International Diabetes Center > Diabetes Self-care > Low Blood Glucose

Low blood glucose

It is normal for your blood glucose (sugar) level to go up and down throughout the day. It goes up when you eat. It goes down as your body uses glucose for energy.

When your blood glucose level is below target, you experience low blood glucose, called hypoglycemia. Typically, low blood glucose is a level below 70 mg/dL, but this can vary from one person to the next. Ask your health care provider what level is safe for you.

Routine 15

Keep it simple. Follow "Routine 15" to treat low blood glucose.

• When you feel symptoms of a low, do a self-test.
• If your number is too low, eat or drink 15 grams of carbohydrate.
• Wait 15 minutes. Do another self-test.
• If your number is still too low, eat or drink another 15 grams of carbohydrate.
• Wait 15 minutes. Test again. If necessary, eat or drink another 15 grams of carbohydrate.
• If your blood glucose remains too low after three treatments, call your health care provider or call 911.

Left untreated, low blood glucose can be dangerous. Always carry some type of carbohydrate with you, particularly when you are driving. Symptoms of low blood glucose include:

• feeling weak, shaky or light-headed
• having sweaty or clammy skin
• feeling or acting crabby or confused
• having a fast heartbeat
• having numb or tingling lips

Whenever you feel symptoms, test your blood glucose level right away. If it is below target, you need to eat or drink a carbohydrate food to bring it back up. If you cannot test, and you feel that your blood glucose is low, eat something anyway.

• Severe low blood glucose
• Carbohydrates and low blood glucose