This is the threshold for hypoglycemia, according to the American Diabetes Association. You may start feeling the effects of a sugar crash when your glucose reading reaches 70 mg/dL or lower. When you have hypoglycemia, you have too much insulin circulating in the blood.

Still, insulin problems aren’t exclusive to diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas doesn’t make insulin at all. In type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t have enough insulin to regulate blood glucose. Insulin issues are the hallmarks of diabetes. In order to deliver glucose to the muscles and cells in your body, as well as maintain proper levels of glucose in the bloodstream, your body relies on a hormone called insulin. Your brain also depends on glucose as its primary fuel source, which explains the weakness and irritability that often occur during sugar crashes. Glucose is important because it’s your body’s main source of fuel.

You can get glucose from any source of carbohydrates, including fruits, vegetables, and grains. Glucose is procured from the foods that you eat, not just sugary foods. All cases of hypoglycemia are related to low blood sugar, or glucose, in the body. Still, it’s possible to have hypoglycemia without having diabetes. Most people with frequent sugar crashes either have diabetes or prediabetes. The other type is fasting hypoglycemia.Īccording to the Hormone Health Network, having hypoglycemia without having diabetes is relatively rare. If your score is less than 70%, you can return to this section and review the information.Reactive hypoglycemia is one of the two types of non-diabetes-related hypoglycemia. If your score is over 70% correct, you are doing very well. At the end of the quiz, your score will display. Please choose the single best answer to each question. To find out how much you have learned about Facts about Diabetes, take our self assessment quiz when you have completed this section. Self assessment quizzes are available for topics covered in this website. When you have type 2 diabetes, stress may make your blood sugar go up and become more difficult to control – and you may need to take higher doses of your diabetes medications or insulin.ĭuring times of stress, individuals with diabetes, may have more difficulty controlling their blood sugars. The phenomena of a low blood sugar followed by a high blood sugar is called a “rebound” or “Somogyi” reaction. These hormonal responses to the low blood sugar may last for 6-8 hours – during that time the blood sugar may be difficult to control. The hormonal response to a low blood sugar includes a rapid release of epinephrine and glucagon, followed by a slower release of cortisol and growth hormone. When you have type 2 diabetes, low blood sugars from too much medication or insulin are a common cause of stress. As a result, more glucose is available in the blood stream. At the same time, growth hormone and cortisol levels rise, which causes body tissues (muscle and fat) to be less sensitive to insulin. Insulin levels fall, glucagon and epinephrine (adrenaline) levels rise and more glucose is released from the liver.

When stressed, the body prepares itself by ensuring that enough sugar or energy is readily available. Stressful situations include infections, serious illness or significant emotion stress. What happens to my blood sugar levels when I’m stressed?ĭuring stressful situations, epinephrine (adrenaline), glucagon, growth hormone and cortisol play a role in blood sugar levels.

Sugar rush symptoms