Are You Riding the Blood Sugar Rollercoaster?
May 1st, 2009
Blood sugar is vital to human function and must be consistently kept at a steady level to maintain good health. The failure to do so is a primary cause of many modern health complaints and diseases.
Blood sugar is the glucose that circulates in the blood stream and provides cells with much of the energy they need to function. It’s most commonly obtained through the digestion of food and is especially important to the brain and nervous system. Because of the many critical functions that depend on it, and because it’s toxic in excessive concentrations, blood sugar levels that are too low or too high can be extremely dangerous and are dealt with by the body in an urgent manner.
The Dangers of Blood Sugar Fluctuation
A low level of blood sugar, referred to as hypoglycemia, results in an inadequate supply of glucose to the brain and leads to a considerable amount of malfunction. Hypoglycemia can cause a number unpleasant symptoms including fatigue, weakness, dizziness, inability to concentrate, poor memory, anxiety, depression, irritability, heart palpitations and excessive sweating. It can even cause comas and seizures.
On the other end of the spectrum, a high level of blood sugar is referred to as hyperglycemia and is one of the key symptoms of diabetes. Hyperglycemia can cause similar symptoms to hypoglycemia such as fatigue, inability to concentrate, anxiety and depression. However, it can also cause shortness of breath, nausea, dry mouth, and in severe cases, can even cause comas, nerve damage and blindness.
Blood sugar fluctuation puts a significant demand on the glands responsible for regulating it and this burden is one of the major reasons why fluctuating blood sugar is such a serious health concern. It’s widely recognized as the cause of type 2 diabetes and is also associated with high blood pressure and heart disease.
How the Body Responds to Blood Sugar Fluctuation
High levels of blood sugar trigger the pancreas to respond in emergency like fashion by quickly releasing a large amount of insulin. By facilitating the transport of blood glucose into cells and the conversion of excess blood glucose into body fat, the presence of insulin causes blood sugar to drop. However, the large amount of insulin often causes too much glucose to be removed from the blood and results in a state of hypoglycemia.
The excessive drop in blood sugar creates another state of emergency and stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol. This increases blood sugar to a desirable level by facilitating the creation of glucose from body fat and muscle tissue, and also by stimulating the liver to create glucose from it’s storage of glycogen.
While the mechanisms involved in blood sugar regulation provide us with an invaluable source of protection, they also put a significant physiological burden on the body. The continuous demand put on the pancreas to produce excessive amounts of insulin is what eventually leads to type 2 diabetes. In similar fashion, the recurring need for the adrenal glands to produce cortisol can compromise their capacity as well and result in adrenal fatigue.
Although adrenal fatigue is not as widely recognized as diabetes, it can be equally problematic and result in susceptibility to significant health problems. Furthermore, any type of adrenal stimulation, including low blood sugar, invokes the universal stress response that is so frequently associated with poor health.
The Causes of Blood Sugar Fluctuation
The primary and preferred source of blood glucose is digested food. As such, skipping a meal or eating too infrequently will result in an inadequate supply of glucose and will eventually cause blood sugar to drop. In contrast, the consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates can easily cause blood sugar to rise because of how quickly they’re digested into a large amount of glucose.
Caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, soda and energy drinks, provide their energy boost by forcefully stimulating the adrenal glands. Because the adrenal glands are responsible for raising low levels of blood sugar, this direct stimulation will typically cause an increase in blood sugar regardless of how much glucose is currently in circulation. Furthermore, caffeinated beverages are typically high in sugar which significantly increases their potential to cause a dramatic increase in blood sugar.
Alcohol is a significant source of blood sugar fluctuation as well. Because it prevents the liver from producing glucose, it contributes to hypoglycemia by inhibiting the body’s ability to raise blood sugar. This problem is made worse by the large amounts of sugar that most alcoholic beverages contain. The sugar causes blood glucose to rise, but when the insulin response brings it too far down, the alcohol inhibits production of the glucose that is needed to lift blood sugar to an adequate level.
The Blood Sugar Rollercoaster
Eating foods that contain a considerable amount of sugar or refined carbohydrates, which is unfortunately quite common in the modern diet, will cause blood sugar to increase rapidly and provide a short lived burst of energy and happiness. The surge of insulin that this provokes will quickly cause blood sugar to drop too low, may cause one or more of the many symptoms associated with hypoglycemia, will stimulate adrenal activity to lift blood sugar back up, and will result in an increased appetite for more sugary food.
Encouraged by the lethargy and moodiness resulting from low blood sugar, many people will intentionally consume sugar to regain their energy or improve their mood without realizing or caring that it will ultimately lead them right back to where they started. They end up spending much of their day fluctuating from peaks of high energy and excitement to valleys of fatigue and unhappiness, and during this variation, their blood sugar levels are out of control and are causing serious physiological burden.
Alcoholic and caffeinated beverages are nearly as popular as processed foods, and the people who consume them on a regular basis are adding to the fluctuation of their blood sugar and the problems that it causes. Sugar, alcohol and caffeine all have addictive properties that make blood sugar fluctuation a never ending cycle that can be very difficult to end.
Many people become mentally and physically exhausted after years of riding the blood sugar rollercoaster. When they do, they often develop an even stronger reliance on sugar and caffeine to get them through the day. This last ditch effort may keep them pushing along, but will burden the adrenal glands even further, continue to wear their body down, and ultimately bring them one giant step closer to disease.
Tips for Regulating Blood Sugar
One of the best things you can do for your health is to keep your blood sugar at a relatively consistent level. The following tips will help to spare your body from the significant burden of blood sugar fluctuation and will help you maintain a steady mood and energy level.
- Eliminate sugar and refined carbohydrates from your diet, or keep them to an absolute minimum. If you have any excess body fat, this will help you lose weight in addition to keeping your blood sugar stabilized.
- Minimize your intake of caffeine. I know this is a difficult one, but if you rely on them extensively, you’re digging yourself into a hole that will be difficult to get out of.
- Limit your consumption of alcohol and always consume fat and protein prior to drinking it.
- Follow a consistent eating schedule and try not to go more than 4 hours without a meal.
- Follow the Metabolic Typing Diet. We each have unique nutritional needs and not adhering to them can have a significant impact on blood sugar.
- If you feel that you’re vulnerable to low blood sugar, increase the amount of protein and fat in your diet and snack in between meals.
- Eat the protein and fat portions of your meal first to prevent the carbohydrates from being digested too quickly.
- Some fruits and vegetables can cause blood sugar fluctuation just as easily as processed foods. Use the glycemic index and glycemic load to identify them. Despite the limitations of these two tools, they will give you a good idea of which foods are most likely to cause an elevation of your blood sugar.
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Fantastic article! Stumbled. You have described me to a tee in this article. I have historically had fairly low blood sugar and that leads to the symptoms you described. This caused me to crave sugar and then go on the roller coaster. I now follow virtually every suggestion on your list and it has made an enormous difference in how I feel. I think most people are not aware of the fact that when they eat a piece of white bread, they might as well be eating pure table sugar. It converts into blood glucose just as fast.
Thanks Stephen! It’s good to hear that you’ve learned to stabilize your blood sugar. I’ve had similar experiences and know that hypoglycemia is not much fun.
According to my Metabolic Type, I need to eat more protein and fat. I also tend to react unfavorably to anything more than a moderate amount of carbohydrates, especially if they contain sugar.
Hypoglycemia is actually what started my quest for better health. My doctor had me take a glucose tolerance test after I complained about being weak and shaky. I failed the test miserably, and looking back, my blood sugar must have been all over the place for many years. If I didn’t make some changes, I’m sure I’d be a likely candidate for diabetes.
Thank you very much for this very useful article. Will try to keep in mind your suggestions.
Vin, I’m really liking your easy-to-read informative articles. Too much of the good information on the internet is basically unreadable (or incomprehensible with all the jargon!). Just a question, carbohydrates seem to affect me more than straight out sugar (not that sugar is a regular part of my diet). Do you think this could be that the body finds it easy to deal with straight out sugar, rather than dealing with the process of converting carbs to sugar and then dealing with the high blood sugar levels?
Also, out of interest, do you condone the occasional splash out, bowl of ice cream, or pizza?
Hi Elliot, thanks for the compliment!
It’s hard to say what’s bothering you without knowing more about your situation and what you’re eating. The first two things that come to mind are the potential of a food sensitivity or the possibility that you’re eating too much carbohydrate for your Metabolic Type. If you’d like, send me an email through the contact form with more information and I’ll see if I can give you some better information.
Yes, I think it’s a good idea for people to enjoy an occasional treat within the limits of their health. However, I still think it’s important to choose wisely and to make your treat meals as healthy as possible. I think the 80/20 rule is a good guideline for moderation, but I tend to reduce the 20% down to 5% or 10% for myself and recommend the same for anyone wanting to maximize their health and well being. People who are suffering from poor health have much less leeway, especially if they don’t want to slow down their progress, but people who are generally healthy can usually tolerate a few unhealthy meals or activities on occasion with out too much of an impact.
Hi Vin,
A little late to his post – I followed one of your Tweets to the blog and then followed more links to this article! I recently started getting lightheaded fairly regularly, so my doctor similarly did a fasting blood test and diagnosed me as hypoglycemic. She had no theory as to why it bothered me all of a sudden, and her only advice was that I should drink fruit juice whenever I got lightheaded! I have since done my own research and am starting to change out all the “officially” healthy foods for all the real, natural food that really is healthy. I had thought I was doing the right thing by eating whole wheat bread, cereal, and pasta all the time. Thank goodness there is great info available to everyone if they just get motivated and look for it!
Hi Kim, thanks for your comment! Your story sounds similar to my experience. It’s a shame that doctors are giving out advice like that. I once had a nurse practitioner tell me to drink soda to stay hydrated.
I’m glad you’ve taken the initiative to educate yourself and have realized that grain based foods, even if whole, can cause hypoglycemia as well. Keep up the good work!
Mr. Miller,
I am up right now in the middle of the night with blood sugar around 101 and racing heart and burning in the back of the neck. the level has been a lot lower before, however i’ve come to learn that is not so much how low, but how fast the drop. I eat lean chicken and a half glass of 1% milk and a couple of guclose tablets when I have these spells. My dr. has diagnosed me as hypoglycemic. I have made several trips to the emergency room (once by ambulance) not knowing at the time what my problem was. They had me on heart monitors, did echo cardiogram, EKG, etc. It took my dr a long time to realize the real problem. I now keep it under control by eliminating all caffine. I eat lean meats, lettuce salads, sugar free jello for snack, almonds, and usually a grilled chicken wrap for dinner. I do have turkey and cheese sandwich almost every day on sugar free 7 whole grain bread. I eat half and then the other half a couple hours later with baked chips, etc. But tonight I got some upsetting news before bedtime. I woke up three hours later with this drop in sugar. Can stress also lead to a sudden drop in blood sugar? I do appreciate this article I stumbled across while waiting for the sugar to raise back up. Sincerely, Jolene Sublett
I might add, I start my day with a very small glass of orange juice. Then a small bowl of bran cereal with splenda on it and fresh blue berries. I also eat an apple every day. Not just the sugar free jello. Occasionally i will eat one egg and cheddar cheese on an english muffin. So far that does not bother me. Thanks again, Jolene Sublett
Hi Jolene, I’m sorry to hear about your troubles.
Assuming 101 is in milligrams, this is actually a pretty normal level for blood sugar. Have you given any thought to your racing heart and burning neck being caused by something else?
Be judicious with the glucose tablets as they can temporarily increase your sugar level, but cause it to drop again later on.
It sounds like you’ve done a pretty good job of adjusting your diet for hypoglycemia, but if you want to be safe, I suggest completely avoiding bread, orange juice, and cereal, at least for a while, because they are all high in sugar and/or refined carbohydrates. It would even be a good idea to be judicious about the amount of fruit that you eat.
Splenda is unnatural and potentially dangerous. It has caused problems for many people and would avoid it.
In regard to regulating blood sugar, protein and fat are your friend. They can both be sources of energy, and they slow down the absorption of sugars. Since you seem to be intentionally avoiding fat, here are a few articles that might help you realize that it doesn’t deserve it’s bad reputation.
Hey Fat Head, You’ve Been Fed a Load of Bologna (this is a great documentary)
12 Reasons Why Saturated Fat is Good For You
To answer your last question, stress is more likely to raise blood sugar than decrease it. Stress promotes the release of the hormone cortisol which elevates your blood pressure and blood sugar to help your body deal with whatever caused it. This is basically the fight or flight response.
I hope that helps!
I appreciate your response. Now when you say “for a while” does that mean this will get better to where I can have some things. Its funny about this blood sugar thing. Like this morning…I’ve been beep bopping around the house doing chores and all of a sudden I started getting that weak feeling and my feet started tingling. I took my blood check and it registered a 94. For some reason when it gets down there I start feeling those familiar signs. So I sat down and ate an apple. within 20 minutes I felt normal again and my sugar level registered a 125. I feel great now. So are you saying the apple was a bad thing? My doctor says to carry around crackers and peanut butter…is this something you agree with? Now mind you…when my blood level gets below 70 that’s when I start seeing spots and thnk I’m going to die…Its emergency room stuff. But since I have found out that hypoglycemia is what I have I haven’t allowed it to get that low. I recognize those early signs of a drop in sugar. I can’t think of anything else it could be.
Oh and another question. Do you not recommend thngs like sugar free jelly, or syrup? Just curious. Thanks again, Jolene
Hi Jolene,
By a while, I mean long enough to see if it makes a difference and establish a baseline. A month would be a good start.
Like you, I am highly susceptible to hypoglycemia. During my glucose tolerance test, my blood sugar rapidly dropped to the mid 50s. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to hypoglycemia such as adrenal fatigue, but in general, some people are simply more sensitive to sugar than others and will stay that way. I’ve completely eliminated things like bread, pasta, bagels, juice, etc. from my diet because I know what they’ll do to my blood sugar. Even people who are less sensitive to sugar will still experience unhealthy blood sugar fluctuations from these foods, but not to the same extent. Regardless of hypoglycemia, these foods are not part of a truly healthy diet for anyone. Both your health and your blood sugar would be much better off if you primarily ate natural whole foods such as meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables.
Most people who have issues with blood sugar tend to do well on a high protein and high fat diet which has also been the case for me. My results with Metabolic Typing correlated with this as well and I wouldn’t be surprised if the same would be true for you.
Eating an apple by itself was probably not the greatest thing. As you saw, your blood sugar jumped up to 125 which is close to being high, and in many cases, and this can easily provoke an excessive insulin response that will cause your blood sugar to drop again. This is why I call it the “blood sugar rollercoaster.” When you consume carbohydrates to elevate your blood sugar, it temporarily raises it, but ultimately causes it to drop and creates a vicious cycle.
Based on this, crackers aren’t a good idea either. Peanut butter isn’t bad, but in general, I think raw organic nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pecans, or macadamias are a healthier choice. Just make sure to soak them first.
The key to avoiding hypoglycemia is not only about keeping your blood pressure above a certain level, but more importantly, also keeping it steady. This will only happen if you eat the right foods and focusing on whole foods such as meat, fish, fruit (in moderation), and low starch vegetables is the easiest and healthiest way to do it.
I absolutely do not recommend sugar free condiments because they usually contain artificial sweeteners like aspartame (Nutrasweet and Equal) or Splenda. As I mentioned in my previous comment, these sweeteners can be dangerous and have been known to cause symptoms that are similar to yours such as a racing heartbeat and burning skin sensations.
In addition, most artificial sweeteners actually contain a large percentage of sugar. Per serving, it’s a small enough amount to justify the “sugar free” labeling. However, if you use enough of the sweetener, it can accumulate to a large enough amount to cause blood sugar to rise too much.
The only exception I would recommend is products that are sweetened with stevia, and I still suggest only using them in moderation.
I hope that helps!
Thank you so much Vin. My husband and I have both been reading this. He is just as concerned about this as I am. I am finding most doctors who may be good at other things are near worthless with hypoglycemia. My dr. kept saying it must be stress bringing on these attacks…until my last big episode I told her i drank some mcdonalds sweet tea that a friend of mine had said was good. Well, as a rule I don’t like sweet things so why I bought it I’ll never know. But because I bought a large fry with it, I did drink it as a wash down factor. Well, about 30 min later I got extremely sleepy and drifted off…when I woke up we coudn’t even count my pulse and I was seeing spots and in a real panic. David ( my husband) had heard that people who are hypoglycemic have spells like this and he thought maybe is was a sugar drop….so he went to our neighbor’s who is diabetic and borrowed her blood tester. It was around 60 and he gave me some honey and very quickly the burning in the back of my neck went away and my heart started slowing down. when I told my dr the next day she said, “You must be Hypoglycemic” and she went from there and the rest is history. Also when my heart starts racing like that my feet start itching and feel weak. I know that sounds wierd, but that’s what happens.
We both are going this week to visit health food stores. I eat almonds at home and at work for snacks. The natural kind…but I bought them at Walmart. I will start soaking them but also try and change what I’m eating all together with meat, non starch vegetables, and fruits. Wow, you are so right about the glucose tablets. They make you feel great and the pain in the stomach goes away as well, but as soon as I get back to bed and start to drift off I am wakened with the heart racing and the blood sugar dropping again. Thats when I eat the non breaded chicken strips. (The kind used in salads, casadias, etc.) And that usually stabalizes it and allows me to sleep through the night. I read on line somewhere that I should start my day with a half glass of orange juice. There are just so many contradictions. I have been so confused I could pull my hair out. But maybe this is the info I’ve been needing. Thank you so very much.
Hi Jolene, You’re quite welcome! I’m happy to help.
I can appreciate your frustration because I’ve been through it myself. Hypoglycemia was just the tip of the iceberg for me.
American doctors are the best in the world at keeping us alive and dealing with traumatic and acute health issues, but in my opinion, are awful at helping us maintain basic health. It’s not totally their fault, it’s just how our system works and how they’re trained.
If you really want to see some unfortunate aspects of our medical system, check this out:
Big Pharma: Marketing Disease and Pushing Drugs
This is why I try to encourage everyone to take responsibility for their health and educate themselves as much as possible so that they can make informed decisions.
There’s no doubt that there’s a lot of conflicting information out there. In such cases, I like to rely on nature as my guide. You can read what I wrote about the work of Weston A. Price to get a better idea of what I mean. He studied isolated cultures that didn’t have access to the modern processed foods that we eat today and found that they enjoyed much better health. These people lived according to the laws of nature and enjoyed vibrant health as a result. Price saw this change dramatically right before his eyes when some of these cultures began eating modern foods.
It can be helpful for people who are prone to hypoglycemia to eat a snack high in protein and/or fat prior to bed and first thing in the morning. I think that would be much better than orange juice which contains a lot of sugar. One of the very first books I read about hypoglycemia, The Low Blood Sugar Handbook, recommends keeping a small amount of plain yogurt by your bedside to have as soon as you wake up. I tried this and found it helpful, but as I learned more about improving my health, I found that I don’t need to do anything like this while following a truly healthy diet. I don’t need to eat every couple of hours either which is an other common piece of advice given to people who suffer from hypoglycemia.
My friend has an insulin pencil instead of syringes. He dials in the amount of insulin he wants to take. His BS bounces up and down like a yoo yoo. When his BS is too high, he takes extra insulin. When it’s too low he compensates by eating something high in sugar. Consequently, his BS soars to above 200. When it’s low, it’s like 47-60. This happens almost everyday. Also, when it’s real low, he’s just exhausted and sleeps for 2-3 hours. He’s 71 years old and has other health problems. Won’t this boucing up and down do permanent damage? What’s the solution. His doctor hasn’t done anything about it so far.
Hi Gerri, I’m sorry to hear about your friend’s difficulties. In most cases, blood sugar fluctuation like this is caused by a diet that is too high in carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates and sugar. Obvious examples are candy, soda, and dessert, but some less obvious and more common examples are bread, bagels, cereal, pasta, and fruit juice. Unfortunately, most people make these foods the foundation of their diet.
When people run into trouble with their blood sugar, usually in the form of insulin resistance or diabetes, they rely on insulin and other medications to regulate their blood sugar as they unfortunately continue to eat the same foods that originally caused their problem.
The best way to regulate blood sugar is to keep it steady by eating foods that are much less likely to make it rise excessively. This is primarily natural whole foods such as meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables. Even fruits and high starch vegetables can be a problem if eaten in excess. In addition, increasing the amount of protein and fat in a meal will help to keep blood sugar stable.
It’s also possible that your friend isn’t using the right amount of insulin. Too much will cause blood sugar to drop too low and not enough will allow it to get high.
Hi Vin,
I have 2 blood glucose monitor and they both give different readings when used simultaneously. One could be 6.8 mmol/L and the other 7.8 mmol/L. They are both the same brand and are quite new. Both are calibrated with the same calibrator. Even the bgl readings change on the same meter with 5 seconds of taking the second reading. Is this normal? The measurements are taken about 2 hours after meals.
Thank you!
Hi Edward,
I don’t know if it’s normal or not for different meters to have that much variation. A few things you can do are to verify that your using each meter exactly according to the instructions, and if you are, you can measure your blood with both units just before having it drawn and tested by your doctor. Then you can choose to rely on whichever meter is closer to the lab results.
Just read the article and all the replies today. Very informative. I regularly experience bouts with low blood sugar and I exercise a lot. You mentioned that you don’t need to eat every couple of hours to keep your blood sugar regulated. Can you give an example of the diet that you follow for a day?
Thanks!
Thank you, Seline!
Here’s a closer look at my eating habits, but keep in mind that we each have a unique metabolism and individual preferences. What is satisfying and effective for me may not be for you. However, as you probably know, one thing that applies to anyone who experiences low blood sugar is to strictly avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates and to even be careful with whole grains, starchy vegetables, and fruit.
I tend to be one of those people who are always hungry and thinking about food. However, when I eat meals that have more protein and fat, they can easily hold me over for 4 or 5 hours without hunger or low blood sugar symptoms. This type of meal makes me feel better in general as well. If you find that you can’t go this long without your blood sugar dropping regardless of what you eat, it may be an indication that your , especially if you’re a heavy exerciser or are experiencing a lot of stress.
Your artical is the best information I have read ! I have been previously diagnosed as being “hypoglycemic” then had bloods taken it was 3.3 mmol (59.4) in January and this was a non fasting test
My Dr said im totally in normal range but I still get horrible symptoms that are still leading me to believe its this Blood sugar rollercoaster.
Now after this I did start eating more regularly as my eating habits arent the best and yes some symptoms seemed less persistent. I asked for another test.
I had a fasting test taken in March and it was 4.8mmol (86.4) so much higher than before. So perhaps the better eating helped eventhough I still have symptoms happening 2~3 hours after eating.
Dr says im totally normal again for a 16 hour fast test.
I dont feel normal Im shaking alot especially at night when in bed, very headachey and do get alot of hunger pangs ~ I get most of the symptoms associated with Low blood sugar, Mr Dr says theres no need for me to alter anything apart from eat regular meals. Im not hypoglycemic never have been. Do you think I suffer Blood sugar fluctuations?, eventhough the results are in normal range???
So I dont see my doctors anymore about this what would you reccomend? Do you think I should get a second opinion? or just alter my diet? I do eat healthy meals and very little sugar intake. I have 3 meals a day. im healthy weight etc. have lost 2 and half stone in past 3 years.
Thanks ever so much for reading. I really am gratefull.
x
Hi Louise,
Keep in mind that the term “normal” typically means that you’re not showing any obvious signs of a significant problem. However, it really doesn’t have much of a correlation with optimal health which is one of the reasons why it’s possible to feel lousy despite test results that fall into the “normal” range.
If I were in your situation, I would put less emphasis on test results and focus on implementing a healthier lifestyle in general. In particular, a diet that’s based on natural whole foods and excludes foods that are high in starch such as potatoes and certain fruits is the most fundamental aspect of maintaining stable blood sugar levels.
In addition, because your symptoms may or may not be a result of blood sugar fluctuation, and because other factors such as adrenal fatigue can increase susceptibility to hypoglycemia, I would also focus on moderating stress, getting sufficient and consistent sleep, and exercising regularly. Over time, you’ll likely find that such an approach will eliminate or significantly reduce many of your symptoms. I think a truly healthy lifestyle should be the foundation of addressing just about any health issue, and a nice benefit of this approach is that it can resolve problems that you may not even have been aware of.
If you’re still not satisfied with your progress after you’ve done everything you can to implement healthier habits, then I think it would be worth pursuing a second opinion. However, I suggest searching for a doctor or practitioner that is focused more so on optimal health and healthy living than simply identifying and treating the more obvious and serious health issues. Keep in mind that even if you find someone who is in full agreement with you about your susceptibility to hypoglycemia, it won’t do much good unless you make the appropriate changes to counteract it. When I took a glucose tolerance test years back, my doctor said I was susceptible to hypoglycemia and sent me to a dietitian. It didn’t do me any good at all. I didn’t start to feel better until I took it upon myself to learn what healthy eating is really about and addressed other aspects of my lifestyle as well.
I hope that helps and I wish you the best of luck with your progress!
Hi My name is Michele and I am writing with some concerns about my husband. For the past 2 years he has been on a viscious roller coaster. He has symptoms ranging from irritibility,sweating,rash ir splotchiness,hot flashes or flushing,chronic fatigue,blur vision,increased thirst and hunger,dry skin,moody, and the list goes on. He started having episodes of “manic” type actions with actually getting very out of control with anger and irritibility and escalating to wanting to jump out of the car and run or the house or store or just wherever we might be at the tine for no apparent reason. He gets to where his speech is slower and he’s moving slower and stumbly and he cant concentrate and doesnt know what is happening or why. we’ve had him to every dr there is and they all just keep throwing him antipsychotic drugs,bipolar meds,seizure meds,anxiety and depression meds and none do anything but cause side effects!!! I insisted that they do blood testing of any chemical in the body that could be out of balance that could be causing these symptoms and they did. They came back and said he has type 2 diabetes and it’s already started to affect his kidney function. I think thats the cause of all these crazy symptoms he’s suffered with for 2 yrs and he’s been misdiagnosed.It’s been 2 weeks and he started taking janumet 2x’s a day and I’ve had him on very low to no carb/sugar diet,no caffeine,he doesn’t drink or smoke,no white bread only 5 grain fat free, salads,veggies,water,diet caf free drinks,etc. He’s doing better and the “manic” episodes have lessened to a tolerable stage. We now think there is hope for his condition and for our marriage which all these hurtful episodes have took a toll on our marriage and our children. He has a problem now it seems like moodiness and all the symptoms u mentioned above when the fluctuations occur. He is new at this and learning what to eat and not to and how to control his condition. My question to you is …is it possible for him to still have these anger/mood symptoms from the fluctuations or high oir low..just any of them?? Please help us. Thank You
Hi Michele, I’m sorry to hear about you and your husband’s difficulties.
I’ve read of blood sugar fluctuation causing some pretty severe mood disturbances, but based on some of the symptoms you describe, it does sound like there’s more going on and it’s good that you have doctors involved.
In regard to your husband’s diet, be careful about not being too extreme. The fact that you mentioned fat free bread along with other foods that are all relatively fat free makes me wonder if you have him on a diet that is both low in carbohydrates and fat. Typically, one should increase as the other decreases. An inadequate intake of fat can contribute to or worsen some of the symptoms that you listed, and a diet that’s low in both carbohydrates and fat would likely be extremely high in protein which isn’t necessarily desirable. As long as you stick to natural whole foods such as meat, fish, vegetables, and nuts, I think you’ll be on the right track. Just be careful with high starch vegetables like potatoes. I’d be careful with fruits as well and would personally avoid all grain products regardless of whether they’re whole grain or not. Limiting him to these foods will also automatically eliminate dairy and gluten which can be problematic for many people and may be contributing to his symptoms. In a case like this, it’s better to be safe than sorry and eliminate them at least for a while.
The psychiatric medications are an other potential concern. They can sometimes cause mood disturbances that are worse than what they’re intended to correct, and in many cases, they can unfortunately be very difficult to get off of. Here’s an article with some additional information that might be pertinent: Making a Killing with Psychiatric Drugs.
Fatigue and overall stress are a consideration as well. When I was at my worst point with chronic fatigue, irritability and depression were two of my biggest problems. Even now, when I take on too much or am experiencing a lot of stress, I often recognize hints of this coming back, and it’s almost always associated with fatigue. This always serves as a reminder to be more strict about diet, rest, etc.
Although it might be a long shot and you might not get much cooperation from the doctors, another thing you might want to look into is candidiasis. It’s a likely problem for anyone who’s consumed enough high sugar foods to instigate the development of type 2 diabetes, and it’s been documented to cause some pretty major mood disturbances as well as a wide variety of other strange symptoms.
There’s also a chance that chemical sensitivities might be contributing. Try to figure out if his symptoms are more obvious when he’s in certain places or even certain sections of the house. Pay particular attention when you travel out of town, especially if it’s a remote and relaxing location where chemicals and pollutants are likely to be less prominent. If symptoms subside, then it’s more likely that something he’s exposed to in his daily environment is aggravating his symptoms.
Finally, I’d recommend reading The Mood Cure by Julia Ross for some ideas on how to use diet and supplements if necessary to help your husband deal with the irritability. For more information on this, you can also read the article I wrote based on this book: How to Improve Your Mood through Diet.
I sincerely hope this helps and that your husband’s issues don’t turn out to be anything more serious.
Dear, Vin
A few years ago, I endeavored to lose some weight. I started running every other day or so, and reducing the ammount that I ate enough that I would be just a little hungry just about all the time (in retrospect, probably much lower than I should have.) Some time later, I began suffering episodes that began with blurred and splotchy vision and ended with nausea and migraines. Telling, my family about this, my dad immediately said that it was hypoglycemia because he had it as well. I noticed that most of the time, these episodes were triggered by too much sugar, but other times, they were triggered by not eating enough. Eventually, I found out that as long as I kept running, but instead started to eat more-or-less whatever I wanted and kept sugar to a minimum, these episodes would only occur once every two or three months. Sometimes I even forgot about them. Carbohydrates never effected me negatively at all, and sometimes they even seemed to help. Recently I have stopped running, and now I have these nauseous, blurry, headaches, once or twice in a week even though I keep sugar just about as low as I have for a while. I have three questions: Do you think that I should cut the sugar down even lower now, and even start watching the carbohydrates? Do you think that my initial attempt to get healthier by running and doing what I thought was “Dieting” (but was really more like fasting) was what caused my hypoglycemia? And do you think that I should contact a doctor for testing, or just adjust my diet to fix this problem?
Hi Wade,
Exercise makes your body more sensitive to insulin, and in turn, increases your capacity to tolerate sugar with fewer negative effects. Based on this, if you are experiencing reactive hypoglycemia, it makes sense that you’d be more susceptible to it with reduced exercise.
Sugar and refined carbohydrates are associated with many health problems besides hypoglycemia. Based on this, everyone should try their best to minimize consumption of them as much as possible. Given that you are prone to hypoglycemia, you’d probably do well on a diet that’s relatively low in carbohydrates. If you focus on eating whole foods, primarily meat, fish, and vegetables, it will be low in carbohydrates by default. Some people are even sensitive to the sugar in fruit and the starch in starchy vegetables, so if you want to eat these foods, pay attention to how much of them you eat and what your reactions are. It would be especially helpful to track your response with a blood glucose meter.
If your body is overstressed, your adrenal function may be impaired. Since the adrenal glands are involved in elevating low blood sugar levels, this could contribute to the onset of hypoglycemia after going too long without food. However, when the body is in a healthy state, going extended periods without food shouldn’t be a problem. Even with impaired adrenal function, eating a meal with a notable amount of fat and protein from whole foods should hold you over without symptoms for at least 3 or 4 hours.
In my opinion, much of what can cause hypoglycemia is caused by lifestyle factors, and unfortunately, most doctors are not well suited to address such issues. However, if you’re concerned about your symptoms, you should still see a doctor to rule out other possibilities. Besides, maybe you’ll get lucky and find a doctor who is knowledgeable about nutrition and other lifestyle factors and appreciates the influence they have.
Dear Vin, I really enjoyed reading everything . I have been diagnoised with reactive hypoglycemia. My numbers have ranged from 28 to 401. Last year i was in the hospital 5 times and dr’S didnt know what to do with me. My numbers still go up at least twice a day. My doctor started me on metformin three times a day . I have been trying to now eat high protein and vegetables more. I miss my carbs, its really difficult, i like to have high fiber toast in the morning and high fiber pasta, but very small portion. I am told to have protein every meal and snacks. any suggestions? I am hoping the metformin will finally help me. This all started 2 years ago, out of the blue. I was first told it was menopause, lost my job of 15 years..any ideas or suggestion greatly appreciated. thanks
Hi Michele,
If those numbers are blood sugar in the units of mg/dl, 401 is easily high enough for you to be diagnosed with diabetes. I suggest you ask your doctor about this. Metformin is commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, so perhaps you’re already aware of this.
Reactive hypoglycemia, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes can all usually be managed very well or even reversed by a low carbohydrate diet, so it’s definitely worth sticking with. Keep in mind that it may very well be your diet that got you to this point and a drug like Metformin is sort of allowing you to continue causing damage by eating the same diet. If you follow a diet based on whole foods, it will be low carb by default as long as you are moderate with fruit and limit starchy vegetables. This is a health promoting diet in general and will likely benefit you in many more ways than just regulating your blood sugar.
I’m not sure why your doctor would have mentioned reactive hypoglycemia. This condition usually results from an excessive insulin response. If your body were capable of such a response, your blood sugar probably wouldn’t even get close to 400. The low blood sugar you’re experiencing could instead be caused by the Metformin, kind of like how a diabetic could end up with low blood sugar after using too much insulin.
Diabetes can lead to a number of serious health complications including heart disease, so I hope you make a commitment to taking care of yourself. If you stick with a low carb diet long enough, the carb cravings will eventually go away. If they don’t, you can try gradually increasing your carbohydrate consumption by small increments until you find an amount that works well for you.
I hope that helps. Good luck!