Low blood sugar is medically termed as Hypoglycemia, and is considered a high-risk condition that needs medical attention right away. Although the extremes of age are most commonly affected by hypoglycemia, it can affect anyone at any age or health status.
The normal serum glucose level, or simply the sugar level in the blood, is 70 mg/dl. Anything significantly below that is considered hypoglycemia. When the sugar level goes down up to 50 mg/dl, a person is already considered to be in critical state.
Hypoglycemia occurs in the body because of several factors. The more common ones that do not require immediate medical attention are missed meals, alcohol use, and lack of rest and sleep. Hypoglycemia in these cases is usually resolved by sugar or glucose intake (by simply eating, of course), detoxifying, and getting more rest. This is because the glucose is needed by the body to function, so lack of proper nutrition and sleep could deplete sugar levels, which can easily be raised by eating.
The more serious factors that cause Hypoglycemia are medical in nature, such as overmedication with insulin, or the body's auto-production of insulin, which is the hormone that breaks down sugar. Too much insulin starves the body of its needed glucose for proper functioning. Cancer, certain medications, kidney and liver failure, and congenital conditions affected insulin production are all serious and require regular medical supervision.
The first warning sign of low blood sugar is extreme hunger. This sign should not be ignored, and the hunger must be given attention right away. A hypoglycemic person's heart rate will be rapid, and they may break out into a cold sweat, with skin turning a pale, grayish color. Headache, irritability are other signs. The most drastic signs that could mean grave danger are drowsiness, weakness, inability to walk, blurred vision, seizures and loss of consciousness. These symptoms mean that the brain has already been affected by the lack of glucose in the body.
Hypoglycemia is best treated by an endocrinologist, the same medical professional who treats diabetes, which is quite the opposite of low blood sugar.
The normal serum glucose level, or simply the sugar level in the blood, is 70 mg/dl. Anything significantly below that is considered hypoglycemia. When the sugar level goes down up to 50 mg/dl, a person is already considered to be in critical state.
Hypoglycemia occurs in the body because of several factors. The more common ones that do not require immediate medical attention are missed meals, alcohol use, and lack of rest and sleep. Hypoglycemia in these cases is usually resolved by sugar or glucose intake (by simply eating, of course), detoxifying, and getting more rest. This is because the glucose is needed by the body to function, so lack of proper nutrition and sleep could deplete sugar levels, which can easily be raised by eating.
The more serious factors that cause Hypoglycemia are medical in nature, such as overmedication with insulin, or the body's auto-production of insulin, which is the hormone that breaks down sugar. Too much insulin starves the body of its needed glucose for proper functioning. Cancer, certain medications, kidney and liver failure, and congenital conditions affected insulin production are all serious and require regular medical supervision.
The first warning sign of low blood sugar is extreme hunger. This sign should not be ignored, and the hunger must be given attention right away. A hypoglycemic person's heart rate will be rapid, and they may break out into a cold sweat, with skin turning a pale, grayish color. Headache, irritability are other signs. The most drastic signs that could mean grave danger are drowsiness, weakness, inability to walk, blurred vision, seizures and loss of consciousness. These symptoms mean that the brain has already been affected by the lack of glucose in the body.
Hypoglycemia is best treated by an endocrinologist, the same medical professional who treats diabetes, which is quite the opposite of low blood sugar.
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