Glucose tablets contain enough sugar to quickly raise your blood sugar levels. Normally, your blood contains between 90 and 130 milligrams per deciliter of blood glucose, according to MayoClinic.com. If your blood sugar falls far below this level, you may experience symptoms of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. Glucose tablets treat hypoglycemia in diabetes and other conditions.
Conditions
If you have diabetes, either type 1 or type 2, you're probably familiar with glucose tablets, which you may need on occasion if your blood sugar gets too low, according to MayoClinic.com. In someone who's diabetic, medications used to reduce high blood sugar levels can occasionally get out of balance and cause blood sugar levels that are too low. In this case, you'd use glucose tablets to raise your blood sugar back to a normal level. In more unusual cases, medications can cause low blood sugar, as can rare conditions such as severe liver disorders, endocrine disorders and pancreatic tumors. Excessive alcohol consumption also can lower your blood sugar level excessively.
Symptoms
If you have low blood sugar, you'll generally start to feel weak, sweaty and shaky, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center. You may develop a headache or start to feel confused, and you'll probably feel hungry or irritable. Other symptoms include pale skin and a rapid heartbeat.
Dosage
You shouldn't use glucose tablets unless you've been directed to do so by your physician, and you should always follow your physician's instructions, according to Drugs.com. Chew the tablets thoroughly to aid in quick absorption. According to the Joslin Diabetes Center, three glucose tablets normally equal 15 grams of carbohydrate. If you've checked your blood glucose and it's still low 15 minutes later, try another dose of glucose tablets.
Side Effects
When taken in small doses, glucose tablets have no commonly occurring side effects, according to Drugs.com. However, it's possible to suffer a severe allergic reaction to any medication, including glucose tablets, and users should seek immediate medical aid if they quickly develop hives or difficulty breathing, according to Drugs.com.
Considerations
Since glucose tablets are used to manage low blood sugar associated with diabetes and other serious medical conditions, it's important to get explicit instructions from your physician on their use, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center. If you frequently suffer from low blood sugar and need to use your glucose tablets, you may need to have your medication levels adjusted, which requires your physician's help.
