Reactive Hypoglycaemia

Reactive hypoglycaemia refers to a low blood sugar that occurs after a meal (usually within four hours).

This is different from low blood sugar that occurs while fasting.

How do I know if I have reactive hypoglycaemia?

You may have reactive hypoglycaemia if:

you experience symptoms a few hours after a meal
the symptoms improve after eating or drinking

To confirm the diagnosis, you should have blood tests that show your blood sugar drops after a meal or a glucose load.

Symptoms

You may experience:

hunger
weakness
shakiness
light-headedness
sweating
anxiousness
sleepiness

Cause of symptoms

The exact cause is not clear.

It may relate to:

the type of food you eat
how quickly food moves through your stomach and intestines

Managing reactive hypoglycaemia

Most people do not need medical treatment.

Symptoms can usually be managed through diet.

General dietary advice

Eat a well-balanced diet including lean protein or non-meat protein sources, and high fibre foods such as whole grains, fruit and vegetables
Avoid sugary foods, especially on an empty stomach
Eat regular meals and snacks no more than 3 hours apart during waking hours
Limit caffeine
Eat food if drinking alcohol and avoid sugary drinks as mixers

The aim is to keep your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day.

Advice about sugary foods

You may feel like eating sugary foods such as chocolate, cakes and sweets.

Although these raise your blood sugar quickly, they can raise it too high and too fast. This causes the release of too much insulin, which can then lead to a drop in blood sugar.