This website is dedicated to helping people understand what hypoglycemia is, how it relates to other conditions (in particular diabetes, food allergies and mental illness), and how it can be treated.

Contained within you will find information about the Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia (HHAA, a non-profit charitable organisation formed in 1985), our newsletters (published three times a year), recipes to suit a hypoglycemic diet, and public meetings/support groups held by the Association at which experts give lectures on topics related to hypoglycemia or other nutritional disorders.

What does hypoglycemia mean?

Hypoglycemia literally means “low blood sugar”. A person who suffers from hypoglycemia may experience a high blood sugar “spike” after ingesting sugar or caffeine (or some prescription or illegal drugs), and then a subsequent “low” around two hours later (this time can vary from person to person). During the “low”, the brain is not receiving enough energy to function correctly and this affects energy and mood (and lead to more serious long term problems such as anxiety, fatigue and depression). A key symptom of hypoglycemia is quite often disturbed sleep, typically occurring between 2am and 3am, when the blood sugar drops too low and the adrenal reaction to bring the blood sugar level back to normal causes the person to wake.

The link between hypoglycemia and other conditions

Hypoglycemia is also a precursor to diabetes and some mental illnesses, and may be responsible for low energy periods during the day (as are food allergies and intolerances/sensitivities). Food allergies or sensitivities and candidiasis (thrush, tinea etc) are often associated with hypoglycemia.