You’ve likely heard all about high blood sugar and why it’s bad for your health and dangerous overall. Heck, I think about that every time I want to reach for a doughnut!
But did you know that you can have low blood sugar, too? This condition causes its own sets of problems, and some people may not even realize that it’s happening to them.
What is hypoglycemia?
Generally, a fasting blood sugar of 70 mg/dL or less is considered hypoglycemia, when the blood sugar level in your body is simply too low. Your number may be different, however, so speak to your doctor. While this can be related to diabetes treatment, some medications and rare conditions can cause this to happen in people who don’t suffer from diabetes.
Taking medications for diabetes when you don’t have it, for example, can lead to this condition. If someone drinks too much alcohol and doesn’t eat, this can prevent the liver from releasing the glucose stored there, resulting in low blood sugar. Other liver diseases, including cirrhosis and severe hepatitis, can also result in hypoglycemia. A rare pancreas tumor can cause underproduction of insulin, leading to hypoglycemia. Some pituitary and adrenal gland disorders can also result in low blood sugar when they impact the hormones that regulate the production of glucose.
Low blood sugar symptoms
The initial signs of low blood sugar vary by person, but they include pale skin, a fast or irregular heartbeat, fatigue, anxiety, sweating, hunger, shakiness and irritability. People experiencing low blood sugar also have a numbing or tingling feeling in their cheek, tongue or lips. Feeling faint is probably one of the most well-known symptoms of having low blood sugar.
If left untreated, low blood sugar can create more severe symptoms, including visual disturbances like blurred vision, abnormal behavior or confusion, loss of consciousness and even seizures in some cases. People with seriously low blood sugar may struggle to do basic tasks.
If you have any symptoms of low blood sugar, it’s important to be seen by a medical professional as soon as possible. Low blood sugar can cause serious health problems and even lead to accidents and death. If you are diabetic and this is a frequent problem for you, it’s time to discuss your medications and your diet plan with your doctor to prevent recurrences in the future.
