What Are Causes of Frequent Low Blood Sugar in Diabetics?

Diabetes is a disease caused by high levels of sugar in the blood. Diabetics need insulin injections or oral medication to keep blood sugar levels stable. But sometimes blood sugar falls to low levels, causing a low blood sugar reaction that is uncomfortable and even dangerous for diabetics. There are many reasons blood sugar levels to frequently become too low in diabetics.

Insulin

• Insulin is the main cause of frequent low blood sugar in diabetics. Low blood sugar is a side effect of many diabetes medicines. If you're taking insulin shots or pills and your blood sugar often drops too low, your insulin dose may need to be adjusted. You might be taking too much insulin or it could be the wrong kind for you. There may be air in your syringe or pen that needs to be removed before injections. If you've been giving yourself injections in the same area for a long time, scar tissue builds up into a lump, and insulin can get trapped in the lump. Rotating the areas of your body that receive injections can help prevent tissue buildup.

Food

• If you don't eat shortly after taking your diabetes medicine, your blood sugar can fall. A regular routine and a regular diet is needed to keep blood sugar levels from rising and falling. The right amount and kind of food has to be eaten at the time your doctor has set medication amounts for.

Carbohydrates

• For diabetics, there are two different kinds of carbohydrates. Slow-acting carbohydrates, such as cereal, rice, pasta, bread, fruit, mil and potatoes help you keep blood sugar levels up for a longer period of time. Fast-acting carbohydrates like sweets, chocolate and sugary drinks raise your blood sugar level quickly, but then it drops too fast. Only eat fast-acting carbs when blood sugar levels are dropping too fast and you need to bring them up to prevent a diabetic coma.

Activity

• Diabetics who get more exercise than usual can find blood sugar levels dropping. Your body uses more energy when you're active, so adjust the amount of food you eat when you know you'll be getting more exercise.

Alcohol

• Drinking alcohol can cause blood sugar to drop, especially if you drink it on an empty stomach. Sometimes it rises, then falls quickly; at other times, it may not fall until a few days after you drink. The way your body breaks down alcohol can interfere with the liver's ability to raise blood sugar levels.

Weight Loss

• Eating food that's better for you can cause you to lose weight. When you're diabetic, the less fat you have, the better insulin works in your body. When you lose weight, you may need your insulin dosage adjusted to prevent your blood sugar from falling too low.