Glucose, also known as blood sugar, provides energy for the human body. In people with diabetes, a lack of insulin renders the body unable to use glucose efficiently. This causes blood sugar levels to increase, which raises the risk for kidney disease, vision problems and cardiovascular diseases. Doctors recommend regular exercise to help diabetics control this disease.
Significance
Exercise can help bring blood glucose levels in the human body under control. Doctors recommend exercise and a controlled diet to keep diabetic blood sugar levels in the safe range. A safe glucose level for diabetics ranges from 80 to 120, according to Ohio State University Medical Center. Carefully controlling blood glucose levels reduces the risk of serious complications associated with diabetes.
Benefits
In addition to regulating blood sugar, exercise also helps diabetics maintain or lose weight, which reduces some of the risks associated with this disease. Because some diabetics develop high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and heart disease, exercise also helps reduce these risks. Regular exercise improves heart health, decreases low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad" cholesterol), increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good" cholesterol) and reduces blood pressure.
Exercise Routine
Plan your exercise routine with duration, frequency and intensity in mind. Exercise for at least 20 minutes, as recommended by the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics. If you need to lose weight, you may want to extend your exercise routine to at least 60 minutes per session. Daily exercise offers the most benefits for blood glucose control, but you should exercise a minimum of three times per week. Perform moderate to hard exercises to increase your heart and respiration rates.
Monitoring
Diabetics need to check their blood sugar before, during and after exercise to ensure that glucose levels stay in the safe range. The Mayo Clinic recommends checking your blood sugar 30 minutes before exercising and again just before exercising to help you determine if you can exercise safely. A blood glucose level below 100 mg/dL makes it unsafe to exercise in some cases. Eat a snack that contains carbohydrates to increase your blood sugar. If your blood glucose ranges from 100 to 250 mg/dL, begin exercising. A blood glucose level of 250 to 299 mg/dL represents a safety risk. If you exercise with a blood glucose level in this range, the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis increases. Postpone your workout if your blood glucose exceeds 300 mg/dL.
Hypoglycemia
Because exercise reduces blood glucose levels, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) may occur during exercise. Test your blood sugar every 30 minutes, particularly if you increase your workout intensity or try a new physical activity. If your blood sugar drops below 70 mg/dL, stop exercising and eat or drink something that contains carbohydrates to increase blood glucose levels. Good choices include hard candies, regular soda and fruit juice.
