical chart and starting treatment.

Hypoglycemia may be a precursor to diabetes and the sooner you begin treatment the better off you will be in the long run. Symptoms of mild hypoglycemia include weakness, headache, dizziness, sweating and blurry vision. Some good hypoglycemia information is that these symptoms can be controlled by eating food as soon as you feel them coming on.

Sever hypoglycemia symptoms include heart palpitations and arrhythmia, mental confusion, unusual behavior, convulsions, loss of consciousness and even death if left untreated. Like I said anyone can suffer a hypoglycemic episode, even if they do  not have diabetes. Situations which may contribute to having a hypoglycemic episode include eating a meal high in sugar and having your body react by dumping insulin into your system in response to your meal, skipping a meal, not eating or not eating enough when you are supposed to when you feel hungry, exercising too much and drinking too much alcohol can also cause blood sugar levels to drop.

So, how do you prevent or treat you hypoglycemia? Try treating and controlling symptoms by eating small meals throughout the day and limiting carbohydrates. Your doctor may want you to start checking your blood sugar at least daily to get a baseline on where your blood sugars are and what to do about the possibilities of diabetes. Exercise in moderation and do not ever skip meals. Make sure your meals are always balanced without too many carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates convert to simple sugars in your body almost immediately and your pancreas responds in kind and pumps insulin into your system to help manage the blood sugar spike. If you eat too many carbohydrates then the insulin pumped into your system will be a significant amount and will make your blood sugar drop like a stone in a pond. This is where the danger comes in.

If you are already diabetic your doctor should follow you closely until your blood sugars are under control and you get used to the treatment regimen. You may be able to control your diabetes with diet only, if not you will need to get used to giving yourself insulin shots at least daily, sometimes more often.

Hypoglycemia can be a serious medical condition so if it happens more than once talk to your doctor immediately and know what causes hypoglycemia and learn how to manage your symptoms.