Our PREDICT study showed that blood sugar dips after eating were linked to increased hunger, suggesting that curbing sugar crashes might be a good weight control strategy but cutting the urge to snack. Besides making you feel lousy and hungry, unhealthy blood sugar responses after eating, such as spikes and crashes, have been linked to a myriad of health problems , including chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Repeated reactive hypoglycemia frequent blood sugar crashes can lead to prediabetes and eventually type 2 diabetes if left untreated. We saw blood sugar crashes in plenty of our PREDICT participants , who underwent continuous glucose monitoring for two weeks.

But they were more common in some people than others. And even identical twins, who share all their genes, could have different glucose responses after eating the same foods.

One theory is that if your blood sugar levels are not well controlled, the insulin-secreting cells in your pancreas can become damaged and don't produce enough insulin as your blood sugar begins to rise after eating. Another idea is that your blood sugar responses depend on the microbes that live in your gut.

We all have a unique set of microbes, so we all process our food differently, causing unique responses to food, even when we've eaten precisely the same thing.

The best way to dodge a sugar slump is to avoid the foods that cause them. Instead, pick foods that keep your blood sugar relatively steady. Avoiding sugary drinks and snacks is probably sound advice for everyone seeking better control over their blood sugar. But some experts advise highly restrictive diets that limit all carbohydrates.

However, studies have shown that diets high in carbohydrates from plants can improve blood sugar control after eating by increasing the activity of gut microbes, which protect against unhealthy blood sugar reactions.

Rather than avoiding certain food groups, like carbohydrates, we advise eating a varied diet tailored to your unique biology.

After all, o ur PREDICT-1 study has shown us that the same foods can cause different blood sugar responses in different people, so there is no one-size-fits-all advice for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. To understand what causes your sugar crashes, and how you can avoid them and maintain your energy levels, you need to know how YOUR body responds to food.

For example, if you have a tumor that is causing your hypoglycemia, you may need surgery. If a medicine is the cause, switching to a different medication can help. To treat your symptoms immediately, eat or drink 15 grams of carbohydrates.

A reactive hypoglycemia episode may be a sign the person has or may develop diabetes. You should discuss it with your healthcare provider to determine your next steps. By making small tweaks to your diet, you can help avoid hypoglycemia.

These changes include eating a balanced diet, eating less sugar and carbs, and eating more protein and fiber. Another prevention tip is carrying a snack with you that can be used to raise your blood sugar. These snacks can include a handful of nuts, a hardboiled egg, or air-popped popcorn.

The best way to address your personal concerns and needs is to discuss your diet, medication, and lifestyle with your healthcare team. They can diagnose any underlying conditions, adjust or change your medications, and advise you on the best ways to prevent hypoglycemia.

Tips that apply across the board to keep blood sugar stable include:. People with diabetes may face more challenges when managing blood sugar levels, but it is possible to stay healthy.

People with diabetes and those without can both experience sugar crashes, but for different reasons. Monitoring your blood sugar is your best bet at preventing a sugar crash if you have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Whether you have a diabetes diagnosis or not, balance is key. While blood sugar crashes are possible, they can be avoided with healthy living and help from your healthcare provider. American Diabetes Association. Hypoglycemia low blood sugar.

Östenson CG, Geelhoed-Duijvestijn P, Lahtela J, Weitgasser R, Markert Jensen M, Pedersen-Bjergaard U. Self-reported non-severe hypoglycaemic events in Europe. Diabet Med. Hormone Health Network.

Non-diabetic hypoglycemia. By Kimberly Charleson Kimberly is a health and wellness content writer crafting well-researched content that answers your health questions. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising.

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Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. Your blood sugar will thank you. To mitigate this negative effect, cook potatoes with a healthy fat, such as olive oil, and bump up the fiber by adding hearty leafy greens or another vegetable to the mix.

Or, make potato salad with plenty of lemon juice and chill it in the fridge. The acid and cold alter the starch molecules in the spuds to slow digestion. We tend to think of ketchup as a salty condiment, but many brands list some sort of sweetener as the second ingredient, which can have a disastrous effect on your blood sugar level.

White pasta is made from refined white flour, which is an easily digestible starch. That raises your blood sugar level. If you must get your bagel fix, pair it with a smear of avocado, which is loaded with healthy unsaturated fat, and a few slices of smoked salmon a great source of both protein and omega-3 fatty acids to help slow down digestion and regulate your blood sugar.

You get extra points if you have a whole-grain bagel.

Another idea is that your blood sugar responses depend on the microbes that live in your gut. We all have a unique set of microbes, so we all process our food differently, causing unique responses to food, even when we've eaten precisely the same thing.

The best way to dodge a sugar slump is to avoid the foods that cause them. Instead, pick foods that keep your blood sugar relatively steady. Avoiding sugary drinks and snacks is probably sound advice for everyone seeking better control over their blood sugar. But some experts advise highly restrictive diets that limit all carbohydrates.

However, studies have shown that diets high in carbohydrates from plants can improve blood sugar control after eating by increasing the activity of gut microbes, which protect against unhealthy blood sugar reactions.

Rather than avoiding certain food groups, like carbohydrates, we advise eating a varied diet tailored to your unique biology. After all, o ur PREDICT-1 study has shown us that the same foods can cause different blood sugar responses in different people, so there is no one-size-fits-all advice for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.

To understand what causes your sugar crashes, and how you can avoid them and maintain your energy levels, you need to know how YOUR body responds to food. You are unique, and your diet should be too. But how can you know what foods are best for your body?

That's where the ZOE program comes in. Why ZOE? Our Science Library FAQs. Join ZOE Join. Why do they happen? Reactive Hypoglycemia: How to Spot and Treat a Sugar Crash.

Medically reviewed by Vincent J. Tavella DVM, MPH — By Kristeen Cherney on January 23, Hypoglycemia without diabetes Causes Diagnosis Symptoms Treatments When to see a doctor Takeaway What is it? Hypoglycemia without diabetes.

When to see a doctor. The bottom line. How we reviewed this article: Sources. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Jan 23, Written By Kristeen Cherney, PhD. Medically Reviewed By Vincent J. Tavella, DVM, MPH. Share this article. related stories Dealing with Hypoglycemia.

Dealing with Hypoglycemia. Can Anorexia Cause Hypoglycemia? Relative Hypoglycemia: Everything You Need To Know. Iatrogenic Hypoglycemia: What Does This Mean? Read this next. Medically reviewed by Peggy Pletcher, M. Medically reviewed by Marina Basina, M. Medically reviewed by Kelly Wood, MD. Medically reviewed by Angela M.

Bell, MD, FACP. Drug Induced Hypoglycemia: What You Need to Know People with diabetes may experience hypoglycemia due to the condition itself or its treatments.

Hypoglycemia and Hypothermia: How Are They Related? Pairing carbohydrates with protein, fat or fiber helps slow down the absorption process. Watch out for these 10 blood-sugar saboteurs.

White rice is a whole rice grain that has been polished until just the endosperm—essentially an easily digestible starch bombs— left. Not surprisingly, recent studies have shown that eating white rice can raise blood glucose significantly, especially if eaten often or in large quantities.

One study showed an 11 percent increase in diabetes risk with each daily serving of white rice. If you love rice with your stir-fries, switch to brown rice. Your blood sugar will thank you. To mitigate this negative effect, cook potatoes with a healthy fat, such as olive oil, and bump up the fiber by adding hearty leafy greens or another vegetable to the mix.

Or, make potato salad with plenty of lemon juice and chill it in the fridge.

There are several kinds of reactive hypoglycemia: [13]. To check if there is real hypoglycemia when symptoms occur, neither an oral glucose tolerance test nor a breakfast test is effective; instead, a hyperglucidic breakfast test or ambulatory glucose testing is the current standard.

The body requires a relatively constant input of glucose, a sugar produced upon digestion of carbohydrates, for normal functioning. Glucagon and insulin are among the hormones that ensure a normal range of glucose in the human body. This hormone initiates the absorption of the just-digested blood glucose as glycogen into the liver for metabolism or storage, thereby lowering glucose levels in the blood.

In contrast, the hormone glucagon is released by the pancreas as a response to lower than normal blood sugar levels. Glucagon initiates uptake of the stored glycogen in the liver into the bloodstream so as to increase glucose levels in the blood. More insulin than is actually needed is produced in response to the large, rapid ingestion of sugary foods.

Reactive hypoglycemia can usually be relieved by dietary changes: [20]. The first important point is to add small meals at the middle of the morning and of the afternoon, when glycemia would start to decrease.

If adequate composition of the meal is found, the fall in blood glucose is thus prevented. Patients should avoid rapidly absorbed sugars and thus avoid popular soft drinks rich in glucose or sucrose. They should also be cautious with drinks associating sugar and alcohol, mainly in the fasting state.

As it is a short-term ailment, a sugar crash that was not caused by injecting too much insulin does not usually require medical intervention in most people. The most important factors to consider when addressing this issue are the composition and timing of foods.

Acute short-term low blood sugar symptoms are best treated by consuming small amounts of sweet foods, so as to regain balance in the body's carbohydrate metabolism.

Suggestions include sugary foods that are quickly digested, such as:. The anti-hypertensive class of medication known as calcium channel blockers could be useful for reactive hypoglycemia as inhibition of the calcium channels on beta islet cells can help prevent an overproduction of insulin after a meal is eaten.

If there is no hypoglycemia at the time of the symptoms, this condition is called idiopathic postprandial syndrome. It might be an " adrenergic postprandial syndrome" — blood glucose levels are normal, but the symptoms are caused through autonomic adrenergic counterregulation.

Dietary recommendations for reactive hypoglycemia can help to relieve symptoms of postprandial syndrome. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Get shortened URL Download QR code Wikidata item.

Download as PDF Printable version. Medical condition. For the song, see SugarCrash! Main article: Idiopathic postprandial syndrome.

Retrieved September 8, Demand Media, Inc. Retrieved November 8, J R Soc Interface. doi : PMC PMID National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.

Department of Health and Human Services. Archived from the original on February 8, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Mayo Clinic. Demand Media. American Dietetic Association. Retrieved November 11, November 1, S2CID Diabetes Metab. WebMD LLC. Retrieved July 6, The Hypoglycemic states - Hypoglycemia. Armenian Medical Network. Web MD Diabetes. To explain how different kinds of carbohydrate-rich foods directly affect blood sugar, the glycemic index was developed and is considered a better way of categorizing carbohydrates, especially starchy foods.

The glycemic index ranks carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to based on how quickly and how much they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high glycemic index, like white bread, are rapidly digested and cause substantial fluctuations in blood sugar.

Foods with a low glycemic index, like whole oats, are digested more slowly, prompting a more gradual rise in blood sugar.

Numerous epidemiologic studies have shown a positive association between higher dietary glycemic index and increased risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.

However, the relationship between glycemic index and body weight is less well studied and remains controversial. This measure is called the glycemic load. In general, a glycemic load of 20 or more is high, 11 to 19 is medium, and 10 or under is low.

The glycemic load has been used to study whether or not high-glycemic load diets are associated with increased risks for type 2 diabetes risk and cardiac events. In a large meta-analysis of 24 prospective cohort studies, researchers concluded that people who consumed lower-glycemic load diets were at a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate a diet of higher-glycemic load foods.

Here is a listing of low, medium, and high glycemic load foods. For good health, choose foods that have a low or medium glycemic load, and limit foods that have a high glycemic load.

de Munter JS, Hu FB, Spiegelman D, Franz M, van Dam RM. Whole grain, bran, and germ intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study and systematic review. PLoS Med. Beulens JW, de Bruijne LM, Stolk RP, et al. High dietary glycemic load and glycemic index increase risk of cardiovascular disease among middle-aged women: a population-based follow-up study.

J Am Coll Cardiol. Halton TL, Willett WC, Liu S, et al. Low-carbohydrate-diet score and the risk of coronary heart disease in women. N Engl J Med. Anderson JW, Randles KM, Kendall CW, Jenkins DJ. Carbohydrate and fiber recommendations for individuals with diabetes: a quantitative assessment and meta-analysis of the evidence.

J Am Coll Nutr. Ebbeling CB, Leidig MM, Feldman HA, Lovesky MM, Ludwig DS. Effects of a low-glycemic load vs low-fat diet in obese young adults: a randomized trial. Maki KC, Rains TM, Kaden VN, Raneri KR, Davidson MH.

Effects of a reduced-glycemic-load diet on body weight, body composition, and cardiovascular disease risk markers in overweight and obese adults. Am J Clin Nutr. Chiu CJ, Hubbard LD, Armstrong J, et al. Dietary glycemic index and carbohydrate in relation to early age-related macular degeneration.

Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner BA, Willett WC. A prospective study of dietary carbohydrate quantity and quality in relation to risk of ovulatory infertility. Eur J Clin Nutr. Higginbotham S, Zhang ZF, Lee IM, et al. J Natl Cancer Inst. Liu S, Willett WC. Dietary glycemic load and atherothrombotic risk.

Curr Atheroscler Rep. Willett W, Manson J, Liu S. Glycemic index, glycemic load, and risk of type 2 diabetes. Livesey G, Taylor R, Livesey H, Liu S.

Is there a dose-response relation of dietary glycemic load to risk of type 2 diabetes?