1. Glucose is The Brain's Most Important Energy Source
If you've ever felt lightheaded, dizzy, shaky or suffered from headaches or blurred vision, you could have hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. While other tissues of the body can easily manage without circulating glucose, your brain depends almost entirely on glucose to keep things running properly. If the brain determines that glucose is in short supply, it signals the body to release a number of "fight or flight" hormones such as epinephrine that temporarily elevate the blood pressure and heart rate--the same hormones that are secreted during stressful situations or emergencies.
2. Hypoglycemia Can Affect Anyone
Hypoglycemia can affect anyone--whether you're healthy or ill. Also known as low blood sugar, hypoglycemia ("hypo" means a low level, while "hyper" means a high level) is a temporary condition that occurs when there are low levels of glucose in the blood. While hypoglycemia is usually associated with diabetes, it can also affect people with certain types of tumors, diseases, hormone and enzyme deficiencies or those who experience adverse reactions to specific types of medications. For instance, "reactive" hypoglycemia occurs in many healthy people after meals. "Fasting" hypoglycemia can occur in people after bouts of binge drinking due to alcohol interfering with the liver's ability to raise blood glucose levels.
3. Activity Plays a Role in Hypoglycemia
Ask any marathoner who has "run out of gas" at mile 18 what happened, they'll probably tell you that they "bonked." Bonking is a common term bandied about in running circles that describes the feeling you have when you've run out of fuel and become hypoglycemic. Hypoglycemia occurs when the body has consumed all of the available glucose circulating in the blood. Although you can continue to compete by consuming free fatty acids in the blood and glycogen stored in the muscles, the body favors glucose over all other types of fuel. When glucose is in short supply, you typically feel listless and unable to compete at peak efficiency.
4. It's Not Always About Your Diet
When it comes to maintaining safe levels of glucose in the bloodstream, the body depends on a finely tuned balance of supply and demand. Low blood sugar levels can result during fasting or other situations where carbohydrate is missing or in short supply from the diet. Another cause of hypoglycemia is exercising for long periods of time. Depending on the individual and their exercise intensity, the longer you exercise, the more glucose will be depleted from the blood stream. Keeping in mind that high intensity exercise consumes more glucose than the same activity performed at lower intensities, try backing off the pace if you feel like you're running out of fuel.
5. Managing Hypoglycemia is Simple as 1-2-3
For the average person who is free from disease, maintaining optimal glucose levels consists of 1) eating a balanced diet, 2) getting regular exercise and 3) drinking plenty of water. A diet that is composed of fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates will prevent unwanted peaks and valleys in blood glucose levels. Regular aerobic exercise has been shown to help regulate the production and use of glucose and insulin. Finally, keeping adequately hydrated, especially during exercise, helps to maintain proper blood pressure and assists with circulating blood glucose to the cells of the body.
