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Diabetes: Recognizing the signs of low blood sugar

If blood sugar levels are too low, this is called hypoglycemia. Mild hypoglycemia usually has no severe consequences. But it is important to react early enough and eat or drink something, for example. Severe hypoglycemia can lead to loss of consciousness, so in certain situations medical help may be needed.

What is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)?

It is completely normal for our blood sugar levels to go up and down a little during the day. This also happens in healthy people every day. In healthy people, blood sugar levels stay between about 60 and 140 milligram per deciliter (mg/dL) blood (3.3 to 7.8 mmol/L). Millimoles per liter (mmol/L) is a unit of measurement that indicates the amount of particles per liter and depends on the weight of the individual particles. To read more about the signs of high blood sugar click here.

If people have diabetes, their blood sugar levels can drop for the following reasons:

They have injected too much insulin or have taken too large a dose of tablets that lower blood sugar levels.
They have eaten too little or too late after taking their medication.
They have been exercising a lot, particularly without adjusting the dose of medication or the amount of food taken in.
They have drunk a lot of alcohol.

People who treat their diabetes only by eating consciously and doing physical activity do not usually experience episodes of hypoglycemia.

How can low blood sugar be recognized?

Signs of low blood sugar levels may include:

rapid pulse
cold sweat
pale face
trembling
restlessness and nervousness
feeling anxious
poor concentration
confusion
headache
craving for food
feeling weak in the knees

These symptoms do not occur all at once. They not only depend on the blood sugar level, but also vary from person to person. If you are unsure whether your blood sugar level is low, you could measure your blood sugar level to make sure.

If you feel the first signs of hypoglycemia it is important to act quickly. People with diabetes who are experienced in dealing with their disease always have some glucose on them for eating. Often a sugary soft drink is also enough to make blood sugar levels rise again quickly. Sometimes other people are needed to help the person with low sugar levels eat or drink. However, you should never try to give someone who is unconscious something to drink or to eat.

Severe hypoglycemia can considerably affect consciousness and even lead to loss of consciousness. Family members can inject the hormone glucagon. If this is not possible it is important to call the emergency services (in Germany: 112, in the United States: 911) immediately and ask for medical help.