What cause it?

I wish I could get those figures all the time even 5.1 would be fantastic But to answer your question the liver releases sugar into the blood stream especially if you get too low then the liver will dump a load to avoid or fix a hypo.

Pc the effect is called gluconeogenesis, and this form is the Dawn Phenomenon.
It's the reason why you don't actually need to eat any carbohydrates, because your liver can provide all you need.
Hana

I suppose that a liver dump is a natural phenomenon so it is probably harmless but does anyone know what effect it has on the body. I have some weight to lose and wonder if this aids or hinders the process or is it totally irrelevant.
I ask this as I am trying to reduce my carbs to avoid medication for as long as possible and have no desire to shoot myself in the foot by going OTT.

:?

Synonym said:

I suppose that a liver dump is a natural phenomenon so it is probably harmless but does anyone know what effect it has on the body. I have some weight to lose and wonder if this aids or hinders the process or is it totally irrelevant.
I ask this as I am trying to reduce my carbs to avoid medication for as long as possible and have no desire to shoot myself in the foot by going OTT.

:?

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A 'liver dump' or the Dawn Phenomenon is there to help you, your body. It makes sure that you do not drop too low into the hypo zone (anything below 4 mmol/l) by increasing the blood glucose levels so that you have enough energy for the day ahead or any strenuous activities. Without it your 'fuel tank' would run dry and you would physically have trouble functioning properly.

It is a natural process for a Diabetic or non Diabetic alike.

The body does indeed produce glucose (from amino acids) all by itself, as a fuel for a variety of metabolic processes.
There's another way to look at the dawn phenomenon too though. Yes, the body will manufacture glucose, but it will also de-activate insulin in the early morning which will also cause the blood sugar to rise. This, in my view, is a better way to think about what the body is doing to ensure a supply of calories for metabolic fuel first thing in the morning. With low levels of circulating insulin, the body is able to access fatty acids for fuel, which it can't do when insulin levels are raised. Perhaps this makes more sense from an evolutionary perspective. Raising blood sugar may have provided a little fuel for the body before food could be found, but not enough to support strenuous activity for any length of time. Accessible fatty acids however can provide sufficient calories for days or weeks without dietary calories. They are a much more abundant reserve of cellular fuel than glucose in fact.

All the best,

fergus