• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Negative effects of glucose intake needed for exercise?

S

simonkit

Active Member
Messages
28
Hi,

I'm a relatively newly diagnosed Type 1, just over 15 months ago, keen hiker and in the process of getting back to tackling my local mountains here in Snowdonia.

I've had a few trips up the gentler slopes and found I need to take in lots of fast acting carb, use jelly babies which work best for me. On a typical 6hr walk I'm getting through 3 - 3.5 bags of JBs which is around 75gms carb an hour and obviously lots of sugar. This is despite taking no long acting or fast acting with breakfast or during exercise.

My concern here is that I'm obviously taking in lots of sugar. Is this really a concern or is the fact that I'm burning it off so quickly mean it's not really having any negative effect?

Just for the record I'm seeing my diabetes support team soon to try an get more exercise specific advise, which seems quite difficult to come by

Thanks

Simon
 
Hi Simon

Have a look at www.runsweet.com for plenty of advice and information about exercising with type 1 diabetes. As you're recently diagnosed, you may still be in honeymoon phase, so your pancreas may still be producing some insulin, especially when exercising. You may need to reduce your long acting ahead of a day in the hills. I've been diagnosed some 18 years, since I was 30 years old, and have stuck with the relatively old fashioned Humalin I as my long acting, because I find taking it at morning and bedtime gives me the chance to fune tune for long hill days. I competed in Great Lakeland 3 Day this weekend, which involved about 70km and 3000m ascent over the 3 days, so being able to reduce long acting from Friday night until today was helpful, as well as reducing short acting doses. I did carry jelly sweets, fruit puree sachets etc, but didn't need anything like as much as 75g CHO / hr. As long as your blood glucose levels don't rise, then taking in lots of sugar isn't a problem per se, although you might find yourself putting on weight if you're eating so much extra.
 
Thanks for the reply.. to be honest I've read loads on the subject, including the runsweet site and tried everything I can think of, reducing my Lantus to zero has minimal effect so I think I'm definitely still producing insulin. I'm seeing the diabetes team soon so hoping to get referred for some more specific exercise related advice. At least I'm still able to do the hiking, just be nice to not have to carry 4/5 packs of JBs with me every time
 
Back
Top