Blood sugar spikes: Causes and prevention

If you’ve ever experienced a quick rise and then crash after eating sugary foods, you have a basic understanding of glucose spikes. However, the acute effects of a momentary spike in blood sugar are minor compared to the potential cumulative damage of chronic or ongoing spikes in blood glucose. hormonal balance and overall health.

And while we mostly hear about blood sugar dysregulation in connection with heart disease and diabetes, it can also have a big impact on otherwise healthy people.

Maybe your last physical exam and blood tests showed that your heart and metabolism look great. You may have experienced some occasional or annoying mood swings, weight fluctuations, or lethargy with no clear culprit.

Regardless of your medical condition, monitoring your blood sugar—and minimizing blood glucose fluctuations—is an important tactic for health and promoting hormonal balance. Wondering what causes blood sugar spikes and why they can be harmful? Here’s what you need to know.

What is a glucose spike?

A glucose spike refers to the release of sugar into the bloodstream in amounts that exceed the normal range. The process involves two primary players:

• Glucose: The the simplest of sugarsglucose (aka blood sugar) is the body’s main source of energy from food. The word is derived from the Greek word glucosemeaning “sweet wine”.
• Insulin: This hormone, produced by the pancreas, directs the body—especially cells in the muscles and liver—to take up glucose. Its function is to help convert food into energy.

When large amounts of carbohydrates eaten at once are quickly digested and broken down into glucose and then absorbed, blood sugar levels can rise.

“This usually happens after a meal, especially when eating food high in sugar and carbohydrates,” says the registered dietitian. Kimberley WiemannMS, RDN.

Why are glucose spikes harmful?

Under normal circumstances, postprandial (after a meal) rise in blood sugar is routine and temporary. However, over time, chronically high blood sugar fluctuations can cause major disruption to the body’s essential systems.

“Spikes in blood sugar can lead to drops insulin sensitivitywhich can disrupt hormonal balance, including estrogen,” he states Nicole Levine, MDa doctor from California.

Decreased insulin sensitivity occurs when the pancreas produces more and more insulin to encourage reluctant cells to absorb glucose. If these cells don’t respond proportionately—perhaps because they’re already oversaturated with glucose—sugar can build up in the bloodstream.

Accumulated glucose can be stored as fat, which is where small amounts of estrogen are made. More fat in this case can disrupt estrogen levels.

“Research shows that insulin resistance caused by high blood sugar alters estrogen metabolism and disrupts hormonal balance,” says Levine.

Symptoms of high blood sugar

Chances are you’ve experienced a sugar rush. “Some common symptoms of a blood sugar spike are increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurred vision, headaches, irritability, and intense hunger,” says Levine.

However, over time, chronic fluctuations in blood sugar levels, along with daily stress and lack of physical activity, can create hormonal imbalances. This can lead to symptoms including:

• Mood swings
• Brain fog
• Gaining weight
• Sleep problems
• Slowed metabolism
• Decreased desire for sex
• PMS
• Desires
• Hot flushes
• Night sweats
• Bloating/Gas
• Acne

If you think you are experiencing the effects of high blood sugar, seek medical attention.

What causes blood sugar swings?

Normally, when carbohydrates enter the body, glucose levels rise temporarily (to about one to two hours). The food is then converted into energy and blood sugar levels return to baseline.

“It’s natural for blood sugar levels to rise and fall throughout the day, with increases usually occurring with each meal,” she says Dr. Candice Seti, certified personal trainer and clinical psychologist who specializes in eating disorders.

But some triggers can cause spikes in blood sugar.

1. Simple carbohydrates

Consider how a match burns versus how a log burns.

Eating carbohydrates in their simplest form will speed up their digestion—a short burst of energy—and thus a faster (and sharper) rise in blood sugar.

“White rice, pasta and processed foods is more likely to cause a spike in blood sugar than healthy carbohydrates like whole grain breads and cereals,” says Seti. Of course, candy, soda, and other sweet, highly-glycemic treats can also raise glucose levels.

However, more complex and fibrous carbohydrateslike those in whole fruits, vegetables and grains, they digest more slowly and take longer. This gives them slower absorption and a flatter insulin curve after a meal, as opposed to a curve that is spiky.

2. Stress

In response to stress, the adrenal glands release cortisol. This hormone directs the body to release glucose stored in the liver so it has the energy to fend off a perceived threat, whether it’s a charging lion or an impending deadline.

But the body does not distinguish between them. So if you’re in a constant state of duress, it’s going to release a constant stream of cortisol—and by extension, blood sugar—in response.

And because excess glucose is often converted to fat – and some of the body’s estrogen it arises in adipose tissue — high levels of stress can disrupt estrogen levels over time. High levels of estrogen can increase cortisol levels in the blood, causing increased reactivity to stress and further perpetuating the cycle.

3. Insufficient sleep

Sleep duration, quality and consistency have everything was found directly affect insulin sensitivity.

“Disrupting your sleep cycle can make it harder for the body to use insulin effectively,” says Seti.

Although more studies are needed, researchers have found a number of possible contributors to reduced insulin sensitivity due to insufficient sleep. Elevated inflammatory markers and biomarkers, disruption of circadian rhythms, excessive light exposure, and elevated cortisol levels were observed in the test subjects.

4. Dehydration

The total volume of your blood consists largely of water. If you don’t drink enough of it, the proportion of blood volume that is water decreases and the proportion of glucose is comparatively higher.

Dehydration as a result can concentrate the amount of glucose in the blood. He can too affect hormones which affect blood sugar regulation.

5. Skipping breakfast

Add to the list of reasons to make a living first thing in the morning proper blood sugar regulation for the rest of the day.

“Waiting until noon to have your first bite can spike your blood sugar.” after lunch and dinner” says Seti.

Scientists are still hypothesizing the reasons why, but they found that skipping breakfast prompts the liver to resist insulin while increasing glucose production. As a result, they observed increased post-lunch blood sugar levels in those who skipped breakfast compared to those who didn’t.

How to reduce blood sugar fluctuations

There are a number of lifestyle adjustments you can make to reduce glucose spikes.

Of course, some symptoms are more severe than others. If you are concerned about how your body processes blood sugar, you should consult your doctor.

Diet

Trying to prevent glucose fluctuations starts with a healthy and well-rounded diet. And that’s where it starts limiting added sugar and healing the types of carbohydrates you choose for energy.

Remember: Simple carbohydrates burns quickly and can cause blood glucose to spike and crash. Complex carbohydrates and fiber digests more slowly, keeping postprandial blood sugar levels more stable and providing a more consistent source of energy.

Combining macros also helps.

“When consuming carbohydrates, it is important to have a source of protein, fat, or fiber along with it,” says Wiemann. “This can help slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, preventing blood sugar from spiking.”

Levine agrees: “You can prevent blood sugar spikes stay hydrated and eat balanced meals with fiber and protein.”

Exercises

Incorporating exercise into your routine is also key to helping reduce blood sugar fluctuations, both in the long term and in the immediate term.

“Regular physical activity helps stabilize blood glucose levels overall improving insulin sensitivityLevine says.

This is because the more demands you place on your body, the more responsive it will be to the blood sugar needed to meet those demands. And the more muscle you build, the more tissue you’ll have by which it absorbs circulating blood sugar.

Plus, exercising after a meal can have immediate benefits.

“Participating in some physical activity shortly after eating can help reduce spikes in blood sugarWiemann says. “Exercise encourages the body to pull sugar from the bloodstream into the muscles for energy.”

Sleep

Scientists have found out that sleep duration, quality and timing have a significant effect on blood sugar levels, which already naturally rises in the final hours of sleep – a physiological response known as the “dawn phenomenon” – to help wake up.

To ensure that these nocturnal fluctuations begin at a healthy level, studies show that consistent sleep of around seven hours per night is associated with higher insulin sensitivity.

That’s not a license to sleep like a college freshman; getting too many closed eyes puts you at risk again. But adding just one hour unconscious time per night can help improve blood glucose levels and regulation.

Supplementation

A number of vitamins, minerals, herbs and other nutrients have been found to help support normal blood sugar levels and minimize the effects of post-meal glucose fluctuations. Some address dietary deficiencies, while others are difficult to obtain in sufficient amounts from food alone.

Certain compounds, like those found in Belle Vitale Daily Metabolism & Blood Sugar Support, can help improve your body’s natural ability to burn fat, promote a healthy metabolism, and keep blood sugar levels already within a normal range:*

Other supplements can help positively impact blood sugar levels by addressing the role of stress:

These adaptogens, combined with other essential vitamins and minerals in Belle Vitale Daily Hormone & Stress Support, help combat the effects of stress, support healthy cortisol levels, and support healthy hormones.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.