heres some info.
Hypoglycemia in People Who Do Not Have Diabetes
Two types of hypoglycemia can occur in people who do not have diabetes: reactive (postprandial, or after meals) and fasting (postabsorptive). Reactive hypoglycemia is not usually related to any underlying disease; fasting hypoglycemia often is.
Symptoms
Symptoms of both types resemble the symptoms that people with diabetes and hypoglycemia experience: hunger, nervousness, perspiration, shakiness, dizziness, light-headedness, sleepiness, confusion, difficulty speaking, and feeling anxious or weak.
If you are diagnosed with hypoglycemia, your doctor will try to find the cause by using laboratory tests to measure blood glucose, insulin, and other chemicals that play a part in the body's use of energy.
Reactive Hypoglycemia
In reactive hypoglycemia, symptoms appear within 4 hours after you eat a meal.
Diagnosis
To diagnose reactive hypoglycemia, your doctor may
ask you about signs and symptoms
test your blood glucose while you are having symptoms (The doctor will take a blood sample from your arm and send it to a laboratory for analysis. A personal blood glucose monitor cannot be used to diagnose reactive hypoglycemia.)
check to see whether your symptoms ease after your blood glucose returns to 70 or above (after eating or drinking)
A blood glucose level of less than 70 mg/dL at the time of symptoms and relief after eating will confirm the diagnosis.
The oral glucose tolerance test is no longer used to diagnose hypoglycemia; experts now know that the test can actually trigger hypoglycemic symptoms.
Causes and Treatment
The causes of most cases of reactive hypoglycemia are still open to debate. Some researchers suggest that certain people may be more sensitive to the body's normal release of the hormone epinephrine, which causes many of the symptoms of hypoglycemia. Others believe that deficiencies in glucagon secretion might lead to hypoglycemia.
A few causes of reactive hypoglycemia are certain, but they are uncommon. Gastric (stomach) surgery, for instance, can cause hypoglycemia because of the rapid passage of food into the small intestine. Also, rare enzyme deficiencies diagnosed early in life, such as hereditary fructose intolerance, may cause reactive hypoglycemia.
To relieve reactive hypoglycemia, some health professionals recommend taking the following steps:
eat small meals and snacks about every 3 hours
exercise regularly
eat a variety of foods, including meat, poultry, fish, or nonmeat sources of protein; starchy foods such as whole-grain bread, rice, and potatoes; fruits; vegetables; and dairy products
choose high-fiber foods
avoid or limit foods high in sugar, especially on an empty stomach
Your doctor can refer you to a registered dietitian for personalized meal planning advice. Although some health professionals recommend a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates, studies have not proven the effectiveness of this kind of diet for reactive hypoglycemia.
Fasting Hypoglycemia
Diagnosis
Fasting hypoglycemia is diagnosed from a blood sample that shows a blood glucose level of less than 50 mg/dL after an overnight fast, between meals, or after exercise.
Causes and Treatment
Causes include certain medications, alcohol, critical illnesses, hormonal deficiencies, some kinds of tumors, and certain conditions occurring in infancy and childhood.
Medications
Medications, including some used to treat diabetes, are the most common cause of hypoglycemia. Other medications that can cause hypoglycemia include
salicylates, including aspirin, when taken in large doses
sulfa medicines, which are used to treat infections
pentamidine, which treats a very serious kind of pneumonia
quinine, which is used to treat malaria
If using any of these medications causes your blood glucose to drop, your doctor may advise you to stop using the drug or change the dosage.
Alcohol
Drinking, especially binge drinking, can cause hypoglycemia because your body's breakdown of alcohol interferes with your liver's efforts to raise blood glucose. Hypoglycemia caused by excessive drinking can be very serious and even fatal.
Critical Illnesses
Some illnesses that affect the liver, heart, or kidneys can cause hypoglycemia. Sepsis (overwhelming infection) and starvation are other causes of hypoglycemia. In these cases, treatment targets the underlying cause.
Hormonal Deficiencies
Hormonal deficiencies may cause hypoglycemia in very young children, but usually not in adults. Shortages of cortisol, growth hormone, glucagon, or epinephrine can lead to fasting hypoglycemia. Laboratory tests for hormone levels will determine a diagnosis and treatment. Hormone replacement therapy may be advised.
Tumors
Insulinomas, insulin-producing tumors, can cause hypoglycemia by raising your insulin levels too high in relation to your blood glucose level. These tumors are very rare and do not normally spread to other parts of the body. Laboratory tests can pinpoint the exact cause. Treatment involves both short-term steps to correct the hypoglycemia and medical or surgical measures to remove the tumor.
Conditions Occurring in Infancy and Childhood
Children rarely develop hypoglycemia. If they do, causes may include
Brief intolerance to fasting, often in conjunction with an illness that disturbs regular eating patterns. Children usually outgrow this tendency by age 10.
Hyperinsulinism, which is the excessive production of insulin. This condition can result in transient neonatal hypoglycemia, which is common in infants of mothers with diabetes. Persistent hyperinsulinism in infants or children is a complex disorder that requires prompt evaluation and treatment by a specialist.
Enzyme deficiencies that affect carbohydrate metabolism. These deficiencies can interfere with the body's ability to process natural sugars, such as fructose and galactose, glycogen, or other metabolites.
Hormonal deficiencies such as lack of pituitary or adrenal hormones.
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Hope Through Research
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) was established by Congress in 1950 as one of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NIDDK conducts and supports research in diabetes, glucose metabolism, and related conditions. Researchers supported by NIDDK are investigating topics such as
What are the causes of hypoglycemia?
Can islet cell transplantation eliminate hypoglycemia?
Can laparoscopy (a surgical procedure) be used to find and remove insulinomas (insulin-producing tumors)?
Do new frequent-glucose-monitoring devices help prevent hypoglycemia?
Why do repeated episodes of hypoglycemia lead to loss of awareness of hypoglycemia symptoms?
A complete listing of clinical research studies can be found at
http://ClinicalTrials.gov on the Internet.
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Points to Remember
Diabetes-Related Hypoglycemia
If you think your blood glucose is low, check it and treat the problem right away.
To treat hypoglycemia, have a serving of a quick-fix food, wait 15 minutes, and check your blood glucose. Repeat the treatment until your blood glucose is above 70.
Keep quick-fix foods in the car, at work—anywhere you spend time.
Be careful when you are driving. Check your blood glucose frequently and snack as needed to keep your level above 70 mg/dL.
Hypoglycemia Unrelated to Diabetes
In reactive hypoglycemia, symptoms occur within 4 hours of eating. People with this condition are usually advised to follow a healthy eating plan recommended by a registered dietitian.
Fasting hypoglycemia can be caused by certain medications, critical illnesses, hereditary enzyme or hormonal deficiencies, and some kinds of tumors. Treatment targets the underlying problem.
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