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Effects,
Vitamins/Supplements,
Herbs,
Nutrition/Diet
Hypoglycemia, or low blood
sugar, is a condition in which there is an abnormally low level
of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Reactive hypoglycemia
occurs when blood sugar drops to abnormally low levels two to
five hours after eating a meal. Symptoms of reactive
hypoglycemia include sweating, tremors, rapid heartbeat,
anxiety, and hunger. Most often, this results from the
oversecretion of insulin by the pancreas. Insulin
facilitates the transport of glucose from the bloodstream into
the cells, especially those of muscle and fatty tissue, and
causes glucose to be synthesized in the liver. If the
pancreas is not functioning properly, normal carbohydrate
metabolism is impossible. As the blood sugar drops, stress
hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol kick in at high levels
to prevent the blood sugar level from dropping
dramatically. Another type of hypoglycemia is known as fasting
hypoglycemia. This occurs as a result of abstaining
from food for eight or more hours. The symptoms are often
more severe than those of reactive hypoglycemia and can include
seizures, loss of consciousness, and a loss of mental
acuity. Liver disease or a tumor of the pancreas is
generally the underlying cause of this type of hypoglycemia.
A person suffering from
hypoglycemia may display any or all of the following
symptoms: fatigue, dizziness, heart palpitations, nausea,
blurred vision, an inability to concentrate, lightheadedness,
headache, irritability, fainting spells, depression, anxiety,
cravings for sweets, confusion, night sweats, weakness in the
legs, swollen feet, a feeling of tightness in chest, constant
hunger, pain in various parts of the body (especially the eyes),
nervous habits, mental disturbances, and insomnia. People
with hypoglycemia can become very aggressive and lose their
tempers easily. Any or all of these symptoms may occur a
few hours after eating sweets or fats. The onset and
severity of symptoms are directly related to the length of time
since the last meal was eaten and the type of foods that meal
contained.
More and more Americans today
may have this condition, due to poor dietary habits that include
eating large quantities of simple carbohydrates, sugars,
alcohol, caffeine, and soft drinks, and insufficient amounts of
complex carbohydrates. High stress levels are believed to
be a contributing factor in the increasing incidence of
hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia can be inherited,
but most often it is precipitated by an inadequate diet.
This is referred to as functional hypoglycemia (FH).
Many other bodily disorders can cause hypoglycemic problems as
well, among them adrenal insufficiency, thyroid disorders,
pituitary disorders, kidney disease, and pancreatitis.
Immune deficiency and candidiasis are strongly linked to
hypoglycemia. Glucose intolerance and hyperinsulinemia
(high blood insulin levels), producing hypoglycemia, frequently
occur in people with chronic liver failure. Other common
causes are smoking and the consumption of large amounts of
caffeine, found in colas, chocolate, and coffee. Though it
may seem paradoxical, low blood sugar can also be an early sign
of diabetes (high blood sugar).
Diagnosis of hypoglycemia can
be difficult because the symptoms often mimic those of other
disorders, including adrenal dysfunction, allergies, asthma,
candidiasis, chronic fatigue syndrome, digestive or intestinal
disorders, eating disorders, food allergies, hypothyroidism,
kidney failure, malabsorption syndrome, menopause, mental
disorders, neurological problems, nutritional deficiencies,
sepsis (blood infection), stress, and weight problems.
To diagnose hypoglycemia, a
health care provider may perform a glucose tolerance test (GTT).
However, many people have symptoms of hypoglycemia even though
the results of a five-hour GTT are within normal limits. A
useful diagnostic test may be to follow the dietary and
nutritional supplement regimen outline and see if symptoms
improve.
Source: Prescription
for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC and James F. Balch,
M.D.
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