People with diabetes can experience low blood sugar during and after exercise. Diabetes affects your ability to use or produce insulin that the body uses to move sugar from the blood to cells. Exercise, which is a critical component of diabetes management, lowers blood sugar. Low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, can be a dangerous side effect of exercise. You can prevent exercise-induced low blood sugar by taking preventive measures, including monitoring your blood sugar levels and being prepared to respond to low readings. If you are diabetic, consult your doctor about your exercise program.
Exercise and Diabetes
Exercise helps improve the overall health of people with diabetes by controlling blood glucose levels, managing weight, lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol levels. Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs, improves blood circulation and reduces your risk for nerve damage. People with diabetes should engage in a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on five or more days of the week.
Monitoring
Check your blood sugar about 30 minutes before your planned start time for exercise, and check it again immediately before you begin to exercise to determine if your levels are stable. If your blood glucose level is below 100 mg/dl, eat a small carbohydrate snack, such as crackers or fruit, before you exercise. A glucose reading between 100 and 250 mg/dl is safe for beginning an exercise session, according to MayoClinic.com. Check your glucose levels every half hour during long workout sessions. Check your levels after you finish exercising, and a few times over the next several hours.
Low Blood Sugar
Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can result from exercise or strenuous physical activity, especially if you take insulin or oral medications to lower your blood glucose levels. Exercise-induced hypoglycemia can occur during exercise, immediately afterward or up to a day later. Low blood sugar might cause you to feel weak, shaky, confused, anxious, irritable or tired. You might feel hungry or have a headache. Low blood sugar can cause sweating and can result in loss of consciousness if left untreated.
Response
Stop exercising immediately if you experience the symptoms of low blood sugar, or if your blood glucose level is 70 mg/dl or below. Raise your blood sugar level by eating two to five glucose tablets or eating or drinking a small snack that contains carbohydrates, such as 1/2 cup of fruit juice or five to six pieces of hard candy. Test your blood sugar after 15 minutes, and if the reading is still low, eat or drink another small snack or the glucose tablets.
Tips and Warnings
See your doctor before beginning an exercise program. Wear a medical alert bracelet or other identifier if you exercise outdoors or in a gym. Keep glucose tablets and snacks with you when you exercise. Avoid skipping meals or medication doses, especially near the time for exercise. Talk to your doctor about how to schedule your exercise around the times of day you take insulin. Hypoglycemia can also occur in nondiabetic people as a result of medications or certain medical conditions and treatments.
