Exercise is an integral part of your diabetes management plan. In the long run, it’s an excellent solution for stabilizing and keeping your blood sugar levels within the ideal target range. One thing that some people may notice, however, is that their blood sugar levels rise during exercise. This can be concerning, as the idea behind working out is to keep sugar levels low. Fortunately, this rise in glucose levels is usually not a significant concern in most cases, but there are some factors to keep in mind. This article will examine why blood sugar may rise during exercise.
Why Sugar Can Rise When You Exercise
Certain types of exercise can raise blood glucose levels instead of decreasing them. When you exercise, your body turns to the glucose reserves in your circulatory system to make energy. This usually causes blood sugar levels to fall during exercise. However, with some exercises, the body is put under more stress.
Lifting heavy weights is a good example of an exercise that causes an increase in blood glucose. When you lift these weights, your body will start to ensure stress hormones, including adrenaline. As the adrenaline is produced, it causes your liver to release some of the glucose it has stored. This, in turn, causes you to experience a rise in blood glucose levels.
Other factors can also affect blood sugar control when you exercise. One crucial factor to remember is what you eat before your exercise session. When you decide to have a large meal that is high in carbohydrates, it can cause a spike in blood sugar. Due to the high carbohydrate content, the exercise you decide to perform may not provide you with a sufficient way of lowering your glucose levels.
How Can High Blood Sugar Affect You During Exercise
You may think that elevated blood sugar levels will give your body more energy, but hyperglycemia during exercise can be dangerous. This is why you should always test your glucose levels before exercising. In addition to looking out for low blood sugar, it might be a good idea to wait a bit if you have hyperglycemia.
When your blood sugar levels are high, your insulin may not properly transport the glucose into your cells. If you decide to exercise at this point, it might result in your body using fat to make energy instead. When the liver breaks fat down, it creates ketones. If there is an extensive collection of ketones in your body, it can lead to a complication known as ketoacidosis. This can be a life-threatening condition if you do not get medical attention promptly.
When diabetic ketoacidosis develops, you may feel weak and thirsty and experience shortness of breath. You may also feel confused, and nausea may develop. If not addressed, diabetic ketoacidosis can lead to vomiting, the inability to keep food and liquids in your stomach, high glucose levels that don’t respond to your regular insulin treatments, and a start to getting very thirsty.
Avoiding Blood Sugar Spikes During Exercise
You can do some things to prevent your blood sugar levels from rising when you exercise. You should consider implementing these to ensure you do not run the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis or other complications.
If you notice that your blood sugar levels rise when you work out, a good starting point is to discuss this with your doctor. They might suggest making some alterations to the treatment plan you currently use to manage your diabetes. For example, the doctor may recommend adjusting the dose of insulin you use or the timing. This may help to improve glucose delivery into cells and reduce the risk of hyperglycemia when you work out.
Once you’ve had a session with your healthcare provider, the next step is to assess your workout plan closely. If you’re likely to experience high blood sugar levels during exercise, you might want to reduce the overall intensity of your workout. Start with aerobic exercises, as they are less likely to cause your body to create stress hormones that could elevate blood sugar levels. It’s possible to add more repetitions to moderate-intensity exercises to get good results without triggering too much adrenaline production.
You also have to focus on what you eat before working out. Some people may find it tempting to have a large meal before their exercise session. The large meal provides your body with carbohydrates that will be used as fuel for energy. Unfortunately, too many carbs can cause sugar spikes.
Apart from these strategies, you might also want to consider the dawn phenomenon. Researchers have found that blood glucose levels tend to increase at 4 a.m. in the morning and last for around four hours. However, other causes behind high blood sugar levels in the morning also exist, so be sure to take a closer look at your nighttime habits.
If you decide to exercise during these four hours, you may increase the risk of experiencing an increase in your blood sugar levels when you train. If you generally exercise in the morning and struggle with high blood sugar, moving your sessions to a later time in the day could be a great solution. You could choose to do your exercises after you get off work, for example.
Bottom Line
Your blood sugar can sometimes rise if you exercise, but this effect should not last longer than 30 minutes. Many people work out for 20 to 30 minutes per session; however, you may notice a spike when conducting a glucose check post-workout. Lighter workouts may help to reduce the risk of sugar spikes during your exercise routine. It’s also possible to make adjustments to your diabetes treatment strategy to control sugar levels while you exercise.