Hypoglycemia Summary Hypoglycemia means low blood glucose, or blood sugar. Your body needs glucose to have enough energy. After you eat, your blood absorbs glucose. If you eat more sugar than your body needs, your muscles, and liver store the extra. When your blood sugar begins to fall, a hormone tells your liver to release glucose. In most people, this raises blood sugar. If it doesn’t, you have hypoglycemia, and your blood sugar can be dangerously low. Signs include Hunger Shakiness Dizziness Confusion Difficulty speaking Feeling anxious or weak In people with diabetes, hypoglycemia is often a side effect of diabetes medicines. Eating or drinking something with carbohydrates can help. If it happens often, your health care provider may need to change your treatment plan. You can also have low blood sugar without having diabetes. Causes include certain medicines or diseases, hormone or enzyme deficiencies, and tumors. Laboratory tests can help find the cause. The kind of treatment depends on why you have low blood sugar. NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Find an Expert American Diabetes Association American Diabetes Association Directory of Diabetes Organizations National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Diagnosis and Tests C-Peptide Test American Association for Clinical Chemistry Glucose Tests American Association for Clinical Chemistry Insulin Test American Association for Clinical Chemistry Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Hypoglycemia National Institutes of Health Array Diabetes – low blood sugar – self-care Drug-induced hypoglycemia Insulin C-peptide Low blood sugar Low blood sugar – newborns Specifics Diabetic Hypoglycemia Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) in Diabetes Mellitus UpToDate Is Hyperinsulinemia a Form of Diabetes? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Nondiabetic Hypoglycemia Hormone Health Network Reactive Hypoglycemia Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Genetics Genetics Home Reference: 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: congenital hyperinsulinism National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: familial glucocorticoid deficiency National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: glycogen storage disease type VI National Library of Medicine Encyclopedia Glucagon blood test Children Hypoglycemia Nemours Foundation When Blood Sugar Is Too Low Nemours Foundation Start Here Hypoglycemia Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Hypoglycemia National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Related Issues Is Low Blood Glucose (Hypoglycemia) Dangerous? Joslin Diabetes Center What Can I Do to Prevent Serious Hypoglycemic Episodes When I Am Hypoglycemic Unaware? Joslin Diabetes Center Statistics and Research Link between Hypoglycemia and Cardiac Arrhythmias: An Answer to Why Tight Glycemic Control May Increase Mortality in People with Diabetes American Diabetes Association Patient Access to Research American Diabetes Association Journal Articles Hypoglycemia Teenagers What Is Hypoglycemia? Nemours Foundation Latest News Type 1 Diabetes Linked to Epilepsy Risk, Study Suggests HealthDay
