Hypoglycaemia (hypoglycemia)
From The Nutritional Health Bible by Linda Lazarides (1997). This free database is provided for interest only. Linda's later writings refer to more up-to-date research.
Some causative factors- Chromium deficiency.
Chromium supplementation may improve glucose tolerance and reduce symptoms of symptomatic hypoglycaemia. Clausen J: Chromium induced clinical improvement in symptomatic hypoglycaemia. Biol Trace Elem Res 17:229-236, 1988.
In a study supplementing eight female hypoglycaemia patients with 200 mcg chromium daily for three months in a double-blind trial, it was found that chromium supplementation alleviated the hypoglycaemic symptoms and significantly raised the minimum blood sugar levels following a glucose load. Insulin binding to red blood cells, and the number of insulin receptors also significantly improved. Anderson RA et al: Effects of supplemental chromium on patients with symptoms of reactive hypoglycaemia. Metabolism 36(4):351-5, 1987.
Magnesium status was measured in 24 subjects suffering from reactive hypoglycaemia, who were then administered either magnesium supplements or placebo. After six weeks, eight (56 per cent) of the magnesium group reported feeling better, compared with two (25 per cent) in the placebo group. After supplementation, no blood glucose levels dropped below the fasting level. The responders were found to have raised magnesium levels in their urine after supplementation while the non-responders did not. Stebbing JB et al: Reactive hypoglycaemia and magnesium. Magnes Bull 4(2):131-4, 1982.