Ketotic hypoglycemia (KH)
In a healthy person, fuel for brain and cellular metabolism comes primarily from glucose utilization.
When glycogen stores are depleted, the body begins to use fat stores.
Fat burning leads to two fuels for the brain: glucose and ketone bodies.
However, ketones in the blood will lead to nausea and eventually vomiting. This leads to a vicious circle, in which the person will not be able to eat or drink sugar-rich items, which again leads to increased fat burning and ketone body production.
In a patient with KH, glycogen stores are somewhat insufficient. This leads to a decreased fasting tolerance with an earlier onset of fat burning and thus ketone bodies.
In most patients, hypoglycemia is relatively mild and ketone bodies help provide fuel to the brain, preventing loss of consciousness and seizures.
However, in relatively few patients, the condition is more severe, but still without an identified cause despite intensive research on hormones and cellular metabolism. These patients are said to have “idiopathic” KH, or IKH, which simply means KH without any known cause.
Did you know that continued hypoglycemia can cause changes in brain structures?
KH Associations
If you are looking for more information about ketotic hypoglycemia (KH), we recommend that you contact associations and patient groups. These are the associations we know that work for and with KH…
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KH groups
in social networks
KETOTIC HYPOGLYCEMIA INTERNATIONAL FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP
Facebook – English
KETOTIC HYPOGLYCEMIA INTERNATIONAL GROUP FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
Facebook – English
Help us go further
As you see, we have a lot of ideas, dreams and good intentions. Do you lend us a hand? So we will be able to do many more things by and for children suffering from non-diabetic hypoglycemia;) Thanks a million!
You don't know how strong you are
until being strong is the only option.
Bob Marley
Thanks to new technologies we can get information to its destination faster.
At The Hippo House we want to put our two cents so that families can find each other faster.
Feeling supported at the time of diagnosis should be paramount. Facing the “healthy-child grief” alone is very, very difficult.
So, we hope we have helped you on this path you are starting to walk along.
Neurological damage due to continuous hypoglycemia can lead to learning difficulties, seizure disorders, vision problems, etc.
