Post Time: 2025-07-26
Blood Sugar Range and Physical Activity: What You Need to Know
When engaging in intense exercise, individuals with type 1 diabetes must carefully manage their blood sugar levels. Proper management ensures a safe and effective workout experience. Regular physical activity can improve insulin sensitivity, but it also increases the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). To minimize this risk, diabetics should monitor their glucose levels closely before exercise.
The American Diabetes Association recommends checking blood sugar 1-3 hours prior to exercising. For individuals with type 2 diabetes or those not using insulin therapy, monitoring during and after the workout may be necessary. Blood glucose targets vary among organizations; however, most agree on a range of less than 180 mg/dL for non-diabetics before exercise.
Exercise-Induced Fluctuations in Blood Sugar
Physical activity triggers various physiological responses that can impact blood sugar levels. Intense workouts often cause an increase in epinephrine (adrenaline), which prompts the liver to release stored glucose into the bloodstream, elevating fasting insulin levels and increasing postprandial glycemic peaks.
A study published by 'The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism' observed that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity reduced blood sugar in type 2 diabetic patients. However, this effect diminishes over time due to improved insulin sensitivity. Despite these factors, individuals with diabetes can still safely engage in intense exercise if proper precautions are taken.
Maintaining Blood Sugar During Intense Exercise: Tips and Strategies
When exercising at high intensities or for prolonged periods, it's essential to manage blood sugar fluctuations promptly. Eating a balanced meal 2-3 hours before working out ensures adequate glucose levels during physical activity. Incorporating fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains can help stabilize post-exercise spikes.
Carbohydrate loading also plays a crucial role in maintaining energy stores and insulin sensitivity. Consuming complex carbohydrates with each meal allows diabetics to maintain glycogen reserves that can be quickly mobilized by the body during exercise. Proper hydration is equally important as dehydration may impair glucose uptake, leading to decreased performance or even hypoglycemia.
Blood Sugar Levels During Exercise: Monitoring Techniques and Strategies
In addition to dietary adjustments, managing blood sugar levels requires careful monitoring techniques during intense exercise. Using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) provides real-time readings of your current blood glucose level. This data helps make informed decisions about insulin doses or adjusting food intake.
It is also crucial to check blood ketones before exercising when using exogenous keto supplements as they can cause dehydration if not balanced with water and carbohydrate sources, further impacting physical performance during high-intensity workouts
Integrative medicine specialist and wellness expert Dr. Sonny blood sugar 2 hours after eating normal Viloria explains the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and talks about the causes and symptoms of diabetes. For more about good blood sugar levels chart science, watch Matanglawin from the link below: To watch TV Patrol and Bandila videos click the links below: Subscribe to the ABS-CBN News channel! - Watch the full episodes of Salamat Dok on TFC.TV and on iWant for Philippine viewers, click: Visit our website at Facebook: a1c 6.5 blood sugar Twitter: #SalamatDok