Introduction:
Hypoglycemia is a condition in which there is low blood sugar. Reactive hypoglycemia may occur after a meal. This condition is also characterized by the occurrence of low blood sugar and usually occurs within four hours of eating.
What Is Reactive Hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia is a medical condition. In this condition, one can observe a variation in their blood sugar. The levels of blood sugar may be high or low. It is called hypoglycemia whenever the blood sugar levels are low when compared to normal levels.
Factors that affect blood sugar levels include,
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Practicing exercise.
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Intake of sugar or carbohydrate foods.
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Insulin in the body.
Insulin is a hormone required to move sugar into the cells from the bloodstream. In the blood, sugar acts as a primary source of energy. Hypoglycemia may be observed among those affected by diabetes.
There are two types of hypoglycemia.
These include
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Fasting Hypoglycemia: This may always be related to an underlying disease.
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Reactive Hypoglycemia: This condition is also called postprandial hypoglycemia and occurs not long after the person eats. It may happen within four hours of eating.
Reactive hypoglycemia is a rare condition that is considered nondiabetic hypoglycemia. This may occur when the blood sugar falls below 70 milligrams/deciliter. This condition occurs within 2 to 4 hours after the meal.
What Are the Causes of Reactive Hypoglycemia?
The exact causes of reactive hypoglycemia are not known. This condition is characterized by increased insulin levels in the blood at the wrong time. The causes may include
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The presence of prediabetes can make it hard for the pancreas to produce the right amount of insulin.
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Presence of rare enzyme deficiencies. This can cause difficulty in the breakdown of foods in the stomach and intestine.
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Having stomach surgery can pass food quickly from the stomach to the intestine.
Other possible causes include
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Alcohol.
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Surgical procedures like gastric bypass or other bariatric surgery.
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Inherited metabolic disorders.
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Few tumors.
This condition is observed more commonly in obese and overweight individuals.
What Are the Symptoms of Reactive Hypoglycemia?
Symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia may be in either common or severe forms. These may not be life-threatening but indicate signs of an underlying medical condition.
Common symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia include.
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Presence of shakiness or tremor.
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Experience hunger.
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Presence of rapid heart rate.
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Presence of anxiety or panic.
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Tingling near the mouth may be seen.
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Sweating may be seen.
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Presence of headache.
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Tiredness may be experienced.
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May need help with concentrating.
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Pupils may be dilated.
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Experience irritability and restlessness.
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Nausea and weakness may occur.
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Lightheadedness or dizziness may be present.
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Presence of loss of muscle control.
Severe symptoms:
The symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia may be more severe if the person is experiencing severe low blood sugar. This may be affected even more if the affected person is dehydrated.
Severe symptoms may include
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Experiencing confusion status.
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Change of behavior may be seen.
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Speech may become slurred.
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Movements may become clumsy.
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Blurred or double vision may occur.
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Experience seizures.
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Loss of consciousness may occur.
Recurrent episodes of reactive hypoglycemia should not be neglected. Recurrent episodes may indicate an underlying medical condition like Addison’s disease or pancreatitis.
How to Diagnose Reactive Hypoglycemia?
If recurrent episodes of reactive hypoglycemia occur, it should not be overlooked, and immediate attention and consultation with the healthcare specialist should be done.
The healthcare professional may take
Medical History: Gather information about the condition, such as symptoms, family history regarding any condition that runs in the family, anyone with diabetes, etc.,
Blood Sugar Levels: Healthcare professionals may advise checking for blood sugar levels.
Mixed-Meal Tolerance Test: This test may be done often in five hours to know the blood sugar level. A syrupy drink is given to raise blood sugar levels, cause the body to produce more insulin, and check for how fast blood sugar levels fall.
What Is the Treatment for Reactive Hypoglycemia?
Most of the individuals with reactive hypoglycemia do not require treatment. Healthcare professionals may advise changing dietary patterns to correct the condition.
If a person needs immediate treatment, the doctor may advise the person to consume 15 grams of carbohydrates through eating or drinking.
A study has noticed that sometimes, this condition can be treated with antidiabetic drugs. This type of treatment is advised for those with prediabetes. Prediabetes is a possible cause of reactive hypoglycemia.
How to Prevent Reactive Hypoglycemia?
The cause of this condition is not known exactly. Hence, a few dietary and lifestyle changes may help prevent reactive hypoglycemia.
Remedies Through Diet:
The following dietary practices can help in the prevention of symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia:
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Eating small meals every few hours may prevent blood sugar from spiking.
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Limiting the intake of sugary foods and drinks. This should be done because these foods may increase insulin levels, lowering blood glucose levels.
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Incorporating lean protein and healthy fats may help.
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Foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains should be taken as they contain high fiber.
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Avoiding or limiting alcohol should be done, as this may lower blood sugar levels.
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Limiting or avoiding caffeine is important, as this may cause low blood sugar levels.
Physical Activity:
Along with dietary modifications, an individual must practice to increase physical activity. This tends to increase the amount of glucose taken up by the blood. This helps balance the insulin levels.
Managing Stress:
There is an association between stress and blood glucose levels. Stress causes a rush of adrenaline. This, in turn, releases the glucose into the blood from temporary storage sites in the body. Hence, there is an increase in blood glucose levels.
Stress may make a few individuals eat more in response to increased cortisol, a stress hormone. This may cause an increase in blood glucose levels. Hence, managing stress levels may help in the prevention of reactive hypoglycemia.
Support:
Getting support from those with similar challenges may also contribute to the prevention of reactive hypoglycemia.
Conclusion:
Reactive hypoglycemia is a condition with low blood sugar levels. This condition may not be associated with diabetes and may be categorized under the nondiabetic variety. This condition should not be neglected and does not need any treatment. Following proper dietary patterns and adapting lifestyle changes can improve and prevent the condition. Hence, it becomes important to know about reactive hypoglycemia, its causes, symptoms, and management.
