Idiopathic postprandial syndrome
Encyclopedia
Idiopathic postprandial syndrome (literally, “a syndrome that occurs two to four hours after a meal and whose cause is unknown or poorly understood”) is a medical term describing a collection of symptoms popularly attributed to hypoglycemia
but without demonstrably low blood glucose
levels.
People with this condition suffer from recurrent episodes of altered mood and cognitive efficiency, often accompanied by weakness and adrenergic
symptoms such as shakiness. The episodes typically occur a few hours after a meal, rather than after many hours of fasting. The principal treatments recommended are extra small meals or snacks and avoidance of excessive simple sugars.
The term idiopathic postprandial syndrome was coined around 1980 in an attempt to reserve the term hypoglycemia for those conditions in which low glucose levels could be demonstrated. It was offered as a less confusing alternative to functional hypoglycemia and as a less pejorative alternative to "nonhypoglycemia" or "pseudohypoglycemia."
The syndrome resembles reactive hypoglycemia
except that low glucoses are not found at the time of symptoms.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia or hypoglycæmia is the medical term for a state produced by a lower than normal level of blood glucose. The term literally means "under-sweet blood"...
but without demonstrably low blood glucose
Blood sugar
The blood sugar concentration or blood glucose level is the amount of glucose present in the blood of a human or animal. Normally in mammals, the body maintains the blood glucose level at a reference range between about 3.6 and 5.8 mM , or 64.8 and 104.4 mg/dL...
levels.
People with this condition suffer from recurrent episodes of altered mood and cognitive efficiency, often accompanied by weakness and adrenergic
Adrenergic
An adrenergic agent is a drug, or other substance, which has effects similar to, or the same as, epinephrine . Thus, it is a kind of sympathomimetic agent...
symptoms such as shakiness. The episodes typically occur a few hours after a meal, rather than after many hours of fasting. The principal treatments recommended are extra small meals or snacks and avoidance of excessive simple sugars.
The term idiopathic postprandial syndrome was coined around 1980 in an attempt to reserve the term hypoglycemia for those conditions in which low glucose levels could be demonstrated. It was offered as a less confusing alternative to functional hypoglycemia and as a less pejorative alternative to "nonhypoglycemia" or "pseudohypoglycemia."
The syndrome resembles reactive hypoglycemia
Reactive hypoglycemia
Reactive hypoglycemia, or postprandial hypoglycemia, is a medical term describing recurrent episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia occurring within 4 hours after a high carbohydrate meal in people who do not have diabetes...
except that low glucoses are not found at the time of symptoms.
Adrenergic Postprandial Syndrome
There is some evidence of the existence of a so-called "Adrenergic Postprandial Syndrome": the glycemia is normal, but the symptoms are caused through autonomic adrenergic counterregulation. Often, this syndrome is associated with emotional distress and anxious behaviour of the patient.See also
- Chronic Somogyi reboundChronic Somogyi reboundChronic Somogyi rebound, also called the Somogyi effect and posthypoglycemic hyperglycemia, is a rebounding high blood sugar that is a response to low blood sugar...
(The “Somogyi effect”). - Idiopathic hypoglycemiaIdiopathic hypoglycemiaIdiopathic hypoglycemia is, literally, a medical condition in which the glucose level in the blood is abnormally low due to an undeterminable cause. This is considered an incomplete and unsatisfactory diagnosis by physicians and is rarely used by endocrinologists, as it implies an unfinished...
- Reactive hypoglycemiaReactive hypoglycemiaReactive hypoglycemia, or postprandial hypoglycemia, is a medical term describing recurrent episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia occurring within 4 hours after a high carbohydrate meal in people who do not have diabetes...
- Hypoglycemia (common usage)Hypoglycemia (common usage)In modern Western culture, "hypoglycemia" has taken on a colloquial meaning distinct from the medical condition of that name. Whereas the medical usage is defined by measurable low blood glucose, this common usage is used to describe a condition characterized by shakiness, moodiness, brain fog,...