The cause of a rare and severe form of hypoglycaemia – or very low levels of sugar in the blood – is genetic, say researchers.
The life-threatening condition means the body does not have enough energy to function.
Scientists at the University of Cambridge say mutations in the AKT2 gene are to blame.
Writing in the journal Science, they say there are already cancer drugs which target a similar process.
Hypoglycaemia can be caused by a disruption in the balance between the hormone insulin and sugar. Insulin lowers the level of sugar in the blood.
The condition is commonly associated with Type 1 diabetes, when the patients inject too much insulin, miss a meal or drink alcohol.
