What Are the Causes of Low Glucose Levels?

Low blood glucose or hypoglycemia is usually a result of excessive amounts of insulin. That can occur for a variety of reasons. Diabetics may take the wrong amount of insulin or their caloric needs may exceed their food intake. Hypoglycemia can also occur in other diseases and conditions that affect insulin levels.

Diabetics

• Diabetics can get hypoglycemia when they take too much insulin, when they don't eat enough, or when they exercise more and use up more calories than they've taken in.

Reactive Hypoglycemia

• After a large carbohydrate meal, the pancreas produces a lot of insulin. This causes a drop in blood sugar which can last longer than normal, especially in overweight individuals who may develop adult-onset diabetes in the future.

Fasting and Malnutrition

• Inadequate food intake will affect blood glucose levels. Insufficient calories will naturally cause glucose levels to fall.

Stomach Size

• The stomach normally delivers food gradually to the intestine, allowing the pancreas to correctly adjust insulin levels. If the stomach is much smaller or has been surgically removed, it dumps a full meal quickly into the intestine. The pancreas may overproduce insulin and hypoglycemia can result.

Other Conditions

• There are other conditions that cause an excessive production of insulin, such as cancer, abnormalities in the adrenal or pituitary glands, or liver function. Drinking alcohol will also lower blood glucose levels.