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Can anxiety cause low blood sugar


Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia) and Anxiety: What's the Link?

Stress hormones released due to low blood sugar can lead to mental health conditions like anxiety.

You’ve probably heard that your mental health can directly impact your physical health. For example, chronic stress manifests as body aches or raises blood pressure.

But can your body impact your mental health? Experts say it can.

Evidence shows a link between your blood sugar levels and anxiety. When your body cannot maintain a stable glycemic index or blood sugar, the effects may cause stress and worry, among other symptoms.

Plus, the link is worth exploring with mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, occurring in many diagnosed with diabetes. Knowing what causes low blood sugar may also help lower your anxiety and stress.

Those diagnosed with diabetes are 20% more likely to have anxiety. So not only does managing a long-term condition like it cause significant stress and anxiety but how it affects your blood sugar also impacts your mood.

How does this work? There are a couple of things that happen.

First, if you experience worry and stress, your body releases stress hormones that can raise or lower your blood sugar.

Then, a 2016 study suggests that eating carbohydrates, also known as carbs, can impact our emotions and how it does this has to do with your glycemic index (GI).

When you eat high GI foods, like white rice and sugar, the body receives a fast burst of glucose and energy into the blood. In response, you then release large amounts of insulin to compensate. Sometimes, insulin can lower it too much, leading to low blood sugar.

Finally, your body may release epinephrine in response to low blood sugar, which can cause mental health symptoms like anxiety.

As you review the symptoms of low blood sugar and anxiety, you can see the symptoms they share while also noting those that set them apart.

Low blood sugar

The following are common symptoms of low blood sugar:

  • confusion
  • heart palpitations
  • tremors
  • fatigue
  • excessive sweating
  • anxiety
  • hunger
  • seizure

Anxiety

Every person may experience different symptoms of anxiety. But, the most frequent signs include:

  • confusion
  • heart palpitations
  • tremors
  • weakness
  • hot flashes
  • upset stomach
  • dry mouth

Is it stress or low blood sugar?

Symptoms of anxiety can mirror those of low blood sugar. It can be hard to recognize which is which. If you start feeling anxious, it’s best to check your blood sugar and treat it if low. As a result, you should see your anxiety improve. If not, it’s best to speak to your doctor about how you feel.

Low blood sugar isn’t too common if you’re not diagnosed with diabetes. But, the following may lead to it:

  • Medications: Drugs like metformin are used to manage diabetes but also treat conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and weight gain, so you’ll want to keep an eye out for symptoms of low blood sugar while taking it.
  • Alcohol: Drinking alcohol makes the body create glucose but doesn’t tell the body to store it for later use, lowering blood sugar days after drinking.
  • Illness: When you’re ill, the body uses more glucose than it takes in, leading to the levels dropping too low.
  • Hormones: An imbalance of hormones can cause your adrenal gland to produce more insulin leading to less sugar in the blood.
  • Tumors: A tumor that forms in the pancreas, also known as an islet cell tumor, can affect the amount of sugar in the blood.

Diet and exercise

You take a significant step toward managing anxiety and low blood sugar when you get moving. Exercise isn’t always about losing weight. It’s also about maintaining weight, improving mood, and managing your health.

A 2020 study review shows that exercise can improve anxiety symptoms by regulating your body chemicals and reducing inflammation, allowing your brain to process emotions better.

You can start slow if you’re new to regular exercise and spending hours at the gym isn’t necessary. Your goal is 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week, which is a little over 20 minutes daily. The way to meet this goal may include:

  • walking briskly
  • playing tennis
  • dancing
  • gardening

When planning meals, you may consider the evidence showing a diet that emphasizes a good balance of the following can lead to less anxiety:

  • vegetables
  • fruits
  • limited sugar
  • refined grains

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that if you have diabetes, you should aim to get half of your daily calories from carbs. So, if you eat 1,800 calories daily, around 900 calories should come from carb sources.

If you are consistently experiencing low blood sugar, consider counting your carbs every day to ensure you’re getting what you need. If you’re unsure, you and your doctor can discuss how many carbs you should take at each meal.

Monitoring

If you are consistently experiencing low blood sugar, consider counting your carbs every day to ensure you’re getting what you need.

Similar monitoring can help keep track of the other nutrients you need, such as protein and fat. In addition, a meal tracker or food diary is helpful to see what’s in what you eat and how your body uses it by breaking down your nutrients.

Maintaining routine check-ups with your doctor is also essential. They will want to monitor your anxiety and low blood sugar symptoms to rule out any other underlying conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and diabetes.

Therapy

At some point, everyone experiences anxiety. But, when your symptoms persist and start impacting your daily life, you may need therapy to help manage them.

Working with a mental health therapist can help you identify and modify your mind’s thoughts while identifying the triggers that spark your symptoms.

If a health condition is causing your low blood sugar, speaking to a therapist can help you learn to adapt to your life and better manage your symptoms.

There is a complicated link between anxiety and low blood sugar since their symptoms mimic each other.

Inside, anxiety appears to impact how the body regulates blood sugar directly, and low blood sugar seems to trigger anxiety symptoms.

But, also, when you experience a condition like diabetes where you must consistently monitor your blood sugar, it can lead to stress and worry.

Consider speaking with your doctor about your symptoms. They could signify a more significant concern that won’t go away on its own.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Hypoglycemia Symptoms Improved with Diet Modification

Case Rep Psychiatry. 2016; 2016: 7165425.

Published online 2016 Jul 14. doi: 10.1155/2016/7165425

Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer

Observational evidence suggests that a relationship may exist between high glycemic index diets and the development of anxiety and depression symptoms; however, as no interventional studies assessing this relationship in a psychiatric population have been completed, the possibility of a causal link is unclear. AB is a 15-year-old female who presented with concerns of generalized anxiety disorder and hypoglycemia symptoms. Her diet consisted primarily of refined carbohydrates. The addition of protein, fat, and fiber to her diet resulted in a substantial decrease in anxiety symptoms as well as a decrease in the frequency and severity of hypoglycemia symptoms. A brief return to her previous diet caused a return of her anxiety symptoms, followed by improvement when she restarted the prescribed diet. This case strengthens the hypothesis that dietary glycemic index may play a role in the pathogenesis or progression of mental illnesses such as generalized anxiety disorder and subsequently that dietary modification as a therapeutic intervention in the treatment of mental illness warrants further study.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common and often disabling disease. It is characterized by fear, tension, and excessive worries regarding common events or problems for a minimum of six months [1] and is accompanied by physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, muscle tension, and chest tightness. Patients may experience nonspecific symptoms such as irritability and difficulty concentrating in addition to deterioration in the quality of their social, work, and personal experiences [1, 2]. Traumatic life experiences, dysfunctional serotonin, and epinephrine neurotransmitter systems and pernicious genetic influences are potentially involved in the development of GAD [3]. It is estimated that the lifetime prevalence is between 4.3% and 5.9% [1, 3] and 40–67% of patients experience comorbid depression [3].

Conventional treatment of anxiety involves cognitive behavioural therapy in combination with pharmacologic interventions such as serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), or benzodiazepines [2, 3]. Despite appropriate treatment, many GAD patients cannot successfully achieve short term or long term remission. After five years, remission rates may remain as low as 38% [2]. Thus, the need for nonpharmacological approaches is evident [4].

Several studies suggest a relationship between improved nutrition and better mental health outcomes, both in general and adolescent populations. Epidemiological studies, including a recent meta-analysis, have shown that a diet including fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil, nuts, and legumes may reduce the chance of developing depression [4, 5]. A prospective study found that a Mediterranean dietary pattern at baseline reduced the risk of depressive episodes 16.5 years later [6].

Despite evidence correlating a healthy diet with the maintenance of mental health, a trend towards a reduction in the quality of adolescent diets has been observed at the global level. This trend is characterized by an increased intake of fast foods, fried foods, sweets, refined grains, processed meat, and a reduction of fruit/vegetable intake [7]. The consumption of this Western-style diet has been independently associated with a greater risk for the development of anxiety and depression [7] and associated with a decline in the mental health status of adolescents [6]. Another study found an increased likelihood of psychological problems in adolescents associated with diets high in unhealthy foods [7].

A number of possible mechanisms have been proposed for the effect of diet on mental health including a role of inflammation and oxidation [6], deficiency of micronutrients such as folate, zinc, and magnesium [7], and glycemic balance.

The increase in global consumption of refined foods such as sweetened beverages, pastries, and refined carbohydrates impacts dietary glycemic index (GI), a measurement of the rate of blood glucose generation from specific food items. Glycemic load (GL) reflects both the glycemic index value and the total carbohydrate content of the food. Foods with a higher GI or GL create greater increases in blood sugar [8].

A recent cohort study showed that increasing odds of depression and anxiety have been associated with the consumption of foods that have a progressively higher GI and this relationship is maintained after controlling for micronutrients known to play a role in mental health [8]. Cross-sectional studies have demonstrated a correlation between the occurrence of depression/stress and higher intake of sweet foods [9] and a large prospective cohort study showed a positive correlation between a diet high in sweet desserts and refined grains and the risk for depression. Conversely, it was found that high consumption of fruits and vegetables, which contain fiber that lowers GI, was associated with a lower risk for depression [9].

In addition to the observational studies, a limited number of interventional studies have explored a potential relationship between blood sugar balance and emotional and cognitive health. One clinical trial assigned healthy overweight subjects to high or low GI diets and found that the high GI diet resulted in worsening mood scores [10]. Two studies assessed the impact of high and low GI meals on cognitive performance in adults with type 2 diabetes and children, respectively, and found that the higher GI meal was related to poorer cognitive function [11, 12]. Conversely, two other intervention studies comparing high and low GI diets in patients with diabetes did not find a change in subclinical depression or cognitive function [9]. Despite this evidence that a relationship between dietary GI and emotional and cognitive functioning may exist, no interventional studies have assessed the impact of a low GI or low GL dietary intervention in psychiatric patient populations in order to assess causality of the relationship.

AB is a 15-year-old female student of south-Asian descent. She presented with concerns of anxiety and symptoms of hypoglycemia as well as difficulty concentrating, fatigue, headaches, asthma, and frequent urinary and vaginal infections.

Her anxiety met criteria for GAD and she rated the intensity of anxiety as 8/10, with 10 being the highest level of anxiety possible. The anxiety started three months prior to the initial appointment and had worsened in the previous month. She described excessive worry that was difficult to control and impacted her daily functioning by causing her to be absent from school on several occasions. She experienced a number of somatic symptoms including heart palpitations, shakiness, discomfort in her stomach, and muscle tension. In response to the anxiety symptoms, she would eat foods like chocolate, chips, or fruit. AB was working with a counsellor to manage the anxiety symptoms and was finding some benefit.

AB had experienced episodes suggestive of hypoglycemia since 12 years of age. The symptoms included muscle weakness and shaking, headaches, nausea, anxiety, and loss of concentration. Her symptoms were ameliorated by eating sweet foods. AB reported that her hypoglycemia was at its worst at 12 years of age when she had to eat a granola bar hourly in order to concentrate.

2.1. Clinical Findings

A diet history revealed the following typical daily food intake:

  1. Breakfast: fruit smoothie containing fruit, fruit juice, and water.

  2. Morning snack: bagel with margarine.

  3. Lunch: pasta or white rice with vegetables.

  4. Afternoon snack: granola bar or cookies or gummy candies.

  5. After school meal: white pasta; it may include meat.

  6. Dinner: white rice or spaghetti; it may include meat.

  7. Evening snack: cookies and toast.

  8. Beverages: 2 liters of water, 1 cup of juice, 1 cup of lactose-free milk, and 1 cup of tea.

2.2. Past Medical History

Due to her difficulty concentrating, AB was prescribed dextroamphetamine 5 mg. While she found that it improved concentration, this medication caused her to lose weight. As the patient's weight was initially on the lower end of normal (weight: 115 lb., height: 5′6′′, and BMI: 18.6) the dose was reduced to 2 to 3 times per week, as needed.

2.3. Psychosocial History

AB lives with her mother, father, and sister. AB's sister experienced mental health concerns in the previous years which created elevated stress levels in the family home.

2.4. Diagnostic Focus and Assessment

Repeated assessments of random and fasting blood glucose and screening physical examination were within normal range.

2.5. Therapeutic Approach

At the initial visit, the following dietary plan was prescribed:

  1. Breakfast: it includes a smoothie containing fruit, water, 1 scoop of protein powder, and 1 tablespoon of flax seeds or olive oil.

  2. Lunch and dinner: they include a serving of protein (meat, legume, and soy) and a serving of vegetables.

  3. Snacks: they include protein when possible (e.g., apple with sunflower seed butter, vegetable sticks with hummus, and pumpkin seeds).

  4. Continue to eat carbohydrate-containing snacks as needed for the management of hypoglycemia symptoms.

She was asked to follow these dietary guidelines daily until the follow-up visit. While eggs, nuts, and fish would have normally been recommended as well, the patient had an anaphylactic allergy to these foods.

2.6. Follow-Up and Outcomes

At the first follow-up, four weeks later, AB reported that she had complied with the dietary plan since the previous visit. She reported a significant decrease in anxiety (4 to 5/10), as well as improved energy, less-frequent and less intense hypoglycemia symptoms, and fewer headaches (once per week compared to daily) in addition to improved concentration and mood. She required fewer snacks during the day and decreased her intake of granola bars, cookies, and candies (1-2 servings per day). She also reported a cessation of chronic vaginal discharge. The substantial improvement in her anxiety symptoms prompted AB to temporarily discontinue her counselling sessions.

At a subsequent follow-up visit four weeks later, AB reported that she had briefly reverted back to her original diet for a period of one week and experienced a worsening of anxiety symptoms within one day. After returning to the dietary intervention prescribed, her anxiety symptoms decreased within two days.

This case illustrates an example of improved anxiety and hypoglycemia symptoms in response to changes in the macronutrient composition of the diet. It suggests that dietary GI and blood sugar balance, within a physiologic range, may play a role in the development or clinical progression of anxiety. Subsequently, modifying the diet by reducing the consumption of refined carbohydrates and including more protein, fat, and fiber may be beneficial.

The proposed relationship is supported by observational studies demonstrating a relationship between higher GI/GL and increased incidence of mental illness as well as a potential mechanism. High GI foods result in an increase in blood glucose levels; however, a large compensatory insulin release may result in reactive hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is associated with an acute increase in epinephrine [13] which contributes to neuropsychiatric symptoms including anxiety [14] and symptoms associated with anxiety such as shakiness, sweating, and heart palpitations. Induction of hypoglycemia in a laboratory setting has a negative impact on mood, hedonic tone, and energy levels as well as an increase in tense arousal [15]. The presence of both anxiety and hypoglycemia symptoms in AB's case, along with their concurrent response to treatment, lends support to the hypothesis that these conditions may be related.

However, it is unclear if other macronutrient or micronutrient changes were, at least in part, responsible for the patient's symptom improvement as she had made several changes concurrently. A recent study found that the individuals in the highest third of GI had lower intake of magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein. Evidence shows that all of these nutrients may play a role in the prevention of mental illness [9].

Evidence suggests that adequate intake of protein may be required in the maintenance of mental health. Dietary protein provides amino acids, eight of which are essential. They cannot be synthesized by the body and must be supplied through the diet. Amino acids form the building blocks of neurotransmitters. For example, the synthesis of serotonin requires the essential amino acid tryptophan and dopamine synthesis requires tyrosine, which is produced from the essential amino acid phenylalanine. The lack of tyrosine and tryptophan leads to deficiencies of the respective neurotransmitters and has been associated with psychiatric disturbances [16].

Micronutrient factors are also involved in neurotransmitter synthesis and may be involved in the development of mood and anxiety disorders. As in this case, a diet low in meat may be low in vitamin B12 and a diet low in green vegetables may lack folate. Because both nutrients are important for neurotransmitter synthesis [17], dietary intake may play a role in the development or progression of mood and anxiety disorders.

Dietary fat may also play a role in mental health. The dry weight of the brain is 60 percent fat [18] and low levels of omega-3 fats and cholesterol are significant risk factors for major depression and suicide [19]. Omega-3 fats, which cannot be produced endogenously and must be obtained from the diet, affect the serotonergic system [19] and an inverse relationship between dietary omega-3 fatty acids and anxiety disorders has been demonstrated [7]. Preliminary evidence suggests that omega-3 supplementation may be beneficial in the treatment of anxiety [20].

Despite these other potential factors, the concomitant improvement in both anxiety and hypoglycemia symptoms suggests that blood sugar balance may have been contributing to AB's anxiety disorder and that improvement in blood sugar management, as seen in the reduction of hypoglycaemic symptoms, may have been a significant factor in the response to treatment. In conjunction with the observational data [13], this may strengthen our understanding of the relationship between suboptimal blood sugar regulation, GI/GL, and mental illness.

One strength of this case report is that the dietary modifications were the only intervention initiated at the time during which the improvement in symptoms was observed. As well, the brief return to the patient's previous diet and subsequent worsening of symptoms lends support to the likelihood of a causal relationship.

Some limitations exist as well. No validated assessment tool was used to monitor change in anxiety symptoms, only the patient's subjective report. Additionally, the patient was receiving counselling concurrently.

Blood sugar balance and dietary GI/GL appear to be important factors in a number of chronic illnesses. A recent meta-analysis found significant positive associations between higher GI or GL and higher incidence of diabetes, coronary heart disease, gallbladder disease, breast cancer, and all diseases combined [21]. As such, implementing a diet lower in refined carbohydrates in the treatment of anxiety may have substantial additional benefit with respect to risk of chronic disease.

Dietary carbohydrates may be significantly related to emotional and cognitive symptoms such as anxiety and difficulty concentrating. Further research into the potential role of GI in the pathogenesis and progression of mental health concerns in addition to the utility of dietary interventions in the treatment of these conditions is warranted.

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Anxiety and low blood sugar. Is there a connection between them?

It would seem, what is the relationship between anxiety and blood sugar levels? And there is a connection. The fact is that in the body too many processes are interconnected to be considered separately. When I work with anxiety, I look at it on three levels: the body, the emotions, the mind. In this article, let's take a look at how blood sugar can affect your emotional state and how you can recognize a drop in blood sugar. At the end of the article, I will tell you what quick and long-term steps you can take to maintain your emotional stability and energy.

Please take care of yourself. If you observe some of these symptoms in yourself for several weeks, or with a clear frequency, do not self-diagnose. Contact your doctor. It can be a general practitioner, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist.

Contents

1 What are fast and slow carbohydrates?
2 10 signs of a drop in blood sugar
Constant feeling of hunger

Anxiety
Restless dream
Small trembling in the body
Emotional instability
Slump
Dizziness
Blinding thoughts
Visiting vision
Slow down
3 Fast help: what to do when the blood sugar fell sharply?
4 The Long Term Plan: How to Balance Energy Through Nutrition

In order for the body to maintain optimal blood sugar levels, it needs a constant balance of proteins, slow carbohydrates, fiber and minerals. If you notice that you have been experiencing increased anxiety lately, pay attention, first of all, to how you eat. How many cups of coffee a day do you drink? If your diet is dominated by fast carbohydrates and sugar, this can negatively affect the maintenance of a stable blood sugar level. Also try to completely eliminate alcohol for a while (even minimal doses). When blood sugar drops below normal, your body needs time until the next morning to fully recover. That's why it's so important to keep your blood sugar at a stable level throughout the day.

A bit of theory: what are fast and slow carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates supply the body with energy. Getting up in the morning, working to work, traveling, implementing your projects and playing sports - this requires energy, which the body receives mostly from carbohydrates. There are two types of carbohydrates: fast and slow. They differ in the rate at which the body metabolizes them: fast ones are broken down and absorbed into the digestive system quickly, causing an immediate increase in blood sugar levels and a significant release of insulin. Slow carbohydrates are first broken down to glucose and only then absorbed by the body. Foods containing slow carbohydrates have a low glycemic index (the glycemic index shows how carbohydrates affect a person's blood sugar level). The use of such products reduces the load on the endocrine system, and blood sugar levels are kept at a stable level throughout the day.

Glucose is the main source of energy for the central nervous system, more than half of which is consumed by the brain (the central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord). It happens that the glucose level drops too low. For example, this can happen with long breaks between meals, fasting, severe emotional stress that can last less than a minute, prolonged physical (therefore, it is better to have a muesli bar with you at a marathon) or mental stress.

Trying to write in a personal diary or meditate when your blood sugar is too low is like trying to start a car with no fuel instead of checking the gas tank. Your glucose level is your gas tank.

Below I am publishing a translation of the article "10 Warning Signs of Low Blood Sugar". By these clear signs, you will be able to know that your blood sugar levels have dropped and take quick action to help yourself.

1. Feeling of hunger

If you have already eaten, but still do not feel full, you want to "catch up" with something. Or if you were working, having an online zoom call, and everything was ok, and then you suddenly feel sharply that you urgently need something to eat, your body gives you a signal that it needs more glucose.

2. Feelings of anxiety

When blood glucose drops too low, the body signals the adrenal glands to release the hormone epinephrine (aka "adrenaline"). The release of epinephrine is a signal for the liver to produce more sugar in order to give the body an energy reserve for quick action. Epinephrine enters the blood through the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response, act, do something. The same process of producing epinephrine occurs in the body when you need to act quickly and decisively in a critical or difficult situation. The body does not understand that this time the excess of adrenaline in the blood is not associated with a danger from the outside, but with internal physiological processes - the need to quickly replenish the level of glucose in the blood. So the body is worried.

3. Restless sleep

Low blood glucose at night is common and you may not feel it at all. Usually the body copes and adjusts internal processes to balance blood sugar levels. Night sweats, nightmares, episodes of sudden awakening, feeling tired when you wake up can be signs that your glucose level is very low at night.

4. Fine trembling in the body

In response to a decrease in glucose levels the sympathetic nervous system is activated in the blood. As a result, it releases catecholamines, chemicals that trigger increased glucose production and also trigger these symptoms of shaking and shivering.

5. Emotional instability

Mood swings are not typical of normal behavior and are among the symptoms of a severe drop in blood sugar. Irrational outbursts of emotions, tearfulness, uncontrollable anger and the only desire to be left alone - these manifestations can accompany low blood sugar. You may notice that obsessive thoughts become articulate in the brain, the brain presents you with negative scenarios for the development of events when blood sugar levels drop.

American researcher Brad Bushman, who has been studying the causes, consequences and possible solutions to the problem of human aggression and violence for more than 30 years, explains with a team from the Department of Psychology at Ohio State University that self-control requires energy, and energy is obtained by the body partly from glucose (aka "sugar in blood"), which is converted into neurotransmitters, and they provide energy to the brain.

Low glucose undermines self-control. A person simply does not have the energy to stop, think and not give in to a momentary impulse that he may later regret, such as yelling at someone or getting angry over a trifle.

In his research, Brad Bushman showed that there is a limit to self-control reserves: by the end of the day, such reserves become smaller and smaller. If it's easier to be "nice and friendly" before lunch, it's harder to stay that way when the day is over.

6. Sweating

This symptom is controlled by the autonomic nervous system - that part of the central nervous system that, among other things, regulates the functions of the sweat glands - and is usually one of the first signals of low blood sugar. Sweating does not depend on the temperature of the room in which you are.

7. Dizziness

A drop in blood sugar in extreme cases can lead to fainting, so if you feel dizzy, very weak, it is better to sit or lie down immediately so as not to hurt yourself.

8. Wandering Thoughts

Because the brain is especially sensitive to drops in glucose levels, you may experience a feeling of confusion and inability to focus on anything in particular. The brain then goes free-swimming and gives you different options to think about.

9. Blurred vision

If your vision becomes blurry for some reason or the objects you see are slightly blurry, "flies" appear in front of your eyes, a drop in blood sugar may be the cause.

10. Slowed speech

Your sugar-starved brain may not notice the change in your speech, but others may notice the difference. To your interlocutor, you may sound like you have overdone with cocktails, although you have not touched alcohol at all.

Quick help: what to do when blood sugar drops?

In this case, you need simple carbohydrates that are low in fiber and fat. Fat usually stabilizes blood sugar levels after a meal, but it slows down the process of how quickly your body can absorb the fast carbohydrates you need. Quick help options in this case can be:

  • Apple, banana, orange
  • Grape
  • Prunes (2-3 pieces)
  • 2 teaspoons of raisins
  • Half cup of granola with yogurt or natural juice

Long term plan: How can you balance energy through nutrition?

These are general guidelines. Not everything suits everyone. Therefore, pay attention to how your body reacts and what can work for you from these recommendations. You definitely know this better than anyone else. Even so: no one but you knows this. Listen to your body, listen carefully to your inner voice. And if at the very beginning it may seem to you that he does not tell you absolutely anything sensible, after a while you will notice how he timidly enters into a dialogue with you. Imagine, they didn’t pay attention to him - they didn’t pay attention, and then here it is: a listener appeared.

  • High protein breakfast with low fast carbohydrates. Eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up
  • No more than two hours between meals. Keep high protein snacks on hand for these occasions
  • Diet plenty of vegetables (any form: fresh, boiled, stewed)
  • slow carbohydrates
  • Temporarily (preferably for a couple of weeks) completely eliminate fast carbohydrates from your diet, including alcohol

Please take care of yourself. If you observe some of these symptoms in yourself for several weeks, or with a clear frequency, do not self-diagnose. Contact your doctor. It can be a general practitioner, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist.

LOW SUGAR IN PEOPLE WITH DIABETES. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

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Leninsky Prospekt, 34

st. Begovaya, d. Shvedova Anna Evgenievna

01/30/2019

Longread about hypoglycemia

🍬 What is hypoglycemia?
This is a decrease in the concentration of glucose (sugar) in the blood to a level that causes symptoms (from sweating and hunger to loss of consciousness and coma).

Severe hypoglycaemia with impaired consciousness is most common in people with diabetes who are treated with insulin or certain types of oral medications. Not all drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes are able to lower blood glucose below a safe level for the body. Many prevent its increase, but do not cause hypoglycemia, for which we love such drugs.

🍬 What causes hypoglycemia in a person with diabetes?
The main reason is that there is more insulin in the blood than the body needs at the moment. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels.
When it happens:

  • an overdose of antidiabetic drugs (too much insulin or some pills)
  • not enough carbohydrates in the diet (for example, the person injected insulin and ate a piece of cheese, and there are practically no carbohydrates in the cheese)
  • significant physical activity no additional snacks and/or no reduction in insulin or tablets
  • too long interval between meals
  • large doses of alcohol

🍬 What levels of sugar are considered low?
In people with diabetes, symptoms usually occur when blood sugar falls below 3-3. 5 mmol/L. For some, this limit is lower (2.5-2.8 mmol / l, for example), and if a person lives with high blood glucose numbers all the time, then he may feel bad with normal glucose numbers (4-6 mmol / l). l). The rate at which sugar levels drop also matters.

🍬 What are the symptoms of excessively low blood sugar levels?
"Anxiety symptoms" appear first. The body is trying to restore normal blood sugar levels so that the brain can keep working. To do this, a whole cascade of reactions is triggered, and a person may feel:

  • sweating, trembling, weakness
  • anxiety, anxiety, sometimes anger
  • feeling of hunger
    sugar levels by numbness of the tongue and tip of the nose) can change over time and their severity can also be different.
    People who feel suspicious symptoms of hypoglycemia should have their blood sugar checked as soon as possible, and if this is not possible, immediately take measures to raise the level of sugar.

🍬 What happens if hypoglycemia is not treated?
The body can cope on its own if it has the resources and if the drug overdose is not so pronounced. Sugar is expelled from all depots, the liver begins to synthesize it from proteins and fats, and then we will see a “ricochet” increase in sugar levels, which lasts for quite a long time. That is, it was 2.5 mmol / l, and it became 18.
Or maybe not cope. And then symptoms of severe hypoglycemia appear, in which the function of the cerebral cortex is disturbed:

  • weakness increases, visual disturbances, gait and coordination of movements appear
  • a person begins to behave strangely, speech is disturbed, confusion appears
  • consciousness and coma

In severe hypoglycemia, a person is not able to help himself, he needs outside help. Some people do not feel the early symptoms of low blood sugar. This is called hypoglycemia desensitization, and it's dangerous. Because immediately, “without warning”, severe symptoms appear, and the person does not have time to correct the situation.

🍬 Decreased sensitivity to hypoglycemia is more common:

  • in people with a long history of type 1 diabetes
  • in people on insulin therapy who keep blood sugar levels under tight control
  • in chronic stress and fatigue
  • in people who abuse alcohol
  • in people taking certain drugs to treat hypertension and heart disease

🍬 Why are hypoglycemia dangerous?

  • there is no convincing evidence that rare mild hypoglycemia has negative consequences for children and young adults; frequent hypoglycemia, even if mild, can lead to a decrease in memory, attention, learning ability, and also cause a decrease in sensitivity to hypoglycemia
  • nocturnal hypoglycemia is more dangerous because you can "oversleep" the symptoms
  • severe hypoglycemia with impaired consciousness are dangerous with possible consequences (falls, inadequate actions and damage as a result, coma, cerebral edema - and this is a direct threat to life)
  • even mild hypoglycemia is dangerous for people with serious heart disease, as well as for the elderly and very old, as it increases the risk of heart rhythm disturbances, myocardial infarction and mortality
  • and lastly, it can be a very unpleasant sensation. Who has experienced, he knows.

🍬What to do in case of excessive decrease in sugar levels?

  • This is where fast carbohydrates are needed - foods that can increase blood sugar levels in a short time. These are fruit juice, sugary drinks (sweet tea, non-diet cola, fanta, etc.), honey, lump sugar, non-chocolate sweets. On average, with mild hypoglycemia, it is enough to drink 200 ml of juice or eat 3-4 pieces of sugar. !If a person is unconscious, it is dangerous to put sugar or pour juice into his mouth!
  • In more severe cases, injections of glucagon, a hormone that can quickly raise blood sugar levels, are used. People at high risk of severe hypoglycaemia should carry a filled syringe of glucagon (GlucaGen Hypokit) and a diabetic bracelet or passport so that they can read how others can help when they pass out. Glucagon can be administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously through clothing.

🚑 When to call an ambulance?