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Low Blood Sugar: Signs to Know and Supplements That Can Add to the Risk
For many people with diabetes, low blood sugar means below 70 mg/dL. Signs include shakiness, sweating, hunger, dizziness, confusion and a fast heartbeat (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose). Insulin, sulfonylureas and meglitinides can cause lows. Some supplement ingredients, including chromium, ginseng, gymnema and African mango, may add to those drugs, so talk to your doctor first.
Written by the Olivaro editorial teamUpdated · 9 min read
The basics
What counts as low blood sugar?
For many people with diabetes, low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, is a reading below 70 mg/dL. That cutoff comes from NIDDK (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose). Your doctor may set a different target for you.
Low blood sugar mostly affects people who take certain diabetes medicines. The body needs glucose for fuel, and the brain is quick to notice a shortage. That is why a low can feel sudden and confusing.
Lows are common enough that every person on insulin or a sulfonylurea should know the signs. So should the people they live with. A partner or friend may spot the confusion before you do.
Symptoms
What are the signs of low blood sugar?
Early signs are shakiness, sweating, hunger, dizziness, confusion and a racing heartbeat. Severe lows can cause seizures or loss of consciousness (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose).
| How it shows up | Signs | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Shakiness, sweating, fast heartbeat | Check your blood sugar if you can |
| Appetite | Sudden hunger | Can be easy to mistake for a normal snack craving |
| Thinking | Dizziness, confusion | Treat promptly; ask for help if needed |
| Severe | Seizures, loss of consciousness | An emergency: others must call for help |
Some of these signs overlap with too much caffeine, such as a racing heart or jitters (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?). If you take a product with guarana or green tea, check your meter rather than guess.
What to do
How do you treat a low blood sugar?
NIDDK describes a simple pattern: take 15 to 20 grams of fast carbohydrate, then recheck your blood sugar in 15 minutes (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose). Many people call this the "15-15" approach.
Repeat the check until your number is back in your target range. Your care team can tell you which fast carbohydrate sources to keep on hand and what to do after the low passes. Write the plan down and keep it with your meter.
Someone who is confused, cannot swallow safely or has passed out needs emergency help right away. Do not put food or liquid in the mouth of a person who cannot swallow.
Each low is also useful information. Note the time, what you ate, your activity and any new pills or supplements. Patterns help your doctor adjust your plan.
Medicines
Which diabetes medicines can lead to low blood sugar?
Insulin, sulfonylureas and meglitinides are the main medicines that can cause lows, according to NIDDK (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose). They push blood sugar down no matter what you ate.
- Insulin: any type, by injection or pump.
- Sulfonylureas: pills that make the pancreas release more insulin.
- Meglitinides: short-acting pills taken with meals.
If you are not sure which group your medicine is in, ask your pharmacist. That one question tells you how closely to watch for lows when anything else in your routine changes, including a new supplement.
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Which supplement ingredients can add to diabetes drugs?
Several common ingredients may add to the effect of diabetes medicine. The American Diabetes Association warns that some supplements can cause low blood glucose when combined with diabetes drugs (ADA, Vitamins & Supplements). Four of them appear on the Olivaro label.
| Ingredient | What the source says | Amount in Olivaro |
|---|---|---|
| Chromium | May add to insulin and other diabetes drugs (NIH ODS, Chromium) | 0.7 mcg per dropper |
| Panax ginseng | Might lower blood sugar; ask a provider if you have diabetes (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng) | Not published |
| Gymnema | Studied for fasting glucose; small effect (Drugs.com, Gymnema monograph) | Not published |
| African mango | Caution with diabetes drugs, from rat data (MSKCC, Irvingia gabonensis (African mango)) | Not published |
The amounts in Olivaro are likely small. The blend is only 200 mg per dropper, shared by 22 ingredients. But small is not zero, and nobody has tested the combination with diabetes drugs. Read more on our ginseng page and African mango page.
Quick check
Should you ask your doctor before trying Olivaro?
If you answer yes to the medicine questions below, the answer is yes. The checklist covers age, diabetes medicine, heart and blood pressure drugs, mood and thyroid drugs, and caffeine.
The checklist takes under a minute. It is not medical advice, but it helps you decide what to ask at your next visit. Our who it's for page covers each group in more detail.
Next step
What should you ask your doctor about supplements?
Bring the bottle and ask whether it fits your medicines. Talk to your doctor before you change any diabetes medicine, and never lower a dose because you started a supplement.
Show the full label
Point out the blend and the four ingredients in the table above.
Ask about checking more often
Ask if you should test more often for the first few weeks.
Agree on a stop rule
Decide ahead of time what readings mean you should stop and call.
Olivaro contains xylitol. Xylitol can drop a dog's blood sugar fast and dangerously, within 10 to 60 minutes (FDA, Paws Off Xylitol). It does not trigger the same insulin release in people.
Our supplements and diabetes medicine guide lists more questions. We are the U.S. stocking partner for Olivaro and earn money on orders, and we would rather you check first.
FAQ
Low blood sugar questions
What blood sugar level is too low?
For many people with diabetes, a reading below 70 mg/dL is low, according to NIDDK (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose). Your doctor may set a different number for you. Severe lows can cause seizures or loss of consciousness, so know your personal target and your plan.
What are the first signs of low blood sugar?
Early signs often include shakiness, sweating, hunger, dizziness, confusion and a fast heartbeat (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose). Not everyone feels the same signs. If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea and feel any of them, check your blood sugar if you can and follow your plan.
What is the 15-15 rule for low blood sugar?
It is a common name for the approach NIDDK describes: take 15 to 20 grams of fast carbohydrate, then recheck your blood sugar in 15 minutes (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose). Repeat as needed. Ask your care team which sources to carry and how to adjust the plan for you.
Can supplements cause low blood sugar?
Some can when combined with diabetes drugs. The ADA warns that some supplements can cause low blood glucose alongside diabetes medicine (ADA, Vitamins & Supplements). Chromium, ginseng, gymnema and African mango are examples. Tell your doctor about every supplement you take or plan to start.
Is Olivaro safe for diabetics?
Ask your doctor first. Olivaro is not a diabetes medicine; it is a dietary supplement. Its blend lists chromium, ginseng, gymnema and African mango, which may add to diabetes drugs. The label also says people with a known medical condition should consult a physician before use.
Can I take Olivaro with insulin?
Only after you talk to your doctor. Insulin can cause lows on its own, and some Olivaro ingredients may add to its effect (NIH ODS, Chromium). Your doctor may ask you to test more often at first. Never change your insulin dose on your own.
Which diabetes medicines cause low blood sugar?
Insulin, sulfonylureas and meglitinides are the main ones, according to NIDDK (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose). If you are not sure which group your medicine belongs to, ask your pharmacist. Knowing this tells you how carefully to watch for lows when you add anything new.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the label, the sales page and linked public health sources.
Page updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. stocking partner, not by the manufacturer. Purchases through our order links earn us money.
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