What is it?
It’s common to associate hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar,
with diabetes. However, hypoglycemia, also called a sugar crash, actually isn’t
exclusive to diabetes.
Reactive hypoglycemia, or postprandial hypoglycemia, occurs
within four hours of eating a meal. This differs from fasting hypoglycemia, or
a sugar crash that happens as a result of fasting.
The exact cause of reactive hypoglycemia isn’t known. Most
experts think it’s related to the foods you eat and the time it takes for these
foods to digest. If you have frequent sugar crashes and don’t have diabetes, it
may be time to talk to your doctor about dietary changes and potential
treatments.
Hypoglycemia without diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia is one of the two types of
non-diabetes-related hypoglycemia. The other type is fasting hypoglycemia.
According to the Hormone Health Network, having hypoglycemia
without having diabetes is relatively rare. Most people with frequent sugar
crashes either have diabetes or prediabetes.
Still, it’s possible to have hypoglycemia without having
diabetes. All cases of hypoglycemia are related to low blood sugar, or glucose,
in the body.
Causes
Most people with reactive hypoglycemia don’t appear to have
any other underlying causes.
There are some known risk factors for reactive hypoglycemia.
These include:
Prediabetes. This is the first stage before the full
development of diabetes. During prediabetes, your body may not be making the
right amount of insulin, which is contributing to your sugar crashes.
Recent stomach surgery. This can make it difficult to digest
food. The foods you eat may pass through the small intestine at a more rapid
rate, causing subsequent sugar crashes.
Enzyme deficiencies. Though rare, having a stomach enzyme
deficiency can prevent your body from properly breaking down the foods you eat.
Treatments
Most cases of reactive hypoglycemia don’t require medical
treatment. Even if you’ve had stomach surgery or have another risk factor for
sugar crashes, dietary approaches tend to be the preferred treatment measure
for this condition.
If you start experiencing symptoms of a sugar crash, the
short-term solution is to eat 15 grams of a carbohydrate. If your symptoms
don’t improve after 15 minutes, eat another 15 grams of a carbohydrate.
For frequent sugar crashes, you’ll likely need to make some
long-term changes to your diet. The following can help:
Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Snack throughout the day,
or about every three hours.
Avoid high-sugar foods. These include processed foods, baked
goods, white flour, and dried fruits.
Eat a balanced diet. Your diet should include all the
essential macronutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
Plant-based foods should be No. 1 in your diet overall.
Limit your alcohol intake. When you drink alcohol, be sure
to have something to eat at the same time.
Avoid caffeine. If possible, switch to decaffeinated coffee
or herbal teas.
Try to quit smoking. This should be done gradually under the
guidance of a doctor.
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