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Originally Posted by Oradev  Does anyone know if any scientific evidence exists that supports the "death by hypoglycemia" theory? (Insulin shock) ... |
The short answer is that death is extremely unlikely. The often -quoted anecdotal reports of this happening are mostly urban myths.
The liver will always come to the rescue if blood glucose drops too low. It does this every night in normal people. When you haven't eaten for a while, glucose requirements are sourced from the liver. Death would only occur if the liver glycogen reserves of the person having the hypo were depleted. This wouldn't happen to a healthy person. Glycogen reserves are continually being topped up. You don't even need to eat carbohydrate for this to happen. The liver makes its own glucose if necessary through gluconeogenesis.
You really shouldn't get too tense about the consequences of a hypo. You liver will pull you out a hypo before it becomes life threatening. Unless of course if you Glycogen Storage Disease, in which case you could be in big trouble.
