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

Sugars Higher after exercise

dwelldon

Well-Known Member
Messages
190
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I have recently notice a trend that after doing a gym session, bike ride or weights my bloods have risen. Normally they have done down a lot say from 8 to 4.5 afterwards.

Don't know if this is normal or not, I am on meds I take statins pravastatin and glimpiride 1mg for my diabetes. I have only been on the glimpiride for about 3 monthes, prior to that I was on a metaformin but that had bad side effects.

My last HBA1c was 56 lower than it previously was 60, but I have been down to 46 previously, wthout meds but health wise and exercise wise my has changed and neither has my diet.

Any suggestions appreciated.
 
Hi @dwelldon, As a Type 1 diabetic my BSLs always rise after exercise and during or following a scary or exciting movie.
My doctor thinks I release adrenaline in these instances and that causes my liver to release glucose and up goes thesugar level.
I have to actually increase my insulin before hand to cope with this.
With Type 2 diabetes my guess is that usually BSLs would not go up much, if there is enough insulin to deal with any liver release of glucose. Just my thought. So maybe when the pancreas is struggling a bit , could the BSL rise be too much for it.
Also things are worse for me if I eat before exercising, so I wonder if you do that and that adds to the problem?
With diet, please look at the Home page and Type 2 diabetes to see what diets are used or tried. There might be something there to discuss with your DSN or doctor as well as the BSL rise with exercise.
Best Wishes.
 
Hello dwelldon, I believe kitedoc is correct, I had a conversation with DSN and a dietitian in clinic last year who said exactly that. I recently lost my car due to mechanical reasons and am now cycling most journeys and as far as Blood glucose readings are concerned the liver has its back up store of glucogen. I also understand that it can increase blood glucose for hours after exercise, especially more high intensity exercise.

Best wishes
D
 
Hi @David1234P, just beware that BSLs can drop some 6 plus hours afterwards if one is not careful.
My take on it is that the muscles have used up most of their own fuel stores of muscle glycogen. It makes sense for them to have fuel "tanks' next to them, and the liver as a secondary source via the blood stream if needed.
It seems that the muscles spend some time repairing themselves before making a demand on the 'universal' fuel supply of glucose in the blood stream. This 're-fuelling' can deplete blood glucose levels and lead to hypos. Sometimes I find I can eat more at that 6 hours or later mark and avoid this problem or may have to reduce my insulin dose before this time on days I exercise.
Also lower sugars can happen overnight in my experience and sometimes lead to trouble then.
Best Wishes. In some ways your car being out of action may be one of the best things that could have happened!!
 

Thanks @kitedoc
so very true, I've personally found to hypo badly, being last bad hypo, thankfully around five years ago, where I required assistance due to a hypo fit. Thankfully I eventually agreed that lucozade was required I worked out that bad hypos are down to your body's used up all its fuel whether in the blood, muscles or liver. Our brains require just a little glucose, deny the grey matter and **** hits the fan.
These reminders are so important, thanks, as want to cycle longer distance.
As for motor vehicles, it's a tricky one as needs to visit family, although the benefits without always outweigh the negative of a car, cost, pollution etc.
I will test this theory here soon and examine the data lol.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…