6 signs of hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia

"Hypoglycemia is a pathological condition associated with an abnormally low blood sugar level". People with diabetes, severe liver and pancreas diseases, malfunctioning of the digestive tract, impaired functions of the endocrine glands (adrenal cortex, pituitary gland, etc.), certain infectious diseases (encephalitis, meningitis) may experience hypoglycemic episodes. In the risk group are also people who are too actively using low-carbohydrate diets, which are very popular among slimming people. We will become acquainted with those signs of hypoglycemia, which in no case cannot be ignored.

Permanent hunger With mild hypoglycemia, the feeling of hunger, as a rule, occurs suddenly. This is the reaction of the corresponding brain center to a low concentration of glucose in the blood. Sudden hunger often appears in diabetics on the background of physical exertion, eating disorders or incorrect application of hypoglycemic drugs. Hunger can be accompanied by nausea. In healthy people who observe a low-carbohydrate diet, unexpected hunger also appears due to the rejection of foods rich in fiber (vegetables, fruits, cereals). They, getting into the stomach, create a long feeling of satiety. With the complete rejection of carbohydrates, a person can be hungry constantly, even immediately after eating.

A headache: 
The consequence of a significant decrease in blood glucose levels is usually the drop in blood pressure. As a result, there is a headache, often accompanied by dizziness. Sometimes there are short-term speech disorders and visual effects (for example, a split image or color spots in front of the eyes).

Dysfunction of the central nervous system

The human body uses glucose as a universal source of energy. With its deficiency in the blood, nerve cells are particularly affected, so signs of deterioration of the brain appear almost immediately. 

Hypoglycemia is accompanied by the following manifestations:
Drowsiness, lethargy; complexity with orientation in space; disorders of coordination of movements; impossibility of concentration; memory impairment; tremor of hands; fainting; seizures similar to epileptic.

Thermoregulatory disorders Deficiency of "universal fuel" badly affects the condition of all organs and systems of the human body. During a fit of hypoglycemia, a patient may experience chills, complain of coldness in the fingers and toes. Perhaps the appearance of cold sweat (sweat the back of the neck and the entire scalp). If an attack of hypoglycemia happens at night, the entire body sweats profusely: a person wakes up in completely wet underwear.

Stabilization of weight while dieting People trying to get rid of excess weight with the help of low-carb diets, often notice that at a certain stage, the weight ceases to decrease, despite the severely limited diet. This may be a sign of hypoglycemia. The fact is that with insufficient intake of carbohydrates, the liver begins to process glycogen reserves into glucose, the intensity of splitting of stored fats decreases.

Mood swings Glucose is involved in the process of producing a "hormone of happiness" - serotonin. With its lack, a person ceases to enjoy life, becomes tense and gloomy. In addition, glucose deficiency has a depressing effect on the activity of the brain. An attack of hypoglycemia can cause anxiety, fear, or excessive excitement in the patient. In severe cases, inadequate behavior or outbreaks of unmotivated aggression are possible.

Patients with diabetes usually know how to control the level of glucose in the blood and know what to do to normalize it. For a person who is poorly informed and who has faced hypoglycemia for the first time, this situation is very dangerous. A severe attack accompanied by confusion, a violation of speech and coordination of movements, vomiting, etc., requires medical intervention, such an urgent need to call an "ambulance". An attack of mild hypoglycemia can be suppressed independently, delivering into the body 12-15 g of easily digestible (so-called fast) carbohydrates. This portion contains: a glass of warm tea with two spoons of sugar; two slices of sugar-refined sugar; two teaspoons of honey (it is better to slowly dissolve in the mouth); 150 ml of a packaged fruit drink or juice; one chocolate candy or two slices of milk chocolate; one banana; five to six pieces of dried apricots.

Within half an hour after receiving one of these funds, the patient's condition should improve. Unfortunately, stopping an attack does not mean that the problem is solved. Symptoms of hypoglycemia cannot be ignored: a deficiency of glucose in the blood can lead to the development of very serious pathologies. If the seizures recur, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor, in parallel refusing to comply with a low-carb diet.