Glucose is the primary source of energy for your brain and your muscles. When you eat carbohydrates, glucose circulates in your bloodstream until it is used by your body. Hypoglycemia is the medical term for low blood sugar, or blood glucose. If your brain and muscles do not have access to enough glucose, it can lead to serious complications.
Physiology
Carbohydrates are the main source of glucose in your diet. When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks down the complex sugars into the simple sugar glucose. Glucose travels into your bloodstream where it stimulates the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin binds to glucose and brings it to the cells so it can be used as energy, bringing your blood sugar back to normal. The glucose that is not used by your cells is brought to the liver where it is stored as glycogen.
When you have not eaten for an extended period of time, your pancreas releases a hormone called glucagon that stimulates the liver to convert glycogen back into glucose. The liver then releases glucose to your cells.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which your pancreas cannot properly make insulin. As a result, blood glucose levels in the blood will remain high. In order to utilize glucose, type 1 diabetics must administer insulin to themselves on a regular basis. Injecting insulin into the body compensates for the lack of insulin created by your pancreas. The amount of insulin required depends on how much food you eat, the types of food you eat and when you eat.
Hypoglycemia
If you administer too much insulin at one time or you do not eat enough, it causes your blood sugar levels to drop and you may develop hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia can also develop if you exercise more than usual and do not compensate by administering more insulin. In order to prevent hypoglycemia from too much insulin, it is important to follow your dosage recommendations closely and to make sure that you eat enough and are not exercising too much. Your doctor can help you develop a plan that involves the right balance for you.
Treatment of Hypoglycemia
If you do develop hypoglycemia, it is important to correct your blood sugar levels as soon as possible. The fastest way to do this is to eat foods that are high in glucose, such as white sugar, honey, hard candy, fruit juice or soda. Glucose tablets, which contain 15 g of concentrated glucose, are also available to help correct hypoglycemia quickly.
References
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Hypoglycemia
- MayoClinic.com: Hypoglycemia
- "Nutrition and You"; Joan Salge Blake; 2008
