Hot bath and blood sugar levels

That's weird, a bath shouldn't be affecting your blood sugar like that! I would suggest that something else you do around the time you have the bath is causing the spike - to me it seems like it's probably something gone wrong with your meal (how many carbs do you eat? Do you eat the same thing every day? How does it compare to other meals you eat?), possibly related to exercise (exercise can increase blood sugar, but I think a spike like that would be unusual, otherwise it might be because you exercise less at that time of day compared to the rest of your day? Unlikely though), or the timing of your medication (not sure, type 1 here so I'm just making a suggestion, I don't know about gliclazide).

It would be strange if it happened every day, but stress can increase your blood sugars - do you do anything around that time of day that stresses you out?

One last implausible guess - your fingers might get very hot from the bath and somehow upset the testing strips, causing them to give an inaccurate reading. Do you feel symptoms of the high blood sugar, or just get the number on your meter? I am someone who has very cold hands and it has been suggested that that might affect the readings I get. If you are testing straight after the bath, I would suggest that you give your hands time to cool down, or wash them in cool water, before testing.

I'm really curious to know why this is happening to you, it's a bizarre situation! Please keep us updated and let us know if you figure out what's going on.

Hello and welcome!

Another thought may be nothing to do with the bath, but too much protein for your evening meal. (You say supper is high protein). Protein that is not used up by the body has a habit of converting to glucose. It is a slow reaction and can take many hours, even affecting blood sugars the following day. There are many threads on this forum where type 1s report the need to inject for protein in addition to carbs. I believe most of them do this. You could try having much less protein for evening meal and see what happens. I will tag a couple of T1s to see if they can add something.
@Jaylee @azure

If you're like me... heat stresses my body and my blood sugars go up. My sugar levels are always worse in summer for that reason. I physically feel sick with heat as well. Perhaps this is what is happening to you? You may enjoy the bath, but maybe your body doesn't.

I certainly find a (hottish) morning bath will raise my glucose levels slightly, and I've seen other similar posts about raised glucose levels after a hot shower, so while I can't explain it, it's apparently not all that uncommon.

I've seen both finger prick tests pre and post bath and my Libre sensor show this response.

Robbity

Hi Nasir, I seem to remember a Michael Mosely program where they claimed hot baths brought blood glucose down but I don't have a reference.
Perhaps in some cases the heat stress induces a release of cortisol and blood glucose goes up as a result.
If you have a late meal it may prove interesting to clock you glucose over several hours after the meal with and without a bath, then you get a snapshot indication of net loss or gain in a short term average blood glucose?
NB later. I have found the Michael Moseley piece it was 12 July 2016, just google it and the BBC article comes up. regards Derek

Hi It could be the bath but it could be unrelated, and, for example, be your high protein supper as @bluetit suggests.

If it always happens, you could try a process of elimination to find the possible cause. Eat the same supper but don't have a bath, and eat a lower protein supper and have your bath as normal. That might suggest an answer.

Hi @nasirali ,

A very warm welcome on your first post!

There realy isn't much else I can add apart from the process of elimination with all the factors if it is a consistant BS rise in the 5mmol region after the bath? (As mentioned earlier.)
It could be a possibility that your insulin resistance could be higher at that time of the day/evening & or inspite of the gliclazide, insulin production could be lowered during this period too??
The hot bath may actually be trying to do you a favour in not letting your BS get any higher than if you hadn't taken it...??

But this is purely just supposition on my part.

@nasirali Hi I remembered you today when I had a late morning bath (started about 11.50am) and did a Libre sensor reading showing an after bath spike for you:





Robbity

nasirali said:

What amazing and helpful and so prompt responses! I have a lot to think and digest. Some of the things suggested I have tried; for example taking exactly the same meal 2 days running with all other variables controlled as far as possible, with amazing results! 2 days ago I had meatballs and pasta, exactly the same amount and at the same time. My bs 2 hours after supper was 3.8 on the first day and 4.2 on the second day. On the first day I had a bath and my bs immediately after the bath was 9.6 and an hour later, 11.4! On the second day with no bath, my bs immediately after the bath was 3.8! I didn't check it later.
What can I say!
I will come back later after I have tried some of the ideas suggested.
Many thanks for all your helpful responses.

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It may be worth mentioning that sometimes pasta is slower release than other carbs (pizza has a similar effect), which could be skewing your result a little...

Maybe try the same thing again, with a different type of carb?

Hope you don't mind me saying, but the temperature of your bath is VERY hot, and lasts for a LONG time.
Hot tub manufacturers specifically state that users should not spend more than 20 mins immersed in water at 40 degrees (there is a sign up in our local spa stating this). And most hot tubs have a lock on the thermostat to prevent users from increasing the temperature above 40. Are you making sure that you remain hydrated?

I'm not sure what their thinking is (although I would speculate that there may be effects on blood pressure and body temperature regulation), but you may find it useful to do a bit of reading and find out, since I assume the manufacturers do it to protect themselves from potential liability claims if something goes wrong. It would be very unfortunate if the heat were stressing your body, daily, to the extent that your blood glucose rises as a response.

Hope you find the reason for your blood glucose spikes, and please let us know when you do!

I too have a +3 mmol/L spike every time I get in any warm/hot bath/shower. The hotter the more extreme the spike. I just have to live with it.

What you (and I) are experiencing can be explained by the effect of heat on your stress hormone, Cortisol. In some people heat has a dramatic increasing effect in short term Cortisol levels.

Cortisol is the bodies primary agent of Insulin Resistance, that's just the way it works and there is no medication (that I know of) to control it. I have a truck load of my own carefully measured medical data to back up that assertion.

In Type 2 diabetics. At least 10% of Type 2s are like me affected by Cortisol sensitivity. It may be a factor in them all.

To test this out, if you consider it safe to do so and if you can, fast for 24 hours, record your Glucose levels every two hours. The graph plotted on paper over time will match your normal daily cortisol cycle. It did this once and actually had my Cortisol levels measured every 6 hours and the levels correlated. You can google 'Cortisol daily cycle' to get the idea of how that goes.

High blood glucose follows high cortisol, low Blood glucose follows low cortisol.

If your readings look like this then its almost certain that Cortisol is your primary Diabetic cause (there are some other hormones that have as much an effect and you should focus on managing your physiological AND psychological stress as much as possible, NOTE: Even folks who regard them selves as 'unstressed' are no such thing when it comes to diabetes. This is not a 'fluffy' idea of stress it is real, measurable, and it is harmful to those affected.

I also spike when I drive or an a front seat passenger, but not when a passenger in the back of a car). Or am in unusual environments, or feel in danger.

Stress comes in many guises. Beware.

I'm getting the same kind of effect. My Dexcom G5 is showing rapid rise of about 30 points after a hot (not scalding) bath in which I am in the water about 20 minutes or so.

nasirali said:

Hi

I have been registered for some time but this is my first posting.

My name is Nasir and I am 77 years old. I was diagnosed accidentally in 1997 with type 2 diabetes. I am on Gliclazide tablets, 4 daily. I have no diabetic complications.

My question is rather unusual.

I am very fond of very hot (40-43 C). I usually have my bath before going to bed about 2100, about 2 hours after supper and it lasts for about 1 and a half hour. Usually I have a fairly high protein supper.

Now, the weird thing is that my blood sugar 2 hours after supper is in the region of 4-7 mmol/L. However, after the bath it frequently rises to 9-12 mmol/L.

I am a retired doctor and just cannot understand why a bath should raise my blood sugar.

I have searched the internet and found almost always that most people find that a bath reduces their blood sugar!

Can someone give me some idea what is happening?

Many thanks.

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I find that (for me) a hot bath or hot shower always raises my BGs.

For example last night when out at a family meal my daughter was concerned that my pre-meal test was 6.9 but I explained that this was due to my shower just before going out. Sure enough, I retested some 2 hours later following the drive home, and was back down at the usual 4.3 reading.

Driving often (for me) reduces it slightly - but then I enjoy driving. Stress will usually elevate your readings.

All I can think is as has been stated you are putting your body under stress and that will raise BS levels.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-42788280

Also remember when taking a hot bath for prolonged periods your body will start to use energy reserves in order to combat the heat and cool you down that is why studies have shown marked physiological changes immediately after such a bath one of which is a loss of weight similar to an extended bike ride.

Hi, I have read something about hot water effects on inflammation being linked to the increase the insulin resistance. Hope it makes sense for you. Apparently it (very hot shower/bath) is not advisable even for people without diabetes as it raises the chance that one may develop type 2 diabetes. I can not recall where I came across this, but if it makes sense for you please do share your thoughts on this.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www....for-lowering-blood-sugar-levels-for-type/amp/

This has been in the media recently

Well I've got a hot tub but don't like it above thirty six as can't bare it but i do like a hot bath . I've not tested before and after yet as still getting my levels down , when i am back to normal range i will try it but for now I need to concentrate on getting better . But i will post back here or make a new thread when I know how it affects me , might be a few months yet .

nasirali said:

Hi

I have been registered for some time but this is my first posting.

My name is Nasir and I am 77 years old. I was diagnosed accidentally in 1997 with type 2 diabetes. I am on Gliclazide tablets, 4 daily. I have no diabetic complications.

My question is rather unusual.

I am very fond of very hot (40-43 C). I usually have my bath before going to bed about 2100, about 2 hours after supper and it lasts for about 1 and a half hour. Usually I have a fairly high protein supper.

Now, the weird thing is that my blood sugar 2 hours after supper is in the region of 4-7 mmol/L. However, after the bath it frequently rises to 9-12 mmol/L.

I am a retired doctor and just cannot understand why a bath should raise my blood sugar.

I have searched the internet and found almost always that most people find that a bath reduces their blood sugar!

Can someone give me some idea what is happening?

Many thanks.

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I have the same problem. I take my reading before and after my shower and my blood sugars rise 50-60 mg/dL at that time. This is before I’ve had breakfast. I found your post by searching for the same thing. It must not be a common thing. This is independent of what I have to eat the night before. The diet the previous night had no bearing on the reading after the shower. I take my readings by scanning my LibreLink with my phone so test strips have no bearing either. I’ve eliminated all other variables so the act of taking a shower is the culprit.

kenroar said:

I have the same problem. I take my reading before and after my shower and my blood sugars rise 50-60 mg/dL at that time. This is before I’ve had breakfast. I found your post by searching for the same thing. It must not be a common thing. This is independent of what I have to eat the night before. The diet the previous night had no bearing on the reading after the shower. I take my readings by scanning my LibreLink with my phone so test strips have no bearing either. I’ve eliminated all other variables so the act of taking a shower is the culprit.

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Had the exact same thing today. Nice warm bath for 1 hr. BG were + 1.5mmol/L afterwards and continued to rise a bit afterwards. Apparently Libre/my body is quite temperature sensitive.