Guide To The Causes Of Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is a condition where an individual experiences a blood sugar level below normal. Glucose is absorbed from the food individuals eat. Their body uses it to produce cellular energy. Symptoms include sweating, anxiety, fatigue, a fast heartbeat, pale skin, and hunger. Individuals may also experience shakiness, irritability, confusion, blurry vision, seizures, loss of consciousness, tingling, and numbness. If the underlying cause is not clear, a diagnosis can be made with a monitored fast in a hospital.
Hypoglycemia treatment depends on the underlying cause. Diabetes patients often need to have insulin injections or other diabetes medication. Medication adjustments are common. Tumor excision and intravenous glucose may be necessary. Consuming fast-acting carbohydrates is one of the natural remedies for hypoglycemia out there.
Diabetes
Diabetes patients have either an inability to produce the hormone insulin or an inability to use insulin correctly. A healthy pancreas produces insulin, giving the cells in the liver and muscles the ability to absorb glucose from the bloodstream. This mechanism gives the cells the glucose that is needed to produce energy. A diabetes patient will typically be put on a treatment plan that includes replacement of the insulin their body does not provide.
Most patients have to take several doses every day to stop the glucose from building up to dangerous levels. However, these individuals have to consider the number of carbohydrates that they are consuming for their insulin regimen to work correctly. When an individual who takes insulin daily doses not consume enough carbohydrates, it can cause hypoglycemia. This means that their blood glucose levels can drop dangerously low.
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Medications
Aside from insulin medication, several others can cause hypoglycemia. Aspirin and similar medicines that are considered salicylates are known to enhance insulin secretion. These medications must be taken in moderate to high doses to trigger hypoglycemia in a healthy individual.
Sulfa-based antibiotic medications have also been known to increase the release of insulin. This makes the risk of hypoglycemia higher. Pentamidine treats pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. However, it can cause hypoglycemia in individuals without diabetes. Quinine stimulates the beta cells in a healthy individual's pancreas to produce more insulin, leading to hypoglycemia. This medication treats nocturnal leg cramps and other infections, including malaria.
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Hormone Deficiencies
Hypoglycemia may occur due to a deficiency in hormones that are important to glucagon storage and release. Certain hormones are critical in maintaining blood sugar. This is because they command the liver to release glucose back into the blood when necessary. The adrenal glands release cortisol and epinephrine in the appropriate circumstances, such as during the stress response. A deficiency in one or both of these hormones can interrupt normal blood sugar regulation and cause hypoglycemia.
An individual's pituitary gland is responsible for the production and release of growth hormone. The growth hormone also plays a critical role in the release of glucose from the liver when it is needed. A deficiency of growth hormone can impair the glucose release back into the blood. This leads to non-diabetic hypoglycemia.
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Kidney Disorders
Individuals affected by certain kidney disorders may experience hypoglycemia as a result of reduced kidney function. The kidneys filter waste, excess fluid, and toxins from the bloodstream so they are excreted in the urine. The kidneys have a significant influence on an individual's blood sugar levels through several mechanisms. The kidneys carry out a process referred to as gluconeogenesis. This is where substances such as glycerol, glucogenic amino acids, and lactate are used to produce glucose.
The kidneys also filter glucose from the bloodstream for secretion into the urine when blood sugar becomes too high. When an individual's blood sugar is within the normal range, the last part of the kidney's tiny filters is responsible for the reabsorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This leaves the urine glucose-free. Certain kidney disorders can cause hypoglycemia when they impair gluconeogenesis. It may also occur when the kidneys cannot reabsorb glucose into the bloodstream effectively.
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Hepatitis
Hepatitis patients may experience hypoglycemia due to their reduced liver function. Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis develops when an individual is infected by one of the five hepatitis viruses, consumes alcohol excessively, or when their immune system attacks healthy liver cells. When any of these mechanisms cause damage and inflammation to the liver tissues, it can hinder one or more of its critical functions.
After an individual consumes a meal, any glucose that is not immediately needed by the muscle and brain cells is deposited and stored in the liver tissues. The liver is responsible for counteracting the fall in blood glucose that occurs when insulin is released. When the liver tissues have been injured and damaged due to hepatitis or inflammation, the mechanism behind the liver's role in blood glucose regulation can become impaired. The liver may be unable to store glucose properly, making it unavailable for access when levels drop abnormally low.