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Bike Riding and Blood Sugars

T

TripleXL

Member
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Good afternoon,

After lurking through these forums and the Facebook page for some time I thought I would try to make my first post a worthwhile one :clap:

I'd been diagnosed with LADA since New Years Day (2013). I don't take metformin (got taken off it 2 months ago) and I've not yet been welcomed into the world of Insulin-dependancy (...yet).

I have recently (past 4 months or so) taken up Mountain Biking both on and off road. I always make sure I go bike riding after eating a meal and always have a nice portion of carbs so to try and curb any low blood sugars.
Recently, though, I have been going for my bike rides with friends (between 8 miles and 40 miles per ride) and noticing that my sugars are going low and having to end the ride earlier than I would like. This is irratating for me and I can't imagine it being great for my friends either (though they are very cool about it).

What I do want to know is, is there something I can take along with me to combat these 'lows' during a ride?
I have seen things like glucose tablets but I'm unsure as to whether this is right for this situation.
I really don't want to have to take Mars Bars/Sandwiches with me 1. Because they take up too much space and 2. because I'm watching my weight and have set myself a strict diet.

I would appreciate any help/advice you guys could give me. It might be a good point to note that my blood sugars are generally well controlled and my last HB1 results came back yesterday at 5.0 (whatever that means, haha).

Thank you

Wayne
 
I take dextrose tablets with me in my saddle pouch when I go cycling. I cycle to work everyday around 30 km's and on a weekend or vacation I do longer routes around 50 km's. Haven't had to use the tablets yet , not enough hills where I live to really lower my BS to dangerous levels. I do get to around 3.8 mmol but I don't consider that worthy of taking a dextrose.
 
I low carb, but I take atkins bars with me and nibble at them, very light and fit in the back pockets of my top. i also carry dextrose tablets.


Sent from a melting iceberg. help!!!
 
Thanks guys. I've never heard of atkins bars so I'll have a little google on that later on.

It started getting me a bit worried because I hit the 2.8mmol which has been my lowest reading so far.
I usually start noticing that I'm feeling 'low' when I'm around the 3.8 - 4.0 area.
When I start to feel this way, would taking 1 of those Dextrose help me enough to not have to sack the ride in for the day?

Sorry if I seem a little simple on the subject. I am still in my first 10 months of the illness, though :oops:
 
1 Glucose/dextrose tablet may not be enough, depends on your target level and weight etc etc. The dextrose tablet will absorb almost immediately in the small intestine with having to be digested i.e. it will give you an almost immediate rise in BS. Might be worth experimenting with one or two to see how much they raise you.
 
The advice I got was to eat 2-4 dextrose tablets then try and eat something carby to give a more prolonged release


Sent from a melting iceberg. help!!!
 
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