It is no secret that exercise is good for you, but too much of a good thing can sometimes go wrong. Prolonged or strenuous exercise can cause hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, in some individuals who are otherwise healthy. Although it carries a significant medical risk if not treated right away, treatment is simple and recovery time is very quick.
Blood Sugar
Each time you consume carbohydrates, your body converts them to glucose. Your pancreas reacts to the glucose in the bloodstream by secreting a hormone called insulin. The insulin and blood glucose work together to feed the brain and provide energy to your body. The liver and muscles store some of the blood sugar for use when glucose levels become low. The body stores the remaining glucose as fat, which it can use for energy in the absence of carbohydrate consumption or glycogen production.
About Hypoglycemia
Normal blood sugar levels range between 70 mg/dl and 120 mg/dl. If levels dip below 70 mg/dl, a condition called hypoglycemia can result. Some of the first symptoms of hypoglycemia are headache, sweating, dizziness, nausea and trembling. As the brain becomes starved of food, you can become confused, lethargic, anxious and have slurred speech. If left untreated, you can become unconscious, suffer seizures or fall into a coma.
Exercise-Induced Hypoglycemia
It is not unusual to suffer mild hypoglycemia up to one hour after a period of strenuous exercise. When you exercise, your muscles require more energy than normal. Your liver helps to keep glucose supplies up, and your system begins to burn body fat to supply energy as well. The pancreas goes into overdrive to produce enough insulin to help the body use the glucose as fuel. When you stop exercising and your body stops utilizing the additional glucose, you may experience a short period of hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar. The body stops producing excess glucose fairly quickly, but if the pancreas does not regulate its insulin production to keep pace with the lower amounts of glucose, hypoglycemia can result.
Prevention
If you are prone to bouts of post-exercise hypoglycemia, prevention is the best medicine. The Joslin Diabetes Center recommends snacking on bananas, apples, peanut butter, cheese or a juice box before you start exercising. Feed your body during breaks in the exercise with sports drinks or high-fiber fruits, and be sure to eat something when you stop exercising. Avoid alcohol, as it can increase your chances of developing hypoglycemia, and avoid hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms.
