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Type 1 and weight training

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Farmer078

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Hi

I've had type 1 diabetes for 28 years and have recently started weight training, in 5 weeks I've gained two kilos of muscle and increased my metabolic rate by about 4% as a result I'm having lots of hypos last one was quite severe and I had trouble staying conscious but managed it.

Read lots of threads on bodybuilding and diabetes but rather than dietary advice I'd like to know if improving my basic metabolic rate means I need to adjust my long acting insulin shot?
 
@Farmer078 . Welcome to the forum. Congratulations on your new found regime.
I don't get to involved in the scientific side of weight training BMR and such like.
However I've spent most of my adult life using / training with weights ( 37yrs since first set of weights). I've been T1 for 27 of those years.
You say that you're having more hypos and obviously want to regain control especially as your hypos are at times quite severe.
When are you going hypo? I suspect it may be awhile after you have finished training a few hours? If you could tell us when these hypos occur we may be able to advise more.
On a personal level a heavy weights session will raise my BS for an hour or so but then it will drop quite considerably for anything up to 6 hrs after I've finished training. Knowing this I make adjustments to bolus injections and meal times.
I don't find a need to adjust my basal insulin, irrespective of a heavy weights day or a rest day.
Obviously we are all different and you will only find what works for you by testing and recording as often as possible.
Keep some hypo treatment at hand, drink form is easiest whilst working out and if you are using a gym let them know your condition and how to help you should you need it.
If I can help anymore feel free to ask.
 
I have had a difficult time with this. Adjusted basal insulin, but would bolus for DP, which would send me into hypo during work-out. If I work out an hour after insulin (basal) I am fine and bs levels drop to a normal level. I would most definitely ask your doctor, anytime you lose weight (change body chemistry) insulin needs to be adjusted.
 
Recent weight experience in the gym has been showing me that the bigger the muscles are that I'm working, the quicker and harder the drop! Anything prolonged which uses my quads or glutes, for instance, affects me a lot more than when I'm working on other bits.
 
Firstly, congratulations on your new gains, that's some great early progress. It does take a while to adjust BG management to regular heavy training, but once you do I find it is actually a big help in keeping my levels good.
It might be a changed metabolic rate like you say, but I'd guess a lot of it is simply the prolonged effect of recovery. I think I remember reading that muscle repair and glycogen replenishment can continue for as much as 48 hours after intense training.
I certainly notice the difference in my sugar levels/insulin requirements the night after a day when I've moved a lot of weight, even if I train in the morning.
 
@Snapsy I have noticed that also. On days that I work upper body; shoulders, chest, biceps bs doesn't drop as quick. Legs, squats, I start to feel it half-way through work-out. I am consistently checking, because I run prior to working out with weights.
 
First of all, are you on a pump or injections? Its my observation that people on a pump seem to be more prone to hypos during exercise. My theory is that you're effectively giving yourself consistent tiny bolus doses which can be problematic when your insulin sensitivity changes.

As far as gainning 2kg of lean mass (muscle) in two weeks, I doubt it, but it's not impossible. Gaining muscle is a much harder and slower process than most people realize and most of that weight gain is likely due to your muscles retaining more water (which is still a good thing).

I say that not to discourage but to lead into my next question: what does your diet look like and how soon before/after you workout are you bolusing? My general philosophy is to avoid bolus insulin as long as possible before working out to avoid blood sugar swings. I also try to be consistent with how frequently I workout. 4 days on 3 days off is much harder to manage than working out every other day.

Just my general experience.
 
First off Congratulations on your new regime!!! speaking as a ex-strength athlete, the body takes 24-48hrs to recover from heavy weight training so your blood sugar swings can be quite dramatic. I test before I train to see what my BS is at then test when I'm finished and again two hrs afterwards after I have had my recovery meal, this gives me a chance to adjust my insulin if required. When I transferred over onto the pump I found that I went hypo during sleep as the recovery process was beginning in earnest, so I have to run a lower Temp Basal rate to ensure no bad hypo's. I have found that my BS lowers considerably after really heavy training such as deadlifts, squats and heavy shoulder workouts. You will find that the more you test before and after training , this will give you an indicator of what adjustments to your regime you have to make.
Good Luck in the strength stakes!!!
 

Same here, squats, deadlifts and any sort of targeted back work leaves my blood glucose dropping afterwards.

I am going through a really strong honeymoon period, so I don't take any basal at the moment, so I can't help with that end of things. It did take a while for my insulin needs to settle once I returned to strength training after my diagnosis, which lead to that temporary elimination of my basal insulin.
 
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