Most people know about diabetes, but not so many are familiar with low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. In its most serious form, hypoglycemia can cause seizures and unconsciousness. Research also connects hypoglycemia with weight gain and obesity.
Hypoglycemia is seen most frequently as a side effect of diabetes. It occurs after particularly aggressive insulin treatment pushes blood glucose levels a little too far down. Since blood sugar levels relate to when meals are taken and what foods they include, finding and maintaining a blood glucose level isn’t an exact science. There may be wide fluctuations early in treatment, while a doctor strives to find the right dose for their patient. As diet is modified and other factors (such as weight and exercise) are addressed, a diabetic can again experience instances of hypoglycemia throughout their life.
But hypoglycemia may also occur in people without diabetes. Non-diabetic hypoglycemia can crop up in conjunction with certain types of cancers, after vigorous exercise, during pregnancy, as a result of too much alcohol, or as a result of hormonal imbalances. Possible causes include endocrine, renal, or liver disorders. There’s no “anti-insulin” treatment available for hypoglycemia, no magic pill or shot to resolve the imbalance. Managing hypoglycemia can only be achieved by managing diet and (sometimes) exercise. In fact, managing obesity and managing hypoglycemia go hand in hand.
The Balance Disconnection
In a normal person, blood sugar levels range about 70-80mcg per 100cc of blood before eating, and rise to about 120-140mcg in the hour following a meal. It’s a balancing act. At the low ebb, the body grows hungry; at peak levels, the pancreas releases insulin to prevent blood sugar levels from rising higher. Three or four hours after food intake, sugar levels may fall below that 70-80 mark, at which point the adrenal glands secrete adrenaline to halt the fall. In a healthy body, the cycle is a repetitive pattern of give and take.
In a hypoglycemic individual, the blood glucose numbers may hit the low 70’s an hour after a meal, and can plunge much lower with each passing hour. When levels drop significantly, symptoms of hormonal imbalance manifest. The outward signs of hypoglycemia can include irritability, headache, mood swings, paleness, shaking, cravings for sugary foods, loss of concentration, palpitations, and more. If blood sugar levels drop to the range of 45mcg per 100cc of blood, convulsions (seizures) and/or unconsciousness can occur. Blood sugar levels of 45mcg per 100cc of blood are generally indicative of a serious abnormality.
The human body derives energy from glucose, or blood sugar. A certain level of glucose is essential to function on a day-to-day basis. The brain in particular requires a steady supply of glucose in order to function, as it neither manufactures nor stores the material. That’s why an individual with hypoglycemia may experience dizziness, confusion abnormal behaviors, and blurry or double vision. All it can take is waiting a little too long to eat, and the brain reacts much like one who’s had a little too much to drink.
Unfortunately, exercise is challenging or impossible when someone has hypoglycemia. Exercise further depletes the already-minimized source of the body’s energy. That leaves diet as a means of controlling both problems of weight and of low blood glucose levels.
The Diet Disconnection
With hypoglycemia, there are some important things to know.
First and foremost, high-sugar foods are not a solution, at least not on a continuous basis. When the body is flooded with sugary treats, it launches an insulin attack to bring down blood glucose (sugar) levels. In a hypoglycemia patient, that response is already set to overload. Throw in the added sugar prompt and the pancreas goes into hyper-drive. It’s far better to cut out processed sugars altogether and stick to a diet of complex carbohydrates. Vegetables and whole grain products release their glucose content over time, helping the foster a sustained balance. A diet of vegetables and whole grains will also support weight loss.
Trouble is, hypoglycemia prompts cravings for sugar-laden foods. The body knows it needs glucose to survive and sends out distress signals demanding the fastest and most concentrated form available. Cookies, cakes and candies do indeed spike blood sugar levels. Unfortunately they spike it so high that the pancreas responds just as powerfully to suppress the influx and the cycle quickly flips the body’s balance upside down. The constant seesaw cravings become a vicious circle of feeding the body all the wrong things, while weight edges constantly higher.
The Frequency Disconnection
How often you eat is as important as what you eat. Someone with hypoglycemia must eat something several times a day. Frequent meals and snacks are critical to meet the body’s ongoing need for fuel. Like a diabetic, a patient with hypoglycemia should carry candy or other high-sugar foods for those moments when blood sugar levels dip. If the symptoms are extreme, a medical alert bracelet may be prudent. A severe incident of hypoglycemia can be interpreted as drunken or drugged behavior if police aren’t aware of the medical condition.
Excessive, restrictive dieting can be a cause of hypoglycemia. Skipping meals (fasting) or severely curtailing calories can only exacerbate the problem further.
That doesn’t mean weight loss is impossible for someone with low blood sugar. In fact, the hypoglycemic diet (a focus on complex carbohydrates and elimination of processed sugars) is one that also contributes to weight loss. Sugar-rich items should be reserved for emergency situations only. Overdone, they magnify the hypoglycemia and elevate weight. Low carb diets, such as Atkins and the South Beach Diet, have gained support in some circles because they can help control both hypoglycemia and diabetes, in addition to weight loss benefits.
The Insulin Disconnection
When the body manufactures too much insulin – a condition known as hyperinsulinism – it prevents conversion of fat to energy and directly causes weight to escalate. Blood chemical imbalances, spurred by the overload of insulin, build hypertension (high blood pressure.)
In hyperinsulinism, the brain also becomes depleted of serotonin, the chemical that regulates our sense of well-being. It should come as no surprise that serotonin also governs appetite. Hypoglycemia linked to serotonin deficiencies results in sugar cravings, which aggravate the hypoglycemia and contributes to obesity.
And the cycle begins anew.
