Reactive Hypoglycemia Associated with Mild Adrenal Dysfunction, So-called Adrenal Fatigue

Abstract

We here described a case of a 38-year-old woman who was referred to our hospital for general malaise, slight fever, and palpitations after a meal for the past several years. She became hungry at approximately 3:00 or 4:00 p.m. every day, and simultaneously felt the urge to eat something sweet. During a five-hour 75g OGTT test, her blood glucose level dropped sharply twice (79 mg/dL at 60 min and 76 mg/dL at 300 min) due to the excessive secretion of insulin (29.9μU/mL at 30 min and 43.1μU/mL at 120 min). She was diagnosed with a mild adrenal insufficiency due to a decrease in her serum cortisol value in the early morning and an insufficient response to the rapid ACTH stress test. We speculated that the reactive hypoglycemic symptoms observed in this patient may have developed due to the inadequate secretion of serum cortisol as a counter-regulation against insulin, which resulted in a relative excess of serum insulin after a meal. Her clinical manifestations and laboratory data were similar to a state called adrenal fatigue. Since the presentation of mild adrenal insufficiency is often insidious and difficult to recognize, careful examinations are required to prevent a delay in diagnosing this condition. We here described an educative case of reactive hypoglycemia associated with so-called adrenal fatigue, and recommended a thorough examination.