If you have extreme fatigue and diabetes, life can be very difficult. Diabetes contributes to a great deal of metabolic stress and instability, according to Claire Blum, a contributing health professional at Dlife.com. This stress taxes the body’s regulatory system. Therefore diabetes extreme fatigue is not uncommon.
What causes extreme fatigue diabetes symptoms is that the cells of the body are unable to use the sugar in the system for energy. This is because the body either does not have enough insulin to allow the cells to take in the sugar, or the cells are unresponsive to the insulin available. Since the cells cannot access the body’s sugar, it cannot turn it into energy, and the result is extreme fatigue.
In addition, when the body does not get the sugar that it needs it begins breaking down fat and muscle for energy. This is why one of the symptoms of diabetes is weight loss in spite of extreme hunger. The body is desperately trying to get the nutrients that it needs. One quick remedy for both extreme fatigue and diabetes is exercise. Staying active increases your energy levels as well as your endorphin levels (endorphin is the hormone that causes pleasure) so when you exercise you feel great.
Extreme Fatigue after Eating & Diabetes
There are actually a number of reasons why diabetics may feel extremely fatigued after they eat. When diabetes and extreme fatigue occur together, it is most commonly due to low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). Hypoglycemia also causes symptoms such as a tired feeling, loss of focus, confusion, anxiety, dizziness, shakiness, and mood swings. The quick intake of carbohydrates is the best treatment for this. Drink a soda or some juice, or simply get something sweet to eat.
Hyperglycemia or high blood sugar levels may also cause extreme fatigue in diabetes. Eating too many carbs, such as sugar or starch causes your blood sugar (glucose) levels to rise. When there is too much glucose in your blood stream, your body reacts by increasing the insulin levels in your blood. This causes your body to quickly go from having very high blood sugar levels to having very low levels. This sudden drop in blood sugar is one of the major reasons for extreme fatigue and diabetes.
A similar situation happens in type-1 diabetics as well. In type-1 diabetes, insulin is normally taken right before eating. If you take too much insulin, you do not consume enough food, or your system digests slowly, your blood sugar levels will drop and you will feel tired after eating. If this occurs, you may need to speak to your doctor about adjusting your medications.
