Hypoglycemia
Source: MedlinePlus Health Topics, U.S. National Library of Medicine
What is blood glucose? Blood glucose , or blood sugar, is the main sugar found in your blood. It is your body's primary source of energy. It comes from the food you eat. Your body breaks down most of that food into glucose and releases it into your bloodstream. When your blood glucose goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to be used for energy. For people with diabetes , your body doesn't make enough insulin, can't use it as well as it should, or both. Too much glucose stays in your blood and doesn't reach your cells. What is hypoglycemia? Hypoglycemia means low glucose. It happens when the level of glucose in your blood drops below what is healthy for you: For many people with diabetes, this means a blood glucose level lower than 70 mg/dL. Your number might be different, so check with your health care team to find out what blood glucose level is too low for you. For people who don't have diabetes, hypoglycemia is typically a blood glucose level lower than 55 mg/dL. What causes hypoglycemia? Hypoglycemia is common in people who have diabetes type 1 or who have diabetes type 2 and take insulin or other diabetes medicines . It can happen: As a side effect of insulin or some other medicines that help your pancreas release insulin into your blood. These medicines can lower your blood glucose level. If you don't eat or drink enough carbohydrates (carbs). Carbs are the main source of glucose for your body. If you get a lot more physical activity than usual. If you drink too much alcohol without enough food. When you are sick and can't eat enough food or keep food down. Although it's rare, you can still get low blood glucose without having diabetes. The causes can include conditions such as liver disease , kidney disease , and hormone deficiencies (lack of certain hormones). It can also happen in people who have had certain types of weight loss surgery . Some medicines, such as certain heart me