$Unique_ID{BRK01428}
$Pretitle{Endocrine Glands and Metabolism}
$Title{Is There Really a Disease Called "Hypoglycemia"?}
$Subject{sugar blood hypoglycemia}
$Volume{C-7}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Is There Really a Disease Called "Hypoglycemia"?


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QUESTION:  My sister-in-law claims that her many problems all arise from a
condition called "hypoglycemia".  Could you tell me if there really is such a
disease and provide some information about it?

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ANSWER:  More people think they have hypoglycemia than actually have it.
Hypoglycemia is relatively rare and usually occurs only in diabetics who use
insulin or other blood sugar lowering medications.  However, it does occur
occasionally in nondiabetics and there are ways to test for it.
     Hypoglycemia is a condition where the levels of blood sugar (blood
glucose), which the body needs for energy, fall too low.  The symptoms are
acute fatigue, restlessness, irritability, malaise, sweating, and weakness.
Usually, we derive glucose from the food we eat.  If we fast for a few hours,
our body breaks down a substance called glycogen, which is stored in the
liver, into glucose.  When we fast for longer periods, our bodies metabolize
stored fat into glucose.  This way, through a complex system of chemical
checks and balances, blood sugar levels are kept constant in healthy people,
whether they are eating regularly or not.
     Diabetics have high blood sugar if they are not treated properly.
However, if they are not careful about their diet or use of insulin and oral
diabetic drugs, they may have occasional bouts of hypoglycemia because these
drugs lower blood sugar too far.  Oral diabetes drugs are called "hypoglycemic
agents" because they lower blood sugar.
     Some nondiabetic people have faulty metabolic systems that cause
occasional dips in blood sugar levels when they go without food.  Other people
have a metabolism which overreacts after a meal and produces too much insulin,
which causes a sharp dip in blood sugar right after eating.  In addition to
metabolic problems, a possible cause of fasting hypoglycemia is an insulinoma,
a benign tumor in the pancreas that produces excess insulin.  Fasting
hypoglycemia can also be due to alcohol abuse, especially when coupled with
poor eating habits.  Reactive hypoglycemia is less well understood, but is
thought to be caused by abnormalities in the body's response to food.
     The common way to test for hypoglycemia is to have the patient fast for
several hours and periodically check blood sugar levels.  Although no one
agrees exactly what a hypoglycemic blood sugar level is, the physician seeks a
sag in the blood glucose levels that is relieved by eating.  Another
diagnostic test is to watch blood sugar levels after the patient eats a known
amount of glucose.  A third test is to watch the patient's blood glucose and
insulin levels during a prolonged fast.
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
