Low Blood Sugar from Watching Someone Eat?

(T) #1

Hi All! I’ve been strict keto for 4 months now, and about a month ago I finally got to the point that my appetite has diminished. Since the appetite has diminished, I’ve been doing some intermittent fasting- Not multi-day fasts. I definitely still need to eat at least once per day. Generally, fasted or not, by blood sugar stays in the 80s with occasional dips into the 70s. I’ve never been diagnosed with diabetes. Today something interesting happened.

I wasn’t hungry today, so I didn’t eat. At about 2:00 PM, some friends came over- they had just gone through the McDonalds drive thru. They ate at my table, and I sat with them. The fries smelled good, and I just reminded myself that they never taste as good as they smell. I was fine- other than a quick craving, I didn’t really get hungry. About 30 minutes later, I was outside in the heat (85 degrees today) and suddenly got all the signs of hypoglycemia- ravenous but nauseus at the same time, hot and cold at the same time, sweating, lightheaded. I came in and checked my blood sugar- it was 60. I managed to choke down a couple bites of cheese and nuts, and then a coffee with cream and coconut milk. I felt better, but not perfect. I’m still more nauseus than hungry, but I’m working on getting in some more food.

I’m thinking that my body saw/smelled the food and it caused a release of insulin. Which, in turn caused my blood sugar to quickly drop. Anyone else ever experience this? And, is 60 too low? The internet basically says that if it’s below 70 it’s an emergency that needs to be treated, but it definitely isn’t the worst I’ve felt before (pre-keto). Also, I regularly sit with my husband while he eats (keto food, not french fries), and this has never happened before- Is it possible the smell of the fries caused a much larger amount of insulin than I might normally get from smelling chicken thighs and broccoli?

Thanks!

(Bob M) #2

I have never had that happen, but your theory sounds reasonable.

(Bunny) #3

60? Maybe eat some protein with a little fat to bring it back to between 80 to 100…

Resources:

Example 1. “… Hypoglycemia commonly occurs during adrenal fatigue when low epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol are combined with the high insulin levels of stress. The low levels of adrenal hormones that can occur during adrenal fatigue may fail to raise blood glucose enough to meet the increased demand. …” …More

Example 2. “… High levels of circulating cortisol leads to a decrease in the function of GLUT4, which can observed in experimental diabetes examples increasing the absorption and usage of glucose reveals to us what diabetics perceive as concerning and which are their therapeutic purposes. In approaching a diabetic patient, one must undoubtedly take into consideration what makes a contribute to the resistance to peripheral insulin18 …” …More

Example 3. The #1 Food that Fixes Hypoglycemia Dr. Berg explains about hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). To raise blood sugars consume protein top spike glucagon, which apposes insulin.

(G. Andrew Duthie) #4

I’m not a doctor. And I’m especially not your doctor.

That being said here’s my n=1 experience. During periods of extended fasting, when I was still routinely measuring BG levels, I would occasionally see dips into the 50s, and I felt fine.

Remember that your body should be getting most of is energy from fat, and the glucose that your brain needs can be provided by the liver.

But it’s certainly conceivable that a jolt of insulin might temporarily cause a sufficient drop to cause symptoms. Whether it’s likely is a question I can’t answer.

I would be concerned with levels at 60 or below if not fat-adapted. But it hasn’t bothered me when fasting.

I’d advise you to discuss it with your doc, though. Particularly if it happens again.

(Ryan P) #5

You’ve discovered the Cephalic Phase Reponse!

https://idmprogram.com/cephalic-phase-response-hunger-fasting-18/

(T) #6

Thanks for the feedback! I’m guessing it was the rapid drop in BG that caused the feelings, and not the actual level of BG. I’m pretty sure I’m fat adapted- I’m consistently losing weight, most cravings are gone, and I don’t get hungry. Also, I’ve been pretty strict- haven’t consumed more than 20 NC in a day since starting keto back in May and I feel great. Guess I should stay away from friends with french fries while I’m fasting. :slight_smile:

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #7

Smells can trigger insulin response. Folks have gotten some from waking by a bakery.

(Consensus is Politics) #8

I was dx with T2DM on 29 Aug ‘17. I went keto On 17 Oct ‘17. I managed to then keep my BG pretty steady in the 80’s. With the occasional dip into the 70’s. Once into the 60’s, and again once into the 50’s. I felt fine. I didn’t have the feelings of hypoglycemia at all. I was even able to do a normal bike ride (stationary bike in my home) for about 15 miles, which is about a one hour ride. And felt perfectly well, like I could ride another hour or more.

I think being fat adapted helps us through hypoglycemia by providing another fuel source. I’ve been hypoglycemic before. When I was a sugar burner, and it was an unpleasant experience. I felt dizzy, somewhat ill. I’ve also had sudden high blood pressure responses while out and about. What you described sounds like what happened to me. It was near instant onset. It didn’t creep up on me like hypoglycemia did. I was looking at this beautiful globe of the earth crafted from different colored fake gems, and it began to spin off its axis, and I ended up on the floor next to it. My first thought was, “how the hell did that globe cause that to happen?” I could t even sit up without falling over. I still had all my strength, but was too dizzy to use it. So I just later on the floor looking like I lost something under the counter as the literal world spun about me.

You might want to be checked for hypertension. It’s the other silent killer next to diabetes. I’ve been keto a year, and have reversed my diabetes, but my hypertension persists. I’m down to 190 pounds from 245, but evidently that’s still not enough to correct my BP.

(Bob M) #9

I’ve also gotten 60 or lower during extended fasting, but the original poster felt bad, so I think that’s a dangerous sign. By contrast, I did not know my blood sugar was low, other than I tested it.

#10

Generally when you’re fat adapted, you’re more flexible since blood glucose is not the measure of available energy that it is for sugar burners:

  • 60 in someone who can’t access fat stores = emergency!! where’s our fuel?!

  • 60 in someone who can access fat stores = hmm, probably time to start breaking down a bit more fat

I go down to 50s when I fast and I feel fine, and I’ve heard lower number as well.

BUT - if you feel that bad, no matter what the number is, then you’re probably looking at hypoglycemia and it’s time to eat!
I think your theory makes sense. How often do you IF?

(T) #11

I’m doing my version of IF most every day. I never eat breakfast- never have been a big breakfast person. Probably 3 or 4 days a week, I skip lunch as well. Those days, I usually have coffee with cream around lunch time because I like it, and because I haven’t broken the caffeine addiction yet, so I’ll get a headache if I skip it. So, technically, not a 100% water fast, but not a full meal. It works for me and makes me happy.

As for the post about blood pressure- I’ve always had normal blood pressure. 1 year ago, I went in for elective surgery, and it was sky high for me (155/90 or so) but I was extremely nervous and they’d just had a heck of a time trying to get the IV in my tiny dehydrated veins. So, everyone ignored it. Got it checked last week, and it was high- 146/86. But, once again, it was right before my GYN appointment (and I HATE HATE HATE those) so some of it was likely due to nervousness.

Planning to keep an eye on it over the next few weeks. I’ve got a full physical scheduled in 2 weeks, and have a long list of blood tests to have run. I’ll be buying a home BP monitor here soon, so I can have a daily or 2x daily tracking of my BP prior to that appointment. Would have been nice to have had that when I felt bad- perhaps I’d have seen that it was getting high (or low).