Diabetes Hypoglycemia – Causes and Prevention
January 5, 2010
Glucose is the main source of fuel in our body. Owing to the low insulin level in the body, the body cells of the diabetics could not absorb the glucose released in the bloodstream from metabolism of carbohydrates.
Therefore, people with diabetes suffer from high level of blood glucose.While rising blood glucose level is the major problem of most diabetics, improper diabetes management could sometimes cause a drop in the glucose level, below the normal level, causing a condition known as hypoglycemia.
Although, hypoglycemia or abnormal fall in the blood sugar level can occur in non-diabetics, overwhelming majority of hypoglycemia sufferers are diabetes patients.
Diabetes hypoglycemia causes
The cells of our body need glucose to carry on their activities. During digestion, the carbohydrates present in the food are converted into glucose, which is then absorbed in the bloodstream. Insulin is necessary to enable the glucose to enter the cells of the body. This helps the body to meet its energy needs.
If the glucose absorbed by the body is greater than the amount needed to meet its energy needs, the extra glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles.
To meet the energy needs of the body in between meals, when the glucose level in the blood falls, the glycogen stored in the body is converted into glucose. To convert glycogen into glucose, a pancreatic hormone known as glucagon is needed.
In people with diabetes, this process of conversion of glycogen into glucose is impaired. This makes diabetics who skip meals or fast, susceptible to hypoglycemia. Excess intake of insulin medications could even push down the glucose level in the blood stream to dangerously low levels.
Symptoms of diabetes hypoglycemia
Diabetics suffering from hypoglycemia experience mental confusion, blurred or double vision, increase in heartbeat, sweating, hunger and anxiety. Diabetes hypoglycemia can even cause seizures and fainting.
Diabetes hypoglycemia prevention
To prevent diabetes hypoglycemia, diabetics should always take the right dose of insulin medications at the right time as recommended by the physician. Having a balanced diet and following a regular meal schedule is necessary for preventing this condition.
Diabetics should not fast or miss meals. Instead of having three large meals, they should have five to six small meals throughout the day. Before exercising and before going to bed they should have a complex carbohydrate or protein snack.
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