Exercise with T2

[davd]

Just a quick question.
I thought exercise was good for diabetes T2 , today I went out an had a game of bowls still social distancing so not what I call strenuous exercise just a bit of bending and slow walking across the green .About an hour after getting home I tested and got a reading of 7.8 up from the readings of 5.7and 5.8 for the previous days, had only bacon and eggs for breakfast.
2 hours later reading of 5.3 .
I thought exercise would bring level down not up is this normal.
A note I have only been diagnosed T2 for two weeks and got my levels down to 5.3 from about 14 due to the low carb diet ,
1mg Glimepiride daily and fantastic advice from this forum

 

[Goonergal]

Hi @davd

Exercise - especially if you’re not used to it, can temporarily raise BG levels. Many people find that it depends upon the type of exercise and also the timing of it. However, the benefits of the exercise, both for blood glucose control and general health will outweigh the temporary rise.

For me personally, strenuous exercise - lifting weights, cardio which pushes my limits, will cause a temporary rise in BG, especially early in the day - the same weights routine after dinner, will have a smaller impact. On the other hand, swimming, Pilates, gentle walking all reliably drop my levels, swimming particularly so.

Editing to say that on days when exercise has caused a rise in blood glucose, there is a corresponding drop later in the day, which extends into the next day.

 

[davd]

Hi @davd

Exercise - especially if you’re not used to it, can temporarily raise BG levels. Many people find that it depends upon the type of exercise and also the timing of it. However, the benefits of the exercise, both for blood glucose control and general health will outweigh the temporary rise.

For me personally, strenuous exercise - lifting weights, cardio which pushes my limits, will cause a temporary rise in BG, especially early in the day - the same weights routine after dinner, will have a smaller impact. On the other hand, swimming, Pilates, gentle walking all reliably drop my levels, swimming particularly so.

Editing to say that on days when exercise has caused a rise in blood glucose, there is a corresponding drop later in the day, which extends into the next day.

Thanks for clarifying , i hoped that was the case, bowls is not particularly strenuous but as I am 62 and unfit it could be classed as strenuous and pushed up BG but a massive drop 2 hours later

 

[Max68]

That's one "advantage" I have found with this pandemic and that's the fact that I have the time and energy to get a bit of exercise. Been doing 5 miles on an exercise bike each evening on the days I don't go for an hour walk through the woods. Most of the walk is uphill so it give my calves a bit of a workout but I find I feel quite good and it's even started helping my arthritic hip. 5 miles on a bike isn't much but considering I could only manage two at the start it's better than nothing and the walk in the sun blows a few cobwebs away. The only problem is getting lost as I divert when I see people coming the other way! Stick with it davd as I am sure it will help mentally as well. I'd love to get back on the golf course but going to wait for the mad rush to die down!

 

[Andy_Warlow]

Exercise does help with blood glucose levels. How ever if your blood sugar are on the low side. You can get a small spike. As your liver releases sugar to provided fuel form the muscles. Especially if you don't exercise regularly.
I recommend walking every day to start with, then get the couch to 5k app and start running. The start weight lifting. As I mange to control my blood sugars really well now. Because of diet and exercise. My A1C has gone from 69 to 36 in 10 weeks becuase of this approach. With my blood sugar level barley raising above 6, when I test.

 

[Resurgam]

As you can test, try having just a little amount of carbs with breakfast - 10 gm at the most.
I found that if I didn't have just that bit of carb my 'helpful' liver continued to push out glucose until I did have carbs.
It might not be the same for you of course - but might be worth a trial run for a couple of days just to see if you can retrain that 'helpful' liver.

 

[LaoDan]

I have the same experience, I’ve been alternating days with resistance training and walking/sprinting and I noticed that my BG jumps from the mid 5s to the mid 7s. But I’m back to mid 5s within 30 minutes.

I’m really interested to know the cause and effect, what body part notifies others to dump glucose, and when.

Also timing, if I have higher readings in the morning, should I get going super early to use up that glucose

-dan

 

[Andy_Warlow]

The high glucose spike in the morning, happens to everyone. It is just non diabetics or well controlled diabetes. It doesn't rise that much. It is a hormone repose, basically it sets your body to go for the day. A good way to combat the morning spike is intermittent fasting. As if you dont eat first thing you will use up that glucose.

I am not sure why when you body dumps glucose when your exercise, I know your body uses it for energy, But Training fasted can help with this, as your body does it earlier in the training, so you use while you are training. It should go back to normal very quick after Traning anyway. As your muscles will use it up fast.

 

[LaoDan]

These are the spikes I’m getting , I lifted weights around 10, then did sprints around 2. I suppose it’s nothing to worry about. My BG is pretty flat on rest days, so I’m happy with my diet.

 

[LaoDan]

Oh yeah, my bionic sensor is reading about 0.5 low