Sugar Crash: Low blood sugar can even affect those without diabetes; Here’s how to prevent it

Sugar crash or low blood sugar can even affect people who don’t have diabetes. Read on to know its signs and how you can prevent it.

By: Arushi Bidhuri | | Updated: December 6, 2020 1:38 pm

Sugar crash or low blood sugar can even affect people who don’t have diabetes. Read on to know its signs and how you can prevent it.

Have you ever had a mid-afternoon craving for something sweet? It leaves you feeling tired and sluggish. Well, the reason could be a blood sugar crash, also known as hypoglycemia. It happens when your blood sugar dips after a few hours of eating a meal. It is common in people with diabetes, but it isn’t exclusive to diabetes. But before we dive into the explanation, let us understand how it all works. Also Read - Hypoglycemia: What happens when your blood glucose level drops suddenly?

When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks it down into glucose (fuel for the body). The blood sugar levels rise and release insulin. This triggers your cells to use glucose for generating energy, which helps bring your blood sugar levels back to normal. This is the normal process of maintaining blood sugar levels. Also Read - Feels hungry all the time? You may be suffering from one of these medical conditions

But when your blood sugar increases slowly after eating, your body ends up making too much insulin, forcing your glucose levels to drop below normal. This is what is referred to as hypoglycemia or sugar crash. Also Read - Ever heard of diabetic shock? Take prompt action before it becomes fatal

Low Blood Sugar Levels Without Diabetes

Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is a condition in which your blood glucose levels become lower than normal. Glucose is the main source of energy for our body, which explains why you might feel weak and irritated during sugar crashes.

For people with diabetes, there are chances that the diabetes medication you’re taking is lowering your blood sugar levels and leading to hypoglycemia. But some drugs and other conditions can cause low blood sugar in people who don’t have diabetes. If it happens frequently, immediate attention is required.

Although it is rare for people without diabetes to get a sugar crash, that doesn’t make you immune to the condition. Reactive hypoglycemia, or postprandial hypoglycemia, arises within four hours after eating a meal. This is different from fasting hypoglycemia, which occurs as a result of fasting.

Some of the common causes of hypoglycemia without diabetes may include certain medication, excessive alcohol consumption, critical diseases, insulin overproduction, and hormonal deficiencies.

In people with diabetes, there are high chances that the medication that you’re taking is causing your blood sugar levels to drop too low.

Symptoms Of Low Blood Sugar Levels

Sweating
Dizziness
Weakness
Hunger
Irritability
Abdominal pain
Lightheadedness
Blurred vision
Feeling confused or anxious
Feeling sleepy

In severe cases, it can cause seizures and loss of consciousness. It is extremely important to consult a doctor in such cases.

Prevention Tips

If you have diabetes, lifestyle modifications like changing your eating habits and adding physical exercise may help. Talk to your doctor about these changes and your medication to manage blood sugar levels.

National Institutes of Health recommends eating 15-20 grams of carbohydrates to resolve non-diabetes-related hypoglycemia. If it doesn’t get resolved, you can eat another 15 grams after 15 minutes. However, if you experience it frequently, you might need to make some long-term changes in your diet, including:

Eating a diet rich in proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats
Avoiding processed and other foods high in sugar
Eating smaller, more frequent meals
Cutting back on alcohol
Switching to herbal teas or decaffeinated drinks
Quitting smoking

While these tips may help, it is always a good idea to consult your doctor to help you treat sugar crashes. Plus, it is essential to control hypoglycemia. If left untreated, it could lead to complications like heart diseases, kidney diseases, dental problems, nerve damage and stroke.

Published : December 6, 2020 1:33 pm | Updated:December 6, 2020 1:38 pm

Read Disclaimer