How Blood Sugar Spikes Cause Energy Crashes

When you eat high-glycemic foods, blood glucose rises rapidly, triggering a large insulin response. Insulin drives glucose into cells quickly, sometimes too quickly, causing blood sugar to drop below normal levels. This reactive hypoglycemia causes fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and intense carbohydrate cravings approximately 2-3 hours after eating. The solution is to combine carbohydrates with protein and fat, which slows glucose absorption and produces a gentler, more sustained energy curve.