What is hypoglycemia? What can you do for low blood sugar? Is it something to worry about? We cover all of this and more!
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Hypoglycemia is one of the more common and feared complications of diabetes. Low blood sugar can have many causes, but people with diabetes are at higher risk. While some hypoglycemia episodes can be treated by eating carbohydrates, other events are more severe and require emergency glucagon or urgent medical attention.
What is hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is often defined as having a blood glucose level below 70 mg/dL. Though glucose is necessary for the body, the amount circulating in the blood must be tightly regulated. Too much or too little glucose in the blood can lead to hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), and long-term health complications.
There are different levels of low blood sugar:
- Level 1: Glucose values less than 70 mg/dL
- Level 2: Glucose levels less than 54 mg/dL
- Level 3: Severe hypoglycemia (below 54 mg/dL with impaired mental and physical function)
What causes low blood sugar?
There are lots of reasons!
Here are some reasons why you might develop hypoglycemia:
- Taking too much insulin or other diabetes medications
- People with type 2 diabetes taking sulfonylureas may experience hypoglycemia. Sulfonylureas stimulate insulin release from the pancreas; even if your glucose levels are in range, it can lead to low blood sugar.
- Not eating enough food, particularly carbohydrates.
- Too much exercise at one time, particularly mild to moderate aerobic exercise.
- Illness, particularly if associated with vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea.
- The weather, altitude…there are lots of different factors out of our control that affect glucose levels.
Low blood sugar symptoms
Common symptoms inlcude:
- Hunger
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Fast heartbeat
- Headache
- Trouble concentrating
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Confusion
- Combativeness
- Disorientation
- Loss of consciousness
Can continuous glucose monitoring help with low blood sugar?
A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) can tell you where your glucose is going in real time. They will alert you when you are dropping and raising, and the metrics it provides, like time in range, can help you identify patterns to avoid low glucose.
CGMs also allow you to share your blood glucose readings with loved ones and your healthcare team in real time so they can let you know or help you out if your blood sugar starts to drop. Watch this video on experts and how they use CGM!
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