Glucose is the sugar that provides fuel for the body's many metabolic reactions. It is present in the foods we eat, and absorbed from the gut with the help of digestive enzymes. Medical conditions that lower the level of glucose in the body include dehydration and diabetes, as well as overdosing on certain medications and substances, for example alcohol. Patients with these conditions may need glucose supplementation.
Dehydration
Low glucose, or hypoglycemia, is common in patients with dehydration, particularly children. Most causes of dehydration in children are due to gastroenteritis, an infection of the gut that causes vomiting and diarrhea. Because of these symptoms, a child is unable to take fluids or glucose-containing foods, which lowers their blood sugar level. Children with dehydration and hypoglycemia often need intravenous fluids containing sugar to correct their low glucose level.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition in which the body lacks or does not respond to insulin, the hormone responsible for driving glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. As a result, diabetics have high blood sugar levels. Medicines for diabetes, including insulin and other oral medications, lower the glucose concentration in the blood. According to the Mayo Clinic, these medicines can actually lower glucose to dangerous levels if taken in large enough quantities. When this happens, patients with diabetes need either oral glucose, if able to take it, or intravenous glucose, if they are unconscious.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can lower your blood glucose level. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, alcohol interferes with the liver's ability to raise glucose levels, causing hypoglycemia. This can happen even a day or two later of consuming alcoholic beverages, particularly if binge drinking. You should always have food or a snack when consuming alcoholic beverages to avoid the possibility of low blood sugar. Drinking alcohol is could be dangerous for patients who take insulin or other sugar-lowering medications.
Neonatal Hypoglycemia
Newborns can also suffer from neonatal hypoglycemia and need sugar supplementation. According to the National Library of Medicine, the causes of neonatal hypoglycemia include sepsis, or a serious bacterial infection; being born to a mother with gestational diabetes; being born with a condition that prevents the processing of glucose in the body; and being premature. Depending on the cause, infants with low blood sugar may need short-term oral sugar supplements, or intravenous glucose to correct the hypoglycemia.
