Symptoms and treatment of reactive hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia, also known as low glucose, is a condition in which a person’s blood glucose falls below the normal level. Glucose is an important source of energy for humans and without it, the body cannot function properly. Therefore, when the blood glucose level falls below the normal level, the symptoms of hypoglycemia will appear.

Some known symptoms of hypoglycemia include fatigue, hunger, brain fog, dizziness, sweating, etc. Extremely low blood glucose can even lead to seizures, coma, and even death.

Reactive hypoglycemia is a special type of hypoglycemia that occurs in non-diabetics. Reactive hypoglycemia is also low blood sugar, but symptoms start 2 to 3 hours after a meal. The reason is because the pancreas releases insulin long after the digestion period of the food. This excess insulin is the main culprit in causing low blood glucose levels in people with reactive hypoglycemia.

Therefore, the treatment of reactive hypoglycemia should be based on two fundamental objectives: avoiding “overload” of the pancreas and the reduction of insulin production. In order to achieve the above goal, patients are generally advised to follow a special diet plan and avoid foods that are mainly made up of simple carbohydrates.

There are two types of carbohydrates, simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are foods that are easily converted to glucose, ready to be absorbed into the bloodstream. This rapid uptake of glucose will cause a sharp increase in blood glucose and this is often the main cause of reactive hypoglycemia. Therefore, avoid intake of simple carbohydrate foods. Some examples would be: white rice, white bread, sweets, chocolates, ice creams, cakes, etc. Generally, highly processed foods are also foods high in simple carbohydrates.

Complex carbohydrates, unlike simple carbohydrates, are harder to digest and break down. Therefore, the conversion and absorption of glucose also slows down. For these reasons, complex carbohydrates are especially beneficial for reactive hypoglycemia. Some examples of foods rich in complex carbohydrates would be: brown rice, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, vegetables, etc.