Difference Between Functional Hypoglycemia & Diabetes

Hypoglycemia is a condition in which blood sugar levels drop below the normal ranges. It is also associated with diabetes; however, there are similar but distinctive factors determining the differences between the two.

Functional Hypoglycemia

• When a person has moderate to severe drops in the blood sugar throughout their day or following a meal without the presence of diabetes, this is known as functional or reactive hypoglycemia.

Symptoms

• Sufferers of functional hypoglycemia may manifest some symptoms of dizziness, nausea, emotional outbursts or odd behavior, fatigue, blurriness of vision, inability to talk or think, fainting, sweats, anxiety, heart palpitations, and in severe cases, seizures and coma.

Causes

• Severe calorie restriction, irregular eating (skipping meals and then eating too much at once, causing the pancreas to overreact with too much insulin at one time), extreme stress and over-exertion are contributing factors to functional hypoglycemia.

Diabetic Hypoglycemia

• The individual who has been diagnosed by a medical doctor with diabetes and takes insulin can also suffer from hypoglycemia.

Symptoms and Causes

• While the symptoms for a diabetic are the same, the causes are similar yet conditional. For example: A diabetic may have taken his regular doses of insulin and failed to eat enough or may have over exerted himself. Hypoglycemia can occur when too much insulin is taken as well.

Caution

• Whether you suffer from diabetes or functional hypoglycemia, it is important to monitor your blood sugar daily (for hypoglycemics, only if your condition is severe) and eat smaller meals more often to help prevent drops in blood sugar.