A sugar headache can occur whenblood sugar is too high, like after overeating candy.
These headaches commonly affect individuals withdiabetes, but they can also occur in people without the condition.
Regulating your blood sugar can help prevent these and other symptoms.
Verywell / Joules Garcia
However, if you have severe or long-lastingsugar-related headaches, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider.
This article discusses how high and low blood sugar levels might cause headaches and other symptoms.
It also offers some tips for how to prevent dangerous changes in blood sugar levels.
Verywell / Joules Garcia
Hypoglycemia
Fluctuations in sugar levels cause changes in hormone levels.
Specific hormones that can be affected includeepinephrineand norepinephrine.
These headaches can last for a few hours up to a few days.
It can also be referred to as insulin shock or an insulin reaction.
When there is insufficient food to turn into glucose, blood sugar levels drop.
Timing of insulin based on whether your carbs are from liquids or solids can also affect blood sugar levels.
Liquids are absorbed much faster than solids.
The meal’s compositionhow much fat, protein, and fiber are presentcan also affect the absorption of carbohydrates.
Those with eating disorders and those following a fasting diet are more susceptible to hypoglycemia.
Tha’s because a healthy diet can help mitigate certain chronic diseases that can lead to these conditions.
Binge Drinking
Heavy alcohol consumption can interfere with blood glucose levels because of its effects on insulin.
When a person binge drinks, the body’s process of releasing insulin becomes inhibited.
Reaction to Medications
Hypoglycemia can also occur in reaction to certain medications.
People who do not have diabetes but are taking diabetes medication may also develop hypoglycemia.
Hormone Deficiencies
Hormones play a vital role in glucose levels within the body, specificallycortisol.
When cortisol levels are imbalanced, they cannot help with these processes.
The pain is typically dull and throbbing.
When Should I Call a Healthcare Provider About My Blood Sugar Levels?
You should also see a healthcare provider if you have symptoms of diabetes such as excessive drinking and urinating.
This pops up if too much sugar is eaten all at once.
When this happens, the sudden decrease in blood sugar causes hypoglycemia.
The jot down of headache associated with a sugar crash resembles a typical hypoglycemic headache.
The headache will likely be dull and throbbing in the temple area of the head.
How Much Sugar is Too Much?
When a person consumes too much sugar regularly, dopamine levels become disrupted.
Sugar is considered to be an addictive substance because of how it affects these levels.
If the reduction in sugar is drastic, it can lead to a migraine-bang out headache.
Other withdrawal symptoms can include:
This occurs on the first day of a new sugar-free diet.
Research has shown many parallels between sugar addiction and drug addiction.
They affect the brain’s neurochemistry similarly; therefore, sugar addiction is just as real as drug addiction.
see to it you have access to snacks containing 15 mg of carbohydrate in case your blood sugar drops.
attempt to maintain a healthy weight and get plenty of daily exercise.
Summary
Changes in your blood sugar levels can cause headaches.
Headaches can occur if your blood sugar levels are too high or too low.
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