If I have low blood sugar now, will I become diabetic later?

Dear Shaky Sharon,  

It’s understandable that your concern about developing diabetes later in life is difficult to shake off, but learning more about low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) might help ease your mind. The short and sweet answer to your question is that low blood sugar might lead to you becoming diabetic. This can be especially true if your low blood sugar is related to your food patterns. Given that everybody has a different medical history, it’s best to work with a health care provider to understand your unique blood sugar patterns and risk of developing diabetes. In the meantime, it may be helpful to keep snacks or juice nearby to help if you notice your blood sugar dropping. Read on for more food for thought!  

What is low blood sugar?  

Low blood sugar happens when the amount of sugar in your blood falls below what’s considered the “healthy” range. For non-diabetics, this is below 60 milligrams per deciliter, and for diabetics, this is below 80 milligrams per deciliter. 

If you’re experiencing low blood sugar, you might have symptoms like: 

• Confusion  
• Difficulty concentrating 
• Restlessness 
• Anxiety 
• Headaches 
• Cold sweats 
• Shivering 
• Racing pulse 

List from MedicalNewsToday 

Can you have low blood sugar without already having diabetes? 

The short answer here is yes, anyone can experience low blood sugar, it’s just more common in those with diabetes. If your blood sugar dips a few hours after eating (which is called reactive hypoglycemia), it could be that your body is producing excessive amounts of insulin. Insulin is the hormone that regulates the body’s blood sugar levels. If excessive insulin is produced for a prolonged period of time, it may put you at risk of developing diabetes in the future. 

There are many other potential reasons you might have low blood sugar without already having diabetes. For example, there are some non-food, lifestyle-related reasons, called nonreactive hypoglycemia. For example, you might experience low blood sugar if you skipped a meal, vomited, or didn’t eat enough carbohydrates. Some medications can also indirectly lower blood sugar. Additionally, medical history such as problems with the kidneys or liver can lead to low blood sugar.  

What are the long-term effects of having low blood sugar?  

As mentioned previously, having low blood sugar doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll develop diabetes. That said, there are some long-term effects of prolonged low blood sugar you might want to be aware of such as: 

• changes in cognitive function 
• heart attacks 

• brain bleeding 

• increased susceptibility to heart disease 
• eye disease 
• kidney disease 
• nerve damage 

Repeated instances of low blood sugar may also lead to hypoglycemia unawareness, which is when you don’t experience the symptoms that alert you to your low blood sugar. This can be dangerous and if left untreated, can result in seizures and even death. 

How can you treat low blood sugar?  

When you have low blood sugar, you can replenish your levels by consuming foods known to digest quickly. You might try following the 15-15 rule. An example being after you ingest 15 grams of a carbohydrate (like a small apple, half a medium-sized banana, or 4 ounces of fruit juice or soda), wait 15 minutes, check your blood sugar, and repeat the process until you’re in  your healthy blood sugar range. 

To have easier access to food and drinks, you might try taking some snacks with you wherever you go. You might also find that you can keep steady blood sugar levels by eating smaller and more frequent meals containing a balance of proteins, fats, and fiber throughout the day. 

Since you mentioned this is an issue you’ve experienced a few times, you might consider whether there’s an underlying condition or reason contributing to your low blood sugar. Partnering up with a medical professional can help you get to the bottom of this. They may be able to help you address the root of your blood sugar issues, prevent dips in the future, and help you best address this issue for your lifestyle and needs. 

Hope this helps,