what causes low blood sugar

Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, occurs when the level of glucose in the blood drops below the normal range. There are several reasons why this can happen. The most common cause is a side effect of medications used to treat diabetes. For people without diabetes, hypoglycemia can be caused by taking someone else's oral diabetes medication accidentally or by other medications, especially in children or people with kidney failure. Other causes include not eating enough carbs for the amount of insulin taken, the timing of insulin intake, the amount and timing of physical activity, drinking alcohol, and various medical conditions such as liver disease, kidney disease, and hormone deficiencies. In people with diabetes, hypoglycemia can also occur if they eat less than usual after taking their regular dose of diabetes medication, or if they exercise more than they typically do