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Originally Posted by HappyMomo  Hello everyone, my name is morgan and i have type 1 diabetes. I want to get into muscle building so i started some light weight lifting. My question is do i need to give my self extra shot of insulin before the work out to help the muscles utilizing glucose during and after the work out? Note i do drink a 8oz of carb drink after the work out. Any advise will help thanks |
Generally you do not want to take insulin pre-workout or you risk going low during exercise - YMMV, but most people benefit for having a slightly higher BG level during exercise, especially exercises that deplete ATP stores very quickly like anaerobic exercise. I find my best performance at 130-150 BG level right before my workout, which seems to supply my body with enough glucogen to fuel my workout - typically when you workout your cells become sensitive to insulin - perhaps enough that your basal has some effect - but also it's speculated that other hormones like testosterone and IGF-1(which spike during exercise) actually stimulate the cells like insulin.
Insulin use after your workout is more useful (along with carbs and protein), and (YMMV) is the best time for me.
Please also note that your ratio of units-to-carbs may be significantly different (better) right after exercise.
For example, my ratios are:
Morning - 1:7
Afternoon - (lifting or no lifting) 1:10
Evening - 1:10 (no lifting), 1:15 (lifting)
Also, YMMV, anaerobic exercise seems to have a greater short term effect on insulin sensitivity as compared to aerobic, but aerobic seems to have a longer effect.
I've been experimenting with HiiT every Friday after my evening workout, and the aerobic effect of HiiT seems to cover me for most of the weekend making my insulin usage during the weekend (my off days) much more effective.
