The body uses glucose or sugar as fuel to work. The brain needs sugar almost exclusively. The brain cannot produce its own sugar and depends on the body for its supply. If glucose level in the blood falls, brain may cease to function normally. Body gets required sugar or glucose from foods.
Nervousness, intense hunger, palpitations, sweating, trembling, weakness, are normally the common symptoms of hypoglycemia. This is a chronic disease and can not be cured by medicine.
Low blood sugar is the typical cause for Hyperglycemia. If the sugar level in your body falls below 60 mg/dl, liver releases glucose. This is normal biological cycle. If liver fails to releases the required extra sugar, it becomes a case of hypoglycemia. For a patient who suffers from hypoglycemia losses sugar through urination.
In a normal person excess sugar is stored in liver as glycogen. During strenuous physical labor or long periods of fasting, body gets its sugar supply from liver. Gluco-neo-genesis is the biological
process which converts glycogen to glucose. The problem in imbalance of sugar level in body happens due to malfunctioning of Pancreas.
Patients with diabetes (Type1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes) who have insulin resistance can also have low sugars. Prolonged fasting can trigger this process further. There are other causes for hypoglycemia, like insulin producing tumors (insulinomas) and certain medications. The primarily cause of hypoglycemia is diabetes mellitus.
When the glucose level in circulating blood falls, the brain actually senses the drop. Brain sends an alert to the affected person in the form of hunger. Brain also starts several biological actions to increase sugar level. There will be decrease in insulin secretion and increase in glucagon; cortisol secretion as these hormones boosts higher blood glucose level.
If blood glucose sugar level falls to 45 mg/dl range, patient starts to feel confusion, drowsiness, changes in behavior, coma and seizure. This is the case of acute hypoglycemia.
