Rise in BG after exercise

[annie07]

Hi all!

Apologies if this has been asked before - I am quite new to all this.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 a few months ago and ever since I been making changes - a LCHF diet, intermittent fasting, testing, and taking moderate exercise in an attempt to lose weight. I've got a Fitbit to help me get my 10,000 steps - I know this number has been shown to be arbitrary but I have an office job and am more or less sedentary so even 10,000 steps is a big 'step' in the right direction for me as I used to only get around 3,000 steps a day.

I usually end up taking a long walk at the end of the day. I walk at a brisk pace until I hit 10,000 steps, which usually takes about 75 minutes.

I'd read that exercising and taking a walk can lower BG so I was keen to get started. I tested before the exercise, and my BG was 5.9. I tested after, and it had risen to 7.5. I understand glucose is released for energy during exercise, but this was quite an unexpected big rise. EDIT: I tested again half an hour later and it had gone down to 6.5.

I'm keen to keep exercising but the rise in BG afterwards is disheartening and puts me off - it's almost as if I'd be better off not doing it a all. Is it a case of, keep at it and it will be beneficial in the long run, or is the constant spike every day going to cause more problems than the exercise would solve? Is there any way to prevent this kind of rise?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Goonergal]

Hi @annie07 and welcome.

Temporary BG rises after exercise are very common - not the same for everyone but many people (including me) experience it.

My learning to date - like you I was extremely sedentary before diagnosis so have built up gradually - is:

- The rise is temporary and BG will then likely be lower during the rest of the day/the next morning.
- As I got fitter/more used to exercise the rises were smaller and/or only more strenuous exercise causes a rise (brisk walking on its own no longer causes a rise).
- Time of day is important - weights in the gym cause bigger rises in the early morning than after dinner.
- Some exercise - swimming and Pilates in my case - lowers BG more often than not.
- As my overall BG control has improved, exercise related rises are smaller and shorter lived.

Of course this is just my pattern. For me exercise has many benefits - it’s a key driver in lowering insulin resistance which will have a long term positive effect on BG and overall health; it’s good for fitness, energy levels and mood.

There is a great thread in the exercise section of the forum where people log their daily exercise and there are some very knowledgeable people there. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/regular-moderate-exercise-log.83995/

Also see this is your first post so tagging @daisy1 for a pack of useful information.

 

[daisy1]

@annie07

Hello Annie and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will help.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

• Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  
  
• Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
  

 

[catinahat]

Welcome to the forum @annie07
Please don't get disheartened, the changes you are making to your lifestyle will definitely help you control your sugar levels. When your liver releases glucose it is simply moving it from where you can't see it to where you can see it and more importantly use it. So I consider it a positive thing and confirmation that my exercise is paying dividends.

 

[annie07]

Thanks @Goonergal and @catinahat for your responses and for the information pack, very informative. That's what I was thinking, but like I say, still new to all this so wasn't entirely sure. I'll keep at it

 

[MPezz]

Of course, as a type 1 myself it may be different... but if I go for a walk or jog my blood sugars usually go down... but sometimes they will go up. So if this was a one off test, then it could have just been one of those times the sugars rise.