The body’s response to low blood sugar and its manifestation of anxiety are two separate things, but they are often confused and closely intertwined.
Some common side effects that both low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and anxiety share include sweating, shakiness, irritability, fast or irregular heartbeat, and lightheadedness.
Low blood sugar typically stems from unhealthy eating habits (consuming high glycemic foods that cause a spike and then drop down in sugars), skipped meals, or from poorly managed diabetes. At Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology, our team of board-certified endocrinology specialists are experts at treating diabetes in all its forms.
Anxiety is a common mental disorder that can result from a combination of factors like genetics, stress or trauma, and certain medications. Anxiety can also stem from an adverse reaction the body has to its own low blood sugar.
One of our diabetes specialists, Dr. Lucy Esteve, shares insight on how you can differentiate low blood sugar from anxiety.
How can you tell if the symptom is a sign of low blood sugar versus anxiety?
The only way to tell if you truly have low blood sugar is to check your blood sugar level with either a blood glucose meter and perform a fingerstick glucose check, or by wearing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) which measures interstitial glucose levels continuously over a period of 10 to 14 days.
When using a glucose monitor, it is important to check this right at the time that you are experiencing symptoms. Hypoglycemia occurs when your blood sugar level drops below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and is considered severe when the level drops below 54 mg/dL.
How should you treat those symptoms? What if you aren’t sure of the cause?
If you detect low blood sugar at home, you should treat it by consuming fast-acting carbohydrates such as 4 ounces of juice or regular soda, hard candies, or 15 grams of glucose tablets or gel. Follow this up with a long-acting carbohydrate such as a sandwich or biscuit and recheck your blood sugar level within 15 minutes. Repeat this process until your blood sugar level is back within normal range.
The next step is to see a medical professional (either your primary care provider or an endocrinology specialist) to determine the cause of the low blood sugar.
What could be potential causes of low blood sugar?
A helpful indicator to determine the cause of your low blood sugar is the timing of these symptoms in relation to food.
Reactive hypoglycemia (or postprandial hypoglycemia) typically occurs within 3 to 4 hours of eating a meal high in carbohydrates such as pasta, pizza, potatoes, rice, bread or cake.
If you are experiencing low blood sugar symptoms overnight, this is suggestive of fasting hypoglycemia which occurs when the body is unable to maintain blood glucose levels during the fasting state. This can be caused by medications, alcohol, critical illness, liver dysfunction or tumors in the pancreas known as insulinoma.
Dr. Esteve says that “because the symptoms of low blood sugar and anxiety often overlap, it is important to see a healthcare provider to differentiate these two conditions and to determine the best course of treatment.”
Preventing Low Blood Sugar
To help prevent low blood sugar that could contribute to bouts of anxiety, whether you are diabetic or not, follow these tips:
- Eat healthy portions of foods that are high in protein (like chicken, fish, nuts and beans) and non-starchy vegetables like spinach and broccoli
- Exercise often to keep blood circulating effectively throughout the body and to trigger the release of endorphins or the brain’s feel-good chemical
- Drink alcohol in moderation or limit it altogether to avoid blood sugar spikes
- Take all medications as directed and commit to regular check-up appointments with your primary care physician and specialists
Contact Us to Help Manage your Diabetes, Osteoporosis and Thyroid Conditions
If you’d like to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists at Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology and discover how our diabetes services and other endocrinology therapies can help you lead a full and active life, please contact us at (512) 458-8400 or request an appointment online.
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check back with us each month as we provide you helpful wellness and health information.
