What Causes Reactive Hypoglycemia in People Without Diabetes?

According to Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, hypoglycemia in people who do not have diabetes may be caused by:

• Drinking alcohol
• Insulinoma - a rare tumor in the pancreas that produces too much insulin
• Lack (deficiency) of a hormone, such as cortisol or thyroid hormone
• Severe heart, kidney, or liver failure or a body-wide infection
• Some types of weight-loss surgery

There is no clear indication of what causes reactive hypoglycemia and based on some online discussions it is noted that some doctors even suggest that its a fad. While I can with sharp confidence say that it is surely not a fad, I can also share my view.

When there is an issue of any kind, whether it be a health concern or a problem at work, there is always a source behind the underlying symptoms or behavior. Find the source and you can fix the problem rather than masking it by simply treating symptoms or in the case of problems at work disciplining employees for behaviors that may result from lack of training at no fault of their own.

In regard to reactive hypoglycemia we know that it is a blood sugar issue. The blood sugar is too low after eating a meal. This is not imagined for those who experience hypoglycemic symptoms shortly after eating. What is responsible for maintaining blood sugar? The pancreas. The role of the pancreas is to produce and excrete the hormone insulin to control sugar levels in the blood and to convert glucose into glycogen for later use. If the human body consumes too much of anything, it will react. Do everything in moderation. Sound familiar?

The pancreas has a big job to do already. Imagine overworking it for most of your life; probably starting in childhood, by over-consumption of refined sugar and processed foods that the human body was never meant to consume. With that being said, the pancreas has to work even harder. If you do something long enough it becomes habit. That's why practice makes perfect. Your pancreas has gotten into the habit of releasing excess insulin to rid your body of the excessive amounts of sugars and carbohydrates you're feeding it on a daily basis. It's having a hard time keeping up! Over time this causes the pancreas to malfunction and lose the ability to properly maintain your blood sugar. It's confused. Releasing too much insulin to keep up, which causes a low blood sugar crash becomes your pancreas' way of trying to protect you.

For people with reactive hypoglycemia, eventually anything you eat that contains sugar and high amounts of carbs will trigger the pancreas to release too much insulin almost immediately without properly determining how much is actually needed. That spike of insulin will cause a sudden drop in blood sugar. So what is the problem here? A malfunctioning pancreas. What causes a malfunctioning pancreas? A poor nutritional diet and over indulgence. Diet is key!

Medical issues should definitely be taken into account because some severe cases may involve more serious health problems that must be addressed. A medical evaluation may be needed. But the way to treat and get rid of reactive hypoglycemia is to change your diet and consumption of the nutrients needed to cure and rebuild the pancreas. Once the pancreas is restored, you can begin to live again.


This blog is based on the expressed opinions and experiences of its author and is in no way intended to be medical advice. Consultation with your healthcare professional is recommended.