Fast Twitch Muscles and Balance

[sugardarlin]

Hi, I'm a 45 yr old female whose had type 1 for 31 years, pumping for 15, been in good control, not always excellent, but have run one marathon (last October), 4 half marathons (this year), and am in pretty good shape. I wanted to know if anyone else out there has experienced a loss of balance, and a pretty drastic slowing down of almost everything! I can not run faster than 11 minute miles, usually 12, and it's driving me nuts! I'm 5'6" tall, weigh 118 and run or weight train 5 days a week. I just can't seem to run any faster, and I'm always in the group of runners that at least 60 years or older. I do try intervals and speed work as well. Does anyone know anything about how diabetes doesn't feed the "fast twitch muscles?" I read some articles on this, but the tests were done with rats, so I don't know if it's condusive to humans, but the premise was that long term diabetes inhibits and depletes balance, coordination and the muscles that are engaged when you need to go fast (running, swimming, biking, any of those). I notice it in aerobics classes too, that I am always always always the slowest one there. Just wondering if anyone has heard about the diabetes/balance/fast twitch muscle phenomenon, or has experienced it. It could also be a form of neuropathy as well, but there is no pain at all. I'm going to see my doc about this but wanted to hear from anyone else too!
Thanks!
Mary

[Scratch]

There may be a small amount of slowdown because of diabetes. You probably already know about how if you're running hard in something like 5K race, your blood sugar tends to go up as the body releases glucose from storage to try to fuel the muscles. That's good, but without the pancreas responding with more insulin, the glucose won't be available to the muscle cells. That's why I have in fact tweaked around with using IM injections to increase insulin availability when I run 5K races. But it's still not as good as a properly working pancreas.

You may just generally tend to be someone who can't run so fast, although there are certainly ways to try to train the body to run faster.

I think you could find Brad Hudson's book, Run Faster From the 5K to the Marathon (http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl/9780767928229.html), of some help. For early speed training, Hudson recommends that runners use hill sprints, which are short 8 to 10 second sprints uphill, followed by full recoveries of 2 to 3 minutes and repeated. It's used to help teach the body the neuromuscular coordination involved in running hard and fast, but the uphill slope prevents overstriding and reduces the pounding the legs would take on the flat.

[SCC]

That is interesting. I've wondered the same thing. And my father denied that he was diabetic at the end of his life, and his balance and muscle slowness got markedly worse as his
A1C got higher.

I used to run more, slacked (but did other stuff) just started back. I'm 54 and slower, but a lot of that is due to just not running.

What about websites for sprint distance runs/bikes etc? They might talk about increasing fast-twitch fiber.

No answer for you, but you raise a really good topic!
Section: medtech:health (http://www.wired.com/medtech/health) and look at the articles dates 6/22/09 are on tracking personal fitness and body metrics. Some amazing stuff, might be intesting to see if anything mashes up.

-Susan

[Mich]

Hi SD,

I have been a sailor for many years and I noticed that my balance (crucial for competitive sailing) began to detereiorate a few years ago. I've mostly ignored it, thinking it was just me getting older.

Recently, I read Mary Tyler-Moore's book about her life with diabetes and she (a dancer) mentions that her balance began to deteriorate because of her diabetes. Until then, I had never made the connection, but there may be someting to it.

I'll be interested in hearing from others also.

Mich

[mglazier]

There may be a small amount of slowdown because of diabetes. You probably already know about how if you're running hard in something like 5K race, your blood sugar tends to go up as the body releases glucose from storage to try to fuel the muscles. That's good, but without the pancreas responding with more insulin, the glucose won't be available to the muscle cells. That's why I have in fact tweaked around with using IM injections to increase insulin availability when I run 5K races. But it's still not as good as a properly working pancreas.

You may just generally tend to be someone who can't run so fast, although there are certainly ways to try to train the body to run faster.

I think you could find Brad Hudson's book, Run Faster From the 5K to the Marathon (http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl/9780767928229.html), of some help. For early speed training, Hudson recommends that runners use hill sprints, which are short 8 to 10 second sprints uphill, followed by full recoveries of 2 to 3 minutes and repeated. It's used to help teach the body the neuromuscular coordination involved in running hard and fast, but the uphill slope prevents overstriding and reduces the pounding the legs would take on the flat.
Thanks Scratch, I will start running the bridge that's close to my house using that method. One mile up, one mile back, and do the interval piece you suggested. That might help. Thanks for the recommendation about the book too!

[sugardarlin]

Hi Mich,
I will pick up MTM's book; I've always loved her. I started sailing last summer, and get SO frustrated because while everyone else is darting about the sailboat effortlessly, I am clinging on for dear life just getting on and off. URghhhhh. I want so desperately to not have this balance problem!

[JJM335]

Mary:

Have you started any other meds recently? For example some of the BP meds like diuretics can have a dramatic effect on your speed and endurance.

Joel