Does Exercise Lower BG levels?

SCAPER · #1 (**permalink**) 10-16-2009, 12:59 PM

Just diagnosed recently. So I am new to all this. But because I am monitoring my BG levels so often right now I've noticed that my BG level seems to really go down after exercise. Is that what you all have experienced too? Makes me think maybe I can increase the carbs a little before or after exercise since I am getting some fairly low results (low meaning in the 80s, where I am normally in the 100-140 range most of the rest of the day).

MCS · #2 (**permalink**) 10-16-2009, 01:03 PM

Exercise opens the gate so to say, lowers insulin resistants and allows your muscles to utilize the glucose thats in your blood stream. YMMV, but some have been able to increase thier carb intake based on the amount of exercise they do.

fgummett · #3 (**permalink**) 10-16-2009, 01:22 PM

As MCS says... Yes it does... but it can also raise them as well

As I understand it: the body keeps a ready store of Glucose in the Liver and muscles in a form called Glycogen... when we exercise these muscles, the muscles are able to use the muscle glycogen/glucose and any circulating BG with less requirement for insulin than at times of relative inactivity...

BUT with intense exercise we may use up the muscle glycogen and any circulating BG, in which case the body detects a lowering BG and the Liver may dump out a batch of Glucose to try to keep our BG at a normal level.

In someone without D this works seamlessly and the bio-feedback mechanism keeps a nice steady normal BG range...

BUT we do have D... so of course it tends to go more extreme and outside the normal BG range... this can lead to an high BG after intense exercise.

Ain't D fun!

MCS · #4 (**permalink**) 10-16-2009, 01:41 PM

Yea Frank I was going to mention that, but I was hoping he wouldn't have that trouble to try and figure out. Thats a bitc_ when the best thing to do ends up being the culprit that sends you in the wrong direction.

fgummett · #5 (**permalink**) 10-16-2009, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MCS

Yea Frank I was going to mention that, but I was hoping he wouldn't have that trouble to try and figure out. Thats a bitc_ when the best thing to do ends up being the culprit that sends you in the wrong direction.

Certainly didn't mean to correct you

and I think net-BG-wise it's all good anyway... you have still used up BG that you wouldn't have before and helped your heart, lungs etc... in the process.

So I wouldn't suggest it is a reason to avoid activity... just something to be aware of.

For me it is another reason to do something moderate and sustainable like a daily 30-40 minutes brisk walk rather than an intense workout at the gym 3 times a week.. but that's just me.

mkudsy · #6 (**permalink**) 10-16-2009, 07:24 PM

Brisk walk for 30-45 mins is best to me from experience, usually I do this 15 minutes after lunch. If I do it regularly, I'll have lower morning BG (lower than 90). Streneous exercise will make my BG higher.

CarrieJett · #7 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCAPER

Just diagnosed recently. So I am new to all this. But because I am monitoring my BG levels so often right now I've noticed that my BG level seems to really go down after exercise. Is that what you all have experienced too? Makes me think maybe I can increase the carbs a little before or after exercise since I am getting some fairly low results (low meaning in the 80s, where I am normally in the 100-140 range most of the rest of the day).

Hi Scaper, I would check out Dr Bernstein's book "The diabets solution" for a good exercise explanation. You can look at diabetesbook.com I find his hard-core lo-carb approach too extreme, but the book made me feel like I truly understood how it all works.

joecha · #8 (**permalink**) 11-06-2009, 09:18 PM

As long as you are not having any other problem, this is an ideal situation.

rak1978 · #9 (**permalink**) 11-06-2009, 09:30 PM

I don't have a factual answer, just my experience....

mild-moderate intensity exercise drastically lowers my blood sugars. (I usually suspend my pump for a while beforehand)

high intensity exercise (such as spinning) will cause my bg to remain normal and/or slightly lowered while exercising without suspending my pump...however, in the hours that follow, I go WAY up and have to take a correction bolus.

It's tricky business.

ShottleBop · #10 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 11:09 PM

Riding a stationary bike will take my BGs way down (97 before dinner; 66 an hour later, after dinner and a half-hour on the bike). I tend to go back up again after that; an hour after the 66, I was at 80.

ShottleBop · #11 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 11:46 PM

Exercise does not merely have an immediate effect on your BGs, though--regular exercise can help keep your numbers generally in check. As of last Friday, my 30-day average was running 92, with a high of 98 and a low of 79. Yesterday, after two days at a conference that afforded me no time to exercise, my average was 104--a good 12 points higher than what I had been averaging:

03:02AM 88
05:58AM 97 (FBG)
07:59AM 100 (Before Breakfast)
10:01AM 111 (After Breakfast 2 Hr Pp)
11:59AM 108 (Before Lunch)
02:00PM 114 (After Lunch 1 Hr Pp)
04:04PM 113 (After Lunch 2 Hr Pp)
05:58PM 108
07:41PM 98 (Before Dinner)
10:18PM 101 (After Dinner 2 Hr Pp)
11:46PM 108 (Bedtime)

And the higher numbers continued today, until I got my bike ride in (until then, my average for the day was 107; post-ride, it's 99):

06:10AM 98 (FBG/Before Breakfast)
08:14AM 102 (After Breakfast 2 Hr Pp)
09:22AM 120 (WTF!?)
10:34AM 110
12:18AM 104 (Before Lunch)
01:54PM 108 (After Lunch 1 Hr Pp)
03:12PM 108 (After Lunch 2 Hr Pp)
06:53PM 97 (Before Dinner)
08:00PM 66 (After Dinner 1 Hr Pp)
09:19PM 80 (After Dinner 2 Hr Pp)
10:25PM 93 (After Dinner 3 Hr Pp)

Chef Barrae · #12 (**permalink**) 11-11-2009, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fgummett

As MCS says... Yes it does... but it can also raise them as well

As I understand it: the body keeps a ready store of Glucose in the Liver and muscles in a form called Glycogen... when we exercise these muscles, the muscles are able to use the muscle glycogen/glucose and any circulating BG with less requirement for insulin than at times of relative inactivity...

BUT with intense exercise we may use up the muscle glycogen and any circulating BG, in which case the body detects a lowering BG and the Liver may dump out a batch of Glucose to try to keep our BG at a normal level.

In someone without D this works seamlessly and the bio-feedback mechanism keeps a nice steady normal BG range...

BUT we do have D... so of course it tends to go more extreme and outside the normal BG range... this can lead to an high BG after intense exercise.

Ain't D fun!

I am so glad you said that. For years I have wondered why my glucose went up when I was busy in the kitchen and racing around. I had always blamed it on handling food and thought that perhaps things were being absorbed into my skin. It has puzzled me to no end. I now understand much better. I am one of those unfortunates whose blood glucose rises with exercise.

ODAR · #13 (**permalink**) 11-11-2009, 12:34 AM

But does it hurt or do much"damage" if BS is elevated after hard exercising? I tend to really push myself for an 1 hour everynight! I know my BS goes up but it does come down eventually and its the only way I know that takes the weight off me! If I just go moderately - even an hour - I don't tend to loose much if any!

CarrieJett · #14 (**permalink**) 11-12-2009, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODAR

But does it hurt or do much"damage" if BS is elevated after hard exercising? I tend to really push myself for an 1 hour everynight! I know my BS goes up but it does come down eventually and its the only way I know that takes the weight off me! If I just go moderately - even an hour - I don't tend to loose much if any!

One thing I do to help prevent the exercise highs is to start out with something that lowers my BS, like moderate jogging or elliptical, then do the lifting or heavy work in the second half of my workout. If I start right in on high-intensity, I spike, but if I warm up with a medium workout first, it seems to prevent it.

fgummett · #15 (**permalink**) 11-12-2009, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODAR

But does it hurt or do much"damage" if BS is elevated after hard exercising? I tend to really push myself for an 1 hour everynight! I know my BS goes up but it does come down eventually and its the only way I know that takes the weight off me! If I just go moderately - even an hour - I don't tend to loose much if any!

I would suggest that on balance you are better off by doing the exercise, even if it initially leads to an higher BG, than not doing the exercise. You have used up BG, improved your circulation and general health, and -- as you say -- chances are the longer term effect of the exercise will be to lower your BG