The symptoms of low blood sugar can basically be a feeling of hunger, rapid heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, irritability, weakness and blurred vision. While hypoglycemia is common in individuals with diabetes, it may also be associated with other health problems or malnutrition. Management of hypoglycemia requires immediate measures to include glucose uptake. It is important to consult a healthcare professional if your hypoglycemia symptoms recur frequently because it is important to identify the underlying cause and determine appropriate treatment strategies.
What happens if blood sugar drops?
Low blood sugar is called “hypoglycemia”. In case of low blood sugar, various effects occur in the body. Here are some effects on what can happen when blood sugar drops:
- Energy Decrease: Blood sugar reflects the level of glucose, the body’s energy source. When blood sugar drops, energy levels decrease and a person may experience sluggishness, fatigue, and a general feeling of weakness.
- Impairment in Brain Functions: The brain uses glucose for energy, and low blood sugar levels can affect brain function. This can result in symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, indecisiveness, and even dizziness or fainting.
- Nervous System Influence: Low blood sugar can also have effects on the nervous system. Glucose plays an important role in the transmission of nervous system impulses. In the case of hypoglycemia, nerve conduction may be affected and the risk of nerve damage may increase.
- Acceleration of Heartbeat or Rhythm Disorder: Low blood sugar can increase the heart rate and cause rapid heartbeat or irregularities. This can lead to the blood not being able to carry enough oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.
- Sweating: Low blood sugar can trigger the body’s stress response, and sweating can increase. Sweating occurs when trying to regulate body temperature.
- Anxiety or Irritability: Hypoglycemia can affect the nervous system, causing feelings of anxiety, nervousness, restlessness and irritability.
- Blurred Vision or Focusing Problems: Low blood sugar can affect eye health and cause blurred vision, difficulty focusing or visual disturbances.
Hypoglycemia can be a serious condition and, if left untreated, can lead to unconsciousness or seizures. Therefore, it is important to take glucose immediately when blood sugar drops. Low blood sugar is common in people with diabetes, so it’s important to check blood sugar levels regularly and follow the treatment plan with a doctor.
What causes low blood sugar?
Low blood sugar is called hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar can manifest itself with various symptoms. These symptoms may include feelings of hunger, sweating, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, tremors, irritability, blurred vision, and weakness. If you are experiencing symptoms of low blood sugar, it is important to consult a healthcare professional and get support to determine appropriate treatment and management strategies. The causes of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, are as follows:
- Prolonged fasting or malnutrition: Blood sugar can drop as a result of starving for a long time or having an inadequate and incomplete diet. Prolonged fasting or inadequate carbohydrate intake can cause low blood sugar, especially in people with diabetes.
- Diabetes medications or insulin: Medicines used to treat diabetes or insulin are used to keep blood sugar levels under control. However, blood sugar may drop as a result of incorrect dosage or misuse. This is particularly associated with the use of insulin or antidiabetic drugs in combination with overdosage or malnutrition in people with diabetes.
- Physical activity: Some exercises and activities increase the body’s energy use and cause blood sugar to drop. While exercising and doing sports, the body uses glucose as an energy source. As a result, blood sugar may drop.
- Some diseases: Low blood sugar can sometimes develop due to diseases such as hormonal disorders, liver and kidney disorders, endocrine system problems and pancreatic disorders. For example, low adrenal hormone can result in low blood sugar.
- Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol can affect blood sugar levels and cause hypoglycemia. Alcohol reduces the liver’s production of glucose and increases the risk of hypoglycemia.
- Medication Usage: Some medications, especially some medications other than diabetes, can affect blood sugar levels and cause hypoglycemia.
How can you tell if your blood sugar is low?
Symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) may differ for each individual. Symptoms of low blood sugar can be mild or severe and vary from person to person. If you think you have low blood sugar, it’s important to eat or drink immediately (for example, juice or a sugary snack) and take appropriate measures to control your blood sugar. It’s also important to see a healthcare professional if your low blood sugar symptoms recur frequently. But usually the following symptoms can occur when blood sugar drops:
- feeling of hunger: You may experience a sudden feeling of hunger. There may be a desire to eat or feeling hungry.
- Sweating: You may experience excessive sweating during hypoglycemia. Sweating occurs due to the body’s stress response.
- Rapid heartbeat: Low blood sugar can increase your heart rate. You may feel fast or irregular heartbeats.
- Dizziness or headache: Low blood sugar can prevent enough glucose from reaching the brain, so you may feel dizzy or have a headache.
- Shake: You may experience tremors or muscle twitches, especially in your hands. You may experience tremors in your muscles due to your body’s lack of glucose for energy.
- Irritability or restlessness: Low blood sugar levels can affect your nervous system, and feelings of irritability, restlessness, and irritability may occur.
- Blurred vision: Hypoglycemia can cause blurred vision or problems focusing.
- Fatigue or weakness: When blood sugar drops, your energy levels may drop and you may experience a general feeling of weakness or fatigue.
- Dizziness or fainting: Low blood sugar may not provide enough oxygen and nutrients to the brain, which can make you feel dizzy or faint.
What to do if blood sugar drops?
If hypoglycaemia is frequent or uncontrollable, it is important to consult a healthcare professional. Your doctor will help you identify the cause of hypoglycemia and determine appropriate treatment strategies. When blood sugar drops (hypoglycemia), it’s important to follow these steps:
- Take glucose now: When blood sugar drops, you should take glucose, a source that will quickly raise blood sugar. There are several ways to do this:
- Sugary drinks: Fruit juice, sodas, or drinks containing glucose can raise your blood sugar quickly.
- Sugary snacks: You can have snacks that contain fast-acting carbohydrates, such as candy, marshmallows, or sweet fruit.
- Glucose tablets or gels: Glucose tablets or gels available from pharmacies can also be used.
- Check your blood sugar: Check your blood sugar level after taking glucose. Measure your blood glucose level using your meter and determine if you have reached the target range.
- Feed again after a while: After experiencing low blood sugar, it’s important to eat a regular meal or have a healthy snack. Plan a meal with a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat.
- Consult your doctor if you have diabetes: If you have diabetes and hypoglycemia becomes a recurring problem, contact your doctor to review your treatment plan and adjust medication dosage as needed.
- Take precautions for emergencies: If you think you may experience severe hypoglycemia, you can carry with you an injection of sugar or glucagon (a type of hormone) to use in case of hypoglycemia. It is important to learn how to use it for such emergencies.
What to eat when blood sugar is low?
When blood sugar drops (hypoglycemia), it’s important to eat foods that will raise blood sugar quickly. Consuming foods that raise blood sugar rapidly is only for emergencies. It is important to regularly follow a balanced diet and adopt a diet that includes healthy carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats and fiber foods. If low blood sugar is frequent or uncontrollable, it is important to consult a healthcare professional to determine appropriate treatment strategies. Here are some foods that can quickly raise blood sugar:
- Sugary drinks: Sugary drinks such as juice, sodas, or sports drinks can raise your blood sugar quickly. However, it is important to control the amount of sugar in such drinks.
- Sugary snacks: Snacks that contain sugar, such as chocolate, candies, or sweet fruit, can raise your blood sugar levels quickly. However, it is important to choose healthy snacks for a balanced diet.
- Glucose tablets or gels: Glucose tablets or gels, available from pharmacies, can quickly raise blood sugar in case of hypoglycemia. Follow the instructions on the packaging for the use of these products.
- Fruit: Some fruits naturally contain sugar and can quickly raise your blood sugar. Especially fruits with a high glycemic index, such as bananas or watermelon, can provide energy quickly.
- Dried fruits: Dried fruits such as raisins, dates or dried apricots can quickly spike your blood sugar levels with their high sugar content.
- Carbohydrates: Foods containing carbohydrates such as bread, crackers and biscuits can also increase blood sugar quickly. However, it would be healthier to choose complex carbohydrate sources and choose options that include unrefined whole grains.