The Effects Of Hyperglycemia On The Immune System [b16363]
2025-09-13The Silent Signs of Low Blood Sugar: What You Need to Know
Low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, occurs when your body doesn't have enough glucose (sugar) to fuel its cells. It's a common problem for people with diabetes, but it can affect anyone who has skipped meals or exercised without eating beforehand.
Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar: The Early Warning Signs
When blood sugar levels drop below 70 mg/dL, the body starts to experience low-blood-sugar symptoms. does stevia affect blood sugar levels These can range from mild to severe and include shakiness, dizziness, confusion, irritability, anxiety, hunger pangs, headache, fatigue, sweating (especially palms), slurred speech blurred vision pale or cool skin trembling hands weak muscles.
What Causes Low Blood Sugar? Understanding the Triggers
Common causes of low blood sugar include skipping meals taking too much diabetes medication eating less than usual exercising without consuming carbohydrates experiencing stress having certain medical conditions such as liver disease pancreatitis kidney failure hypopituitarism adrenal insufficiency cortisol deficiency excessive exercise or fasting.
Diet and Lifestyle Changes sugar substitutes that don't raise blood sugar to Prevent Low Blood Sugar
Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial, especially for people with diabetes. Eating regular meals including complex carbs fruits vegetables lean protein dairy can help regulate blood sugar levels snacking between main meals helps prevent spikes drops incorporating healthy fats like nuts seeds olive oil in your diet may also support.
Monitoring and Managing Low Blood Sugar: Tips from Experts
Monitoring blood glucose is essential to preventing low-blood-sugar episodes individuals should test their blood 2-3 times daily for optimal results using a glucometer continuously monitor levels during intense exercise or stress maintain an emergency kit with fast-acting carbohydrates such as juice soda candy glucagon injectable.
Managing Low Blood Sugar When You're on the Go
When traveling carrying your medication and snacks may help manage emergencies if you don't have time to eat use glucose tablets gels drinks consume small frequent meals at least every 4 hours keep healthy food choices readily available when shopping for groceries incorporate slow-digesting foods like whole grains fruits veggies in meal planning.
Maintaining a Balanced Blood Sugar Level: Long-Term Benefits
By managing blood sugar levels effectively how long after eating should you take your blood sugar you can reduce the risk of related health problems such as nerve damage kidney disease heart attack stroke maintaining stable blood glucose also improves mental clarity focus and overall well-being.
Developed and produced for a CME resource for physicians and healthcare providers. Animation Description: Under normal circumstances, bacterial infection results in the release of chemokines that attract circulating neutrophils to the endothelium. This process is known as chemotaxis. A variety of molecules are expressed on the endothelial cell surface that allow the neutrophil to be captured, then roll along the endothelium, then adhere. Following adherence, the neutrophil migrates into the subendothelial tissue to reach the site of infection. The neutrophil engulfs the bacteria and eliminates them via breakdown within the phagosomes — a process known as phagocytosis. In states of hyperglycemia, chemotaxis is reduced. Adherence is also adversely affected. Phagocytosis is also impaired by hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia also adversely affects the macrophage system. Under normal circumstances, circulating monocytes are attracted to sites of infection, roll, adhere, and then migrate into the subendothelial space. The monocyte then transforms into a macrophage. which is then activated by cytokines released by the bacteria. The activated macrophage then engulfs the bacteria. However, hyperglycemia results in decreased activation of macrophages, thereby arresting the process of macrophage phagocytosis of bacteria. In addition to affecting neutrophil and macrophage function, hyperglycemia also affects the complement cascade. Under situations of normal glycemia, bacteria can activate the complement cascade. Activation of the complement cascade results in the formation of transmembrane protein channels known as membrane attack complex (MAC) in bacterial membrane. Membrane attack complexes make the bacterial membrane porous and the rapid influx of fluid results in the bacterial cell death. Hyperglycemia inhibits the proper activation of the complement cascade, thereby reducing another pathway of the immune system.