Disease, Illness and Condition Library
Hypoglycemia - Low Blood Sugar
(glucose) in the blood Bob was a struggling professional golfer who has great promise. He had played golf since he was a kid, but now in his late 30’s he started to see an unsettling change in the way he was feeling. Sure athletes get older, but this was different. What was particularly disturbing was his lack of concentration, weakness in the legs, a rapid heart rate, and frequent headaches following a round. Just last week, Bob was leading the tournament when all the sudden he completely lost focus, leading to a final round collapse. After the round his wife insisted he go to doctor to see if something was wrong. Bob was diagnoses with hypoglycemia or low blood sugar; a common condition affecting millions. Bob is not alone! It is estimated that hypoglycemia affects 25 million people in North America alone and is a condition where blood sugar levels are depleted. This condition materializes over time and is brought about by diets high in sugars, carbohydrates, and caffeinated beverages. Alcohol and cigarette use can also play a role. The result is stress on the adrenal glands and pancreas, ultimately leading to hypoglycemia. Once the symptoms start to present, this is a condition that will continually get worse. Health experts suggest that the first symptoms to be noticed are constant hunger, headaches, unexplained fatigue and cravings for sweets.
A healthy person maintains a blood sugar level of approximately 70 to 110 milligrams per deciliter of blood. In hypoglycemia, the sugar levels in the blood become too low. In diabetes mellitus, the sugar levels in the blood become too high, a condition called hyperglycemia. Although diabetes is characterized by high levels of sugar in the blood, many people with diabetes periodically experience hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is uncommon among people without diabetes. Low levels of sugar in the blood interfere with the function of many organ systems. The brain is particularly sensitive to low sugar levels, because sugar is the brain’s major energy source. If sugar levels in the blood fall too far below their normal range, the brain responds by stimulating the adrenal glands to release epinephrine (adrenaline), the pancreas to release glucagon, and the pituitary gland to release growth hormone, all of which cause the liver to release sugar into the blood. Types of Hypoglycemia Functional Hypoglycemia – This type of hypoglycemia is brought about by inadequate diet, although doctors suggest that heredity is a factor as well. It is estimated that half of the people over 50 with hypoglycemia will tend to have more than one metabolic condition which can complicate the problem. Classic Hypoglycemia – This type of hypoglycemia occurs only in people with insulin dependent diabetes. Their attacks come from an overdose of insulin medication. This is the only type of hypoglycemia recognized by the majority of medical doctors, who do not recognize hypoglycemia as a carbohydrate metabolism dysfunction, and dismiss this condition and its effects on blood sugar levels. Reactive Hypoglycemia – Crying episodes commonly occur with this type of hypoglycemia normally two to four hour after eating. Glucose Curve Hypoglycemia – This type of hypoglycemia thought to be triggered by emotional stress. While this type of low blood sugar is not considered extreme, it can be devastating to the person experiencing it. People suffering with glucose curve hypoglycemia complain of constant fatigue, exhaustion, and boredom. Causes It comes as no surprise that the major contributors to the current hypoglycemia epidemic are coffee and colas, especially when coffee is combined with sugar. Coffee stimulates the adrenal glands, which in turn stimulate the liver to release more sugar into the blood. The sugar in the coffee also enters the bloodstream very quickly. Cola drinks have even a stronger effect than coffee, because they contain large amounts of sugar in addition to caffeine, and thus stimulate the release of too much insulin, causing blood sugar to crash. Alcoholic beverages affect the system differently than coffee and colas but have an equally devastating effect on blood sugar levels. Alcohol reduces the production of glucose by the liver, which encourages or amplifies hypoglycemia. The nicotine in tobacco causes a surge in the blood sugar levels of smokers, followed by a rapid drop shortly after the cigarette or cigar is finished. The drop in blood sugar fuels the need for additional nicotine to fill the void, leading to chain smoking. Smoking also has a hidden pitfall, it causes vitamin c deficiency. At first blush this may seem to be not such a big deal but when you consider vitamin c deficiency has been linked to disorders in the bodies’ sugar control system, it starts to look much more important. Salt is another villain in the world of hypoglycemia. An excessive amount of salt leads to the loss of blood potassium, which leads to a drop in blood sugar. Potassium is necessary to treat sugar metabolism abnormalities. Natural medicine practitioners will sometimes recommend potassium tablets for hypoglycemic blackouts. In alternative medicine, hypoglycemia is considered to result from overproduction of insulin by the pancreas. A person with a normal blood glucose level would have about two teaspoons of glucose circulating in their blood. To aid the body in keep this level constant, extra glucose is stored in the liver and muscles, ready to be released when blood glucose levels drop below normal. The flood of glucose created by a high sugar, high refined carbohydrate diet floods the system causing the system to secrete so much additional insulin that not only the excess sugar, but also the sugar that should circulate in the blood stream is eliminated, resulting as hypoglycemia. When blood sugar levels drop below a certain point a myriad of symptoms can occur such as extreme hunger, dizziness, faintness, headaches, irrational behavior, confusion, poor vision, nervousness, cold sweats, anxiety, weakness in the legs, swelling of the feet and difficulty with memory and concentration. Onset symptoms and their degree of severity are related to the time since the last meal and the type of foods consumed at that meal.
Rarely do the symptoms of hypoglycemia develop until blood sugar levels drop below 60 milligrams per deciliter of blood. Some people develop symptoms at slightly higher levels, especially when blood sugar levels falls quickly, and some don not develop symptoms until the sugar levels in their blood are much lower. The body first responds to a fall in the level of sugar in the blood by releasing epinephrine (adrenaline) from the adrenal glands. Epinephrine stimulates the release of sugar from body stores but also causes symptoms similar to those of an anxiety attack: sweating, nervousness, shaking, faintness, palpitations, and hunger. More severe hypoglycemia reduces the sugar supply to the brain, causing dizziness, fatigue, weakness, headaches, inability to concentrate, confusion, inappropriate behavior that can be mistake for drunkenness, slurred speech, blurred vision, seizures, and coma. Prolonged hypoglycemia may permanently damage the brain. Symptoms can begin slowly or suddenly, progressing from mild discomfort to severe confusion or panic within minutes. On the infrequent occasions when people who have well controlled diabetes develop hypoglycemia, awareness of the symptoms of hypoglycemia may be lost, and faintness or even coma may develop without any other warning. In a person with an insulin producing pancreatic tumor, symptoms are likely to occur early in the morning after an overnight fast, especially if the sugar stores in the blood are further depleted by exercise before breakfast. At first, people with a tumor usually have only occasional episodes of hypoglycemia, but over months or years, episodes become more frequent and severe. Diagnosis A doctor may suspect hypoglycemia if the patient is known to have diabetes and the symptoms of hypoglycemia are described. The diagnosis may be confirmed when low sugar levels in the blood are measured while the person is experiencing symptoms. In an otherwise healthy person, who does not have diabetes, a doctor is usually able to recognize hypoglycemia based on the symptoms, medical history, a physical examination, and a few simple tests. The first step the doctor will take is to measure the level of sugar in the blood. A low sugar level in the blood found at the time a person is experiencing typical symptoms of hypoglycemia supports the diagnosis in a person without diabetes, especially if the relationship between a low sugar level in the blood and symptoms is demonstrated more than once. If symptoms are relieved as the sugar levels in the blood rise within a few minutes of ingesting sugar, the diagnosis is supported. When the relationship between a non-diabetic person’s symptoms and the level of sugar in the blood remains unclear, additional test may be called for. Often, the next step is measurement of the sugar level in the blood after a night of fasting in a hospital or other closely supervised setting. More extensive tests may also be needed. If the use of a drug such as pentamidine or quinine is thought to be the cause of hypoglycemia, the drug is stopped and blood sugar levels are measured to determine if they increase. If the cause remains a mystery, other laboratory tests may be needed. If an insulin producing tumor is suspected, measurements of insulin levels in the blood during fasting (sometimes up to 72 hours) may be needed. If the insulin measurements reveal a tumor, the doctor will try to locate it before treatment. Conventional Treatment The symptoms of hypoglycemia are relieved within minutes of consuming sugar in any form, such as candy or glucose tablets, or of drinking a sweet drink, such as a glass of fruit juice. People with recurring episodes of hypoglycemia, especially those with diabetes, often prefer to carry glucose tablets because the tablets take effect quickly and provide a consistent amount of sugar. Both diabetic and non-diabetic people with hypoglycemia may benefit from consuming sugar followed by a food that provides longer lasting carbohydrates (such as bread or crackers). When hypoglycemia is severe or prolonged and taking sugar by mouth is not possible, doctors quickly give sugar intravenously to prevent brain damage. People who are known to be at risk of severe episodes of hypoglycemia may keep glucagon on hand for emergencies. Glucagon administration stimulates the liver to release large amounts of sugar. It is given by injection and generally restores blood sugar to an acceptable level within 5 to 15 minutes. Insulin producing tumors should be removed surgically. However, because these tumors are small and difficult to locate, a specialist should perform the surgery. Before surgery, the person may be given a drug such as diazoxide to inhibit the tumor’s insulin production. Sometimes more than one tumor is present, and if the surgeon does not find them all, a second operation may be necessary. Non-diabetic people who are susceptible to hypoglycemia often can avoid episodes by eating frequent small meals rather than the usual three meals a day. People prone to hypoglycemia should carry or wear a medical identification bracelet or tag to inform health care professionals of their condition.
Because hypoglycemia is a symptom rather than a disease, it is important to tackle the underlying cause. For many people, hypoglycemia is directly related to diabetes or another insulin-related condition. When this is the case, some commonly recommended herbs are Gymnema sylvestre, Galega officinalis and Bilberry. These are a few herbs that have proven successful in the control and treatment of hypoglycemia, while the mineral Chromium Picolinate has been proven to improve the effectiveness of insulin. Along with the correct lifestyle changes, herbal remedies and dietary recommendations can reduce or eliminate the need for prescription medication and can also aid in preventing tissue and organ damage associated with uncontrolled blood sugar levels. Helpful Hypoglycemia Tips *Avoid sugar, alcohol, saturated fats, colas and white flower *Avoid fruits that are exceptionally sweet such as grapes and pineapples *Avoid caffeinated drinks in the morning, sadly this does include coffee *Avoid fatty foods such as some fast foods, fried foods and sausage *Avoid skipping meals *Avoid eating while under stress *Eat 6 to 8 small meals a day *Eat a small meal at bedtime to keep sugar levels up *Eat starchy foods such as potatoes and rice in moderation *Eat more soy foods, vegetables, and brown rice *Eat protein combined with fiber for a low blood sugar reaction *Exercise daily to eliminate unmetabolized acid waste and to reduce stress
|
| Purchase Remedies Home |
| Library Index |
