Hello probonopublico!
It's a pleasure to finally answer a question posted by such an
esteemed GA questioner such as yourself.
1) "Can Folks have a Sugar Deficiency that could cause lack of energy?"
It's near to impossible for anyone who eats regular meals to have a
"sugar deficiency". Not only is sugar (glucose) found in many of the
foods we eat, but many of the foods we eat are converted into glucose
after they are ingested. However, with that said, it is possible to
have "low blood sugar" (hypoglycemia), and taking glucose tablets
would certainly make you feel better when your blood sugar is low.
Your friend's friend should pay a visit to his family physician and
have his Blood Glucose levels measured. If taking glucose tablets have
made him feel better, chances are he's a bit hypoglycemic, and making
adjustments to his diet would be preferred to relying on glucose
tablets (which are "quick sugar" solutions, useful in emergencies).
Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar):
"Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar. It occurs when the level of sugar,
or glucose, in the blood drops too low to fuel the body."
http://yalenewhavenhealth.org/library/healthguide/IllnessConditions/topic.asp?hwid=rt1055
Blood Glucose: Test Overview:
http://yalenewhavenhealth.org/library/healthguide/IllnessConditions/topic.asp?hwid=hw8252
The low blood sugar blues: get the lowdown on this controversial condition.
Vegetarian Times, Sept, 1996, by Lauri M. Aesoph
"Whenever you eat a carbohydrate--be it simple (the sugar in a cookie,
for example) or complex (like a slice of whole wheat bread)--it's
broken down during digestion into small sugar molecules, the most
common being glucose."
"* Eat five or six small meals a day every two to three hours.
* Include a small amount of protein with each mini-meal...
* Eliminate refined carbohydrates and sugars from your diet,
including "natural" sweeteners...
* Stick with complex carbohydrates, emphasizing whole grains,
vegetables and legumes...
* Keep fruits to a minimum or eat them with other foods...
* Reduce stress; exercise is an excellent tension tamer.
* Consider strengthening your adrenal glands with foods rich in
pantothenic acid (found in whole grains, legumes, sweet potatoes and
broccoli), vitamin C (citrus fruits), magnesium and zinc...
* Carry food to avert a hypoglycemic episode..."
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0820/n229/18612467/p1/article.jhtml?term=reactive+hypoglycemia
Sugar:
http://www.survivediabetes.com/sugar.htm
Quick-sugar foods:
http://yalenewhavenhealth.org/library/healthguide/IllnessConditions/topic.asp?hwid=aa20698
What is Hypoglycemia?:
http://www.hypoglycemia.org/hypo.asp
Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar):
http://www.egregore.com/diseases/hypoglycemia.html
BOOK LIST about Hypoglycemia:
http://lightning.prohosting.com/~hypoglyc/booklist.htm
EMERGENCY CARE for low blood sugar for people who are not taking
insulin injections:
http://yalenewhavenhealth.org/library/healthguide/IllnessConditions/topic.asp?hwid=aa20743
LINKS: Hypoglycemia Pages:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tribalsun/hypo/hypopages.html
LINKS: Hypoglycemia Sites:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tribalsun/hypo/hyposites.html
LINKS: Nutrition:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tribalsun/hypo/nutrition.html
2) "And, if taking Glucose solves the energy thing, could this cause
other problems?"
Hypoglycemia can develop into diabetes if one is not careful.
The Sugar Paradox:
"The brain depends on glucose as its only source of fuel. Therefore,
the first signs of low blood sugar appear in brain function:
headaches, mental sluggishness, drowsiness, mood swings, irritability,
jitteriness or hyperactivity. The patient may feel lightheaded and
fatigued. These symptoms often trigger a sugar craving for the
hypoglycemic patient to raise the brain's glucose level. However,
consuming more sugar or starchy foods closes the loop of a vicious
cycle. Once the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin after years of
abuse from highly refined carbohydrates, hypoglycemia often develops
into diabetes."
"The physician should encourage the patient to limit or eliminate the
consumption of refined sugars and grains, as well as alcohol. The
patient also should eliminate fruits at first because of the high
fructose content. Later he may add a piece of fruit per day as his
blood sugar stays under control. Eating a healthy variety of whole
foods slows the uptake of glucose into the blood."
http://www.nutrimed.com/SUGAR.HTM
I hope I've been able to shed some light on this health issue for you,
but if you have any questions, please post a clarification request
before closing/rating my answer, I will be happy to respond.
Thank you,
hummer
Google Search Terms Used:
"Sugar Deficiency"
hypoglycemia |
