What is the lowest blood sugar limit for the brain not to be permanently damaged? Can the body always handle these by itself, if they are ‘gentle’? I have recently read that these lows at night have been linked to children dying of heart failure due to the low blood sugar. What is the blood sugar limit for the heart to work as a muscle?

For obvious reasons the tolerable limits of blood glucose have not been tested in man; but a number of studies in laboratory animals have suggested that any sustained level below 20mg/dl will almost certainly produce permanent brain damage and that levels between 20�mg/dl and 40�mg/dl imply a considerable risk. The proper management of hypoglycemia is of course prevention and consists initially in developing a profile of blood sugars throughout the 24 hours, giving especial regard to the effects of stress, of exercise and dietary variation, something that the GlucoWatch will help with when it is available. Based upon this information and with the help of your diabetes team, it should be possible to plan a regimen for good control without risking serious hypoglycemia. You might even consider using a insulin pump with Humalog insulin as an additional protection.

DOB