How Low Blood Sugar Level Affects Your Body?

How Low Blood Sugar Level Affects Your Body?

Every cell of the human body requires energy for its proper functioning. The primary source of this energy comes from sugar, also called glucose. A sufficient level of blood sugar is necessary to maintain heart, brain, and digestive functioning. Besides, it also keeps vision and skin healthy.

When human blood sugar levels fall below the normal range, this situation is called hypoglycemia. There are various identifiable symptoms of hypoglycemia, but the only way to confirm if you have declined blood sugar levels is by taking a blood glucose test.

If you were searching for the long-term effects on a human body and the low blood sugar level symptoms, you have jumped on the right page.

Causes

One of the most noticed reasons behind low blood sugar levels is some drugs consumed to treat diabetes, such as insulin.

In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas fails to produce insulin to meet the body's needs. 

While, in the case of type 2 diabetes, the pancreas fails to make enough insulin, or the body cannot utilize the produced insulin properly. Too much oral diabetic medication or insulin consumption can decline the blood glucose level, leading to hypoglycemia.

However, the low blood sugar level is not exclusive to diabetes, although it rarely happens. But, it can also occur when the human body tends to make more insulin than the average body requires.

Too much alcohol consumption over long periods can also be another reason that leads to low blood glucose levels. Hypoglycemia can also interfere with the ability of the liver to create a buildup of blood sugar and then release that sugar to your bloodstream when your body needs it.

Other causes of low blood sugar level include:

• Hepatitis
• Kidney disorders
• Pancreatic tumor
• Liver disease
• Adrenal gland disorders
• Anorexia nervosa
• Sepsis (usually from severe infections)

When your has a low blood sugar level, your body cells become deprived of energy content. At the initial stages, you might notice some minor symptoms, such as headaches and hunger. However, if you are not getting your blood glucose levels up timely, you may indulge yourself at risk for some severe complications in the future. This is because insufficient levels of insulin cause blood sugar levels to rise. Besides, too much insulin can cause a quick drop in blood sugar levels.

Effects of low blood sugar level on the human body:

As mentioned below are a few effects of declined blood sugar levels on the human body. 

Effects on Digestive System

When you eat your meal, your digestive system starts breaking down the carbohydrates and converting them into blood sugar or glucose. Importantly, glucose is, in turn, the fuel source of your body.

Effects on Endocrine System

With the rise in your blood sugar level, the pancreas releases a hormone known as insulin. This hormone helps your body get taken up the blood sugar and used by the whole body's cells. If you have insulin-dependent diabetes, you should take enough right about of insulin to get the job done. The extra amount of glucose goes to the liver for storage as glycogen. 

When you do not eat for a few hours, your blood glucose level falls. If your pancreas is healthy enough, it will release a hormone known as glucagon to compensate for the absence of food for hours. 

Glucagon hormone informs your liver to process the stored glucose and release it into the bloodstream. If the body generally functions as it should, then your blood sugar levels remain in the normal range until you eat your next meal.

Effects on Circulatory systems

When your blood sugar levels are not sufficient, it may lead to heart palpitations and a rapid heartbeat. Moreover, if you have diabetes, you may not necessarily have obvious symptoms of low blood sugar levels. Such a condition is potentially dangerous and called hypoglycemia unawareness. This happens as you experience low blood sugar that changes the response of your body towards it.

In normal conditions, your body releases stress hormones such as epinephrine in response to low sugar. This hormone is responsible for early signs of declined blood sugar levels as that of shakiness and hunger.

Frequently, low blood sugar levels can signal immense hunger. But, sometimes low blood sugar can make you lose interest in a meal, even if you're hungry.

Effects on Central nervous system

Low blood sugar levels can cause a variety of problems within the central nervous system. Early symptoms include lightheadedness, weakness, and dizziness. Headaches can also occur from a lack of glucose, especially if you are a diabetic person. In addition, you may feel several signs of stress, such as anxiety, nervousness, and irritability, when blood sugar levels fall during the night.

Various other effects of low blood sugar level are elaborated as under:

• Muddled thinking: You can feel normal while doing simple routine tasks, but you will feel general confusion and trouble with the concentration process.
• Seizures: If left unchecked, low blood sugar levels can cause seizures, even leading to the loss of consciousness.
• Sleep disturbances: Your blood sugar level lowers when you are sleeping. As a result, you may cry out during sleep, have nightmares, or other sleep disturbances of various kinds. 
• Hunger: Hunger is a body mechanism that appeals to you to eat something to boost your blood sugar level to avoid various effects that it may cause in case of not taking food. 
• Rapid heartburn: Heart palpitations and a rapid heartbeat may occur. This is an indicator by your body to alarm you about low sugar levels in the blood.
• Food aversion: Counter-intuitively, you may feel averted to drinks and food even if you are feeling hunger and thirst at the same time.
• Clammy skin: When your body has insufficient blood glucose levels, you may have clammy skin even if you do not feel hot. Moreover, you may face chills or look pale.
• Poor balance: With low blood sugar levels compared to normal ones, you may stumble or even fall during a dizzy spell because of weakness.