In general, the best time to exercise is 1-3 hours after eating, when your blood sugar level is likely to be higher. If you use insulin, it’s important to test your blood sugar before exercising. It’s also a good idea to check blood sugar levels after any particularly grueling workout or activity. If you’re taking insulin, your risk of developing hypoglycemia may be highest 6–12 hours after exercising. Exercise consumes nutrients, including glucose, and forces cells to draw on the glucose stored in muscle. Once this is depleted, the body turns to sugar in the blood for energy. This would cause a drop in the blood glucose level were it not for your liver, which under normal circumstances produces enough glucose to replenish the blood’s supply. The demand for blood sugar can continue even when exercise has ended because muscles continue to remove glucose from the blood to restock their reserves. So while exercise is encouraged, it can set the stage for low blood sugar, including severe hypoglycemia. To prevent this problem, you’ll need to check your blood sugar levels and adjust your diet, insulin doses, and injection sites accordingly.
By Valerie Gregory, MSPT; Lower Extremity Physical Therapy Center at Affiliated Foot & Ankle Center, LLP
Tags: Diabetes, Diabetic, Exercise, Exercising
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