Does Low Blood Sugar Cause Weight gain or Loss?
Is there a link between changes of blood sugar and weight changes (weight gain or weight loss)? A normal mechanism of glucose metabolism is necessary to maintain your blood sugar. In people with diabetes, their blood sugar is easier to extremely fluctuate, causing too high (hyperglycemia) or too low level (hypoglycemia).
The role of glucose in affecting your weight
As well we know, the body gets energy from a substance called glucose (it is a simple form of sugar). Your body also gets energy from protein and fat, but in general glucose taken from foods has much more contribution for energy supply of your body.
Furthermore, glucose can also be converted from glycogen stored in the liver, the reserve energy of your body. For instance, when you run to pursue a bus school but you haven’t eaten (skipping your breakfast), your body can use glycogen for energy.
Cells of the body need energy to keep functioning. Glucose taken from foods can be directly absorbed and go into the bloodstream. In the bloodstream, glucose is distributed to cells and tissues of the body.
To make sure that glucose in the bloodstream can be optimally absorbed by cells and muscles, your body needs a kind hormone called ‘insulin’, which is produced by the pancreas.
Without insulin, the mechanism of glucose metabolism is affected. Therefore, people with insulin resistance (such as in diabetics) are relatively easier to have high blood sugar.
Once glucose was absorbed by cells and muscles, it is then converted to become energy. Sometimes the excess absorption can be stored as fat cells or glycogen.
Both glycogen and fat can be converted back into energy. For example during exercise, glycogen and fat are re-synthesized when the brain sends signal that your body needs more energy.
Does low blood sugar cause weight gain or weight loss?
In general, the level of blood glucose is relatively lower during and after fasting. And on the other hand, the level usually increases during and after eating.
Low blood glucose is more often associated with weight loss instead of weight gain.
When the amount of glucose in the bloodstream is too low, converting glycogen stored in the liver may be not enough to restore the balance. As a result, you may feel sweetening, weakness, and fatigue due to lack of energy.
Lack of energy from hypoglycemia would also drive the body to burn more fat and muscles, causing weight loss. Also, you might experience a momentary weight loss as a result of a decline in the body’s water supply.
Weight loss is attributed by lots of things. So it could also be caused by something else. See also some common symptoms of hypoglycemia in here!
How about weight gain in people with diabetes?
I’m a pre diabetic and I workout really hard by the end of my workout, I feel like passing out. I eat some sugar snacks that help a little bit. What can I eat that won’t cause me to gain weight but helps keep my sugar up?
Don’t push yourself too hard. The key, do your exercise regularly. So you will lose your weight gradually and likely to keep it off in long term. Even non-diabetics, people with healthy blood sugar levels, could feel like passing out from very strenuous exercise.
In diabetes, blood sugar level is relatively easier to fluctuate. So monitoring the level is a must. Check it before exercise; make sure it’s normal and enough to support your physical activity.
How about diet? It bears repeating that eating a variety of healthy foods from all food groups is the best, especially good carbs high in fiber (whole grains and brown rice), healthy dairies (skim milk or low-fat Greek yogurt), high-fiber whole fruits, and beans. Also avoid alcohol and late evening workout (don’t exercise two hours before your bedtime).