Marianne is affected by type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes. One day, after injecting herself with too much insulin, she starts to shake and feels confused. Following her doctor's suggestion, she drinks a glass of orange juice, a ready source of glucose, and soon her symptoms subside. What caused her symptoms? How would a glucose-rich snack help?

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, in which the sugar levels in blood remains high for a long period of time. During this condition the beta cells of the pancreas secrete very low amount of insulin. In type 1 insulin dependent diabetes no insulin is produced in the body due to the damage of the beta cells.

The symptoms are caused by the insulin shock. This is because of the fact that when the body receives excess insulin in the condition of diabetes, then it results in increase in concentration of insulin in the blood which affects the functioning of the brain creating a shock like affect.

The glucose rich snack will elevate the levels of the blood sugar and the symptoms will be more severe than above.