The most common of all hypoglycemias is called functional reactive hypoglycemia. When complex carbohydrates are eaten, the body breaks them down gradually and the basic sugars resulting from this process are slowly released into the bloodstream. In the bloodstream, these sugars circulate as energy for the brain and body organs. The brain alone will utilize up to 80% of the circulating blood sugar. However, when simple carbohydrates, like refined sugar and flour products are consumed habitually, the body quickly digests them and then floods the bloodstream with glucose. The pancreatic beta cells must respond again and again to this excessive level of blood sugar in order to bring the sugar into the body’s cells.

Excess sugar in the bloodstream is stored in three locations. In the liver, it is stored as glycogen; in the fat cells. it is converted to adipose; and in the muscles, it is converted to muscle glycogen. When this happens, the blood sugar levels drop severely, and that information is fed back to the hypothalamus, pituitary, and thyroid glands. During this time. the symptoms of hypoglycemia become apparent, as discussed below. These glands then communicate to the liver that the stored glycogen must be changed back into sugar and released into the bloodstream to raise the blood sugar levels.