Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin, or is unable to utilize the insulin it produces to maintain appropriate blood glucose levels. Insulin is a hormone that the pancreas produces to drive glucose, the main sugar the body utilizes for energy, into the cells. Diabetics who fast without properly monitoring their blood sugar or adjusting their medications in coordination with their physician can suffer from hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.
Types of Diabetes
There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 usually occurs in childhood, although older patients can sometimes have this condition. Type 1 diabetics have little to no insulin and need daily injections of insulin. Type 2 usually occurs in adults and results from the body's inability to respond to existing insulin levels. Both types result in abnormally high levels of blood glucose. Insulin and oral diabetic control medications work by driving glucose into the body's cells, decreasing the amount of unused glucose in the bloodstream. Because of the effect of diabetic medications, fasting can result in dangerously low blood sugar levels.
Fasting and diabetes
Fasting can be problematic for diabetics, especially if you are not closely monitoring your blood sugar levels. Patients with type 2 diabetes can develop a schedule of intermittent feeding and adjust medication dosages, especially if the fast is limited to certain times of the day, as required during certain religious periods. Total fasting though, especially if you have type 1 diabetes, is not recommended. This is because the insulin you take lowers the amount of glucose in the blood stream to transfer it to the tissues. If you fast, the amount of glucose available decreases, and could result in hypoglycemia.
Symptoms of low blood sugar
Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can have severe medical complications. Initially, you feel jittery, may start sweating, and have double vision or dizziness. As the blood sugar continues to drop, people with hypoglycemia may feel weak, have lack of coordination, and become confused. If the hypoglycemia lasts long enough to deprive the brain of glucose, loss of consciousness and seizures can occur. In severe cases, hypoglycemia can result in state of coma and permanent brain damage.
Treatment of hypoglycemia
If you are fasting and exhibit symptoms of low blood sugar, it is important to immediately measure your blood sugar level. If low, you need to ingest an easily digested food, like orange juice, to rapidly increase your blood sugar level. People with hypoglycemic seizures need a rapid infusion of intravenous glucose as a well as seizure control medications to prevent permanent brain damage.
