By Vangeepuram Satakopan
There are many fuel molecules which are made use of by the human body. Fuel molecules are needed to conserve energy and the conserved energy is utilized for driving energy intensive reactions and processes. Of the several fuel molecules used by the body cells, none is more important than glucose. Why is glucose so important as compared to several other molecules? The importance of glucose lies in the fact that some tissues are critically dependent on the presence of glucose for survival. The classical example for such a tissue is the brain.
The normal blood glucose level stays around 100 mg%. Even in normal individuals the level increases following a meal. This is called post absorptive increase. However, the level would return to normal following the action of insulin, the hormone released from the pancreas. However, this does not happen in diabetes because of deficiency of the hormone insulin. Thus, untreated or, poorly treated diabetes is always associated with elevated blood glucose levels even in the fasting state. In fact, the diagnosis of diabetes is based on the detection of increased blood glucose levels. It must then be surprising to learn that the commonest cause for hypoglycemia is diabetes.
The term hypoglycemia refers to decreased blood glucose levels. How can individuals with diabetes have low blood glucose? Hypoglycemia in diabetics is a reality and has to do with the way the individuals respond to the treatment. There are basically two modes of treatment for the diabetics. Severe diabetes is treated with insulin while type 2 diabetics are usually treated with oral hypoglycemic agents, compounds which stimulate the secretion of insulin. Whatever be the treatment, the method never turns out to be perfect. This is because so many variables are involved in the determination of the dosage for a diabetic. The rise in the blood glucose is determined by the quantity of food consumed. This means that the dosage of the diabetic drug would be apt only when nearly the same quantity of food is consumed every day. When the food intake is reduced, the dosage of the drug becomes excess. This is an ideal situation for producing hypoglycemia. The dosage also depends on physical activity.
Hypoglycemia is dangerous as compared to hyperglycemia (increased blood glucose levels). Hyperglycemia can be asymptomatic, especially in the beginning stages of diabetes. In fact, many people are not even aware that they are having diabetes. Hypoglycemia, on the other hand, produces symptoms and can have disastrous consequences if the condition is not quickly corrected. Hence, it is important to recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia. The following symptoms are commonly seen.
* Profuse sweating which will occur even in an air-conditioned room
* Feeling of giddiness accompanied by shivering
* Feeling hungry
* Mood swings
* Severe headache
* Behavioral changes
* Lack of balance while moving
* Onset of seizure
* Confused thinking
* Reduced attention span
All diabetics are taught to recognize the symptoms pointing to the onset of hypoglycemia and all of them carry sugar or candies with them at all times so that hypoglycemia could be corrected as quickly as possible.
There are many fuel molecules which are made use of by the human body. Fuel molecules are needed to conserve energy and the conserved energy is utilized for driving energy intensive reactions and processes. Of the several fuel molecules used by the body cells, none is more important than glucose. Why is glucose so important as compared to several other molecules? The importance of glucose lies in the fact that some tissues are critically dependent on the presence of glucose for survival. The classical example for such a tissue is the brain.
The normal blood glucose level stays around 100 mg%. Even in normal individuals the level increases following a meal. This is called post absorptive increase. However, the level would return to normal following the action of insulin, the hormone released from the pancreas. However, this does not happen in diabetes because of deficiency of the hormone insulin. Thus, untreated or, poorly treated diabetes is always associated with elevated blood glucose levels even in the fasting state. In fact, the diagnosis of diabetes is based on the detection of increased blood glucose levels. It must then be surprising to learn that the commonest cause for hypoglycemia is diabetes.
The term hypoglycemia refers to decreased blood glucose levels. How can individuals with diabetes have low blood glucose? Hypoglycemia in diabetics is a reality and has to do with the way the individuals respond to the treatment. There are basically two modes of treatment for the diabetics. Severe diabetes is treated with insulin while type 2 diabetics are usually treated with oral hypoglycemic agents, compounds which stimulate the secretion of insulin. Whatever be the treatment, the method never turns out to be perfect. This is because so many variables are involved in the determination of the dosage for a diabetic. The rise in the blood glucose is determined by the quantity of food consumed. This means that the dosage of the diabetic drug would be apt only when nearly the same quantity of food is consumed every day. When the food intake is reduced, the dosage of the drug becomes excess. This is an ideal situation for producing hypoglycemia. The dosage also depends on physical activity.
Hypoglycemia is dangerous as compared to hyperglycemia (increased blood glucose levels). Hyperglycemia can be asymptomatic, especially in the beginning stages of diabetes. In fact, many people are not even aware that they are having diabetes. Hypoglycemia, on the other hand, produces symptoms and can have disastrous consequences if the condition is not quickly corrected. Hence, it is important to recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia. The following symptoms are commonly seen.
* Profuse sweating which will occur even in an air-conditioned room
* Feeling of giddiness accompanied by shivering
* Feeling hungry
* Mood swings
* Severe headache
* Behavioral changes
* Lack of balance while moving
* Onset of seizure
* Confused thinking
* Reduced attention span
All diabetics are taught to recognize the symptoms pointing to the onset of hypoglycemia and all of them carry sugar or candies with them at all times so that hypoglycemia could be corrected as quickly as possible.
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