Why do hands shake when hungry?

Generally speaking, shaking hands when hungry may be caused by factors such as decreased blood glucose, sympathetic nerve excitation, hypoglycemia, hyperthyroidism, or essential tremor. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly, identify the underlying cause, and receive symptomatic treatment under a doctor's guidance. The specific analysis is as follows:

1. Decreased blood glucose: When hungry, excessive glucose consumption in the body leads to a drop in blood sugar levels. This insufficient energy supply to the brain stimulates nerve excitement, causing hand tremors accompanied by palpitations and sweating. Symptoms can be quickly relieved after eating. Carry sugary foods such as candies or chocolates to consume promptly when hungry, rapidly increasing blood sugar levels and avoiding worsening tremors. Maintain regular meals daily and avoid prolonged fasting.

2. Sympathetic nerve excitation: Hunger places the body in a state of stress, stimulating sympathetic nerve activity and releasing hormones like adrenaline, which accelerate heart rate and muscle tension, leading to hand tremors accompanied by tachycardia and dizziness. This is a compensatory response of the body. Eat slowly when hungry to avoid overeating, and rest appropriately after eating to calm the sympathetic nervous system; the tremors will gradually subside.

3. Hypoglycemia: Blood glucose levels fall below normal, and symptoms worsen when hungry. Besides hand tremors, symptoms include confusion, sweating, fatigue, and severe cases may result in coma. This commonly occurs in diabetic patients due to improper medication use or insufficient food intake. Patients should immediately take oral glucose solution or sugary drinks to rapidly raise blood sugar levels. Diabetic patients should adjust medication dosages and follow medical advice to use medications such as gliclazide tablets, insulin injection, or metformin hydrochloride tablets to stabilize blood glucose and prevent hypoglycemic episodes.

4. Hyperthyroidism: Excessive secretion of thyroid hormones accelerates body metabolism. Metabolic disturbances worsen during hunger, increasing neuromuscular excitability, resulting in hand tremors accompanied by heat intolerance, excessive sweating, weight loss, and frequent hunger. Patients should avoid excessive fatigue and supplement with high-calorie, high-protein foods. Follow medical advice to use medications such as methimazole tablets, propylthiouracil tablets, or propranolol tablets to inhibit thyroid hormone synthesis and alleviate hand tremors.

5. Essential tremor: The cause is unknown. During hunger, insufficient body energy exacerbates tremor symptoms, manifesting as involuntary hand shaking, more noticeable during activity and lessening at rest. Symptoms worsen with emotional tension. Patients should maintain regular meals and avoid prolonged fasting. Reduce intake of stimulants like coffee and strong tea. When tremors are evident, follow medical advice to use medications such as propranolol tablets, alprenolol tablets, or primidone tablets to reduce tremors and improve symptoms.

Maintain regular meals daily, avoid excessive dieting or long periods without eating, and appropriately increase carbohydrate intake such as rice and noodles to maintain stable blood glucose levels. Carry snacks like biscuits or nuts to promptly replenish energy when hungry and prevent hand tremors. Engage in appropriate physical exercise to enhance physical fitness, improve the body's ability to regulate blood sugar fluctuations, and reduce discomfort during hunger.