4 symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders caused by excessive blood sugar
Despite some of its benefits, sugar is generally considered to be bad for one’s gastrointestinal health. Excessive sugar consumption causes a host of serious health conditions for people such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and stool-related issues. Sugar tends to affect a person’s gut particularly badly, in case the consumption levels are high. An individual with high blood sugar will experience certain symptoms indicative of serious gastrointestinal disorders. Four such common symptoms are discussed below.
Gas
When one consumes excessive sugar, it cannot be broken down by the digestive system. As a result, the sugar is not absorbed by the body and it sits and ferments in an individual’s bowels. Additionally, the sugar moves slowly through one’s large intestine. This results in the festering of bad bacteria and yeast in the bowels and lower intestinal areas, causing a build-up of gas. Generally, gas is accompanied by acute abdomen pain, spasms, and cramping in those with high blood sugar levels.
Vomiting
Hyperglycemia, the medical term for high blood sugar, often happens when an individual’s body is either not producing enough insulin or the body cannot use this insulin properly. This results in gastrointestinal disease symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Apart from those, frequent urination is also experienced by individuals with high blood sugar due to this mechanism.
Bloating
Normally, the large intestine is responsible to absorb the excessive water that comes into the digestive tract when one consumes their meals. Sugar tends to draw water close to it and absorb it in the large intestine. Since sugar moves slowly, this water is stuck in the gastrointestinal region for longer periods. This causes a sensation of bloating and heaviness in one’s abdomen.
Diarrhea
When a person has a high level of sugar in their blood, it tends to put out water and electrolytes. These elements, in turn, loosen one’s bowels and cause them to have more diarrhea than normal.
If individuals experience any of these symptoms, they must visit a healthcare expert for a checkup immediately and also limit their sugar intake.