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BG after exercise
Just checked my BG about 30 mins after exercise for the 1st time.
It was a 6 mile run at about 8 min/mile pace followed by 10mins of strength training.
The meter reading was 120, is it too high?
It was a 6 mile run at about 8 min/mile pace followed by 10mins of strength training.
The meter reading was 120, is it too high?
Hi,
Both.
It should pretty much always be below 120 for persons who are truly non-diabetic (and this can even be a target for people with diabetes who are trying to maintain excellent control.
However, peak blood sugars are usually 1 1/2 - 2 hours after eating (except in some people with diabetes who have a bad case of dawn phenomenon - high blood sugars in the morning upon waking) - so this below 120 also encompasses the 2 hours after eating..
Both.
It should pretty much always be below 120 for persons who are truly non-diabetic (and this can even be a target for people with diabetes who are trying to maintain excellent control.
However, peak blood sugars are usually 1 1/2 - 2 hours after eating (except in some people with diabetes who have a bad case of dawn phenomenon - high blood sugars in the morning upon waking) - so this below 120 also encompasses the 2 hours after eating..
Hi Rincer,
A person experiencing blood sugars of up to 160 is not totally normal, even if they later go down to 'normal'' levels. Very likely they will go on to develop diabetes when they are older.
Studies have shown that in persons with totally normal blood sugar, they will seldom if ever go above 120, regardless of what they eat.
A truly normal Hba1c is < 5.0. If Hba1c is above 5, there is a very good chance that they will progress to overt diabetes over time.
Yes, a person with diabetes, by controlling what they eat, exercising, taking medications if necessary can indeed have excellent control and a hba1c that is normal or very close to it.
I have been diabetic for nearly 7 years (adult onset type 1). I am able to keep my hba1c in the low 5s by eating a lower carb diet, exercise, intermittent fasting, and use of insulin. My diabetes also hasn't progressed / gotten worse.
A person experiencing blood sugars of up to 160 is not totally normal, even if they later go down to 'normal'' levels. Very likely they will go on to develop diabetes when they are older.
Studies have shown that in persons with totally normal blood sugar, they will seldom if ever go above 120, regardless of what they eat.
A truly normal Hba1c is < 5.0. If Hba1c is above 5, there is a very good chance that they will progress to overt diabetes over time.
Yes, a person with diabetes, by controlling what they eat, exercising, taking medications if necessary can indeed have excellent control and a hba1c that is normal or very close to it.
I have been diabetic for nearly 7 years (adult onset type 1). I am able to keep my hba1c in the low 5s by eating a lower carb diet, exercise, intermittent fasting, and use of insulin. My diabetes also hasn't progressed / gotten worse.
It kind of helps yes.
But I am still somewhat confused, because I am reading studies where non-diabetic people were measured and their BG 1 hour after a meal ranged between 110 and 160 with younger healthier people actually registering higher, due to faster digestion. 2 hrs afterwards they were all below 120 as you said.
So seems like even a non-diabetic person could keep their BG high through out the day by eating high carb snack with a can of soda every 3 hrs or so (not uncommon), while a diabetic person could always keep it low by controlling their BG level, so at the end of 3 months which is the lifespan of the red blood cell a non-diabetic person could potentially end up with higher a1c levels than a diabetic?
But I am still somewhat confused, because I am reading studies where non-diabetic people were measured and their BG 1 hour after a meal ranged between 110 and 160 with younger healthier people actually registering higher, due to faster digestion. 2 hrs afterwards they were all below 120 as you said.
So seems like even a non-diabetic person could keep their BG high through out the day by eating high carb snack with a can of soda every 3 hrs or so (not uncommon), while a diabetic person could always keep it low by controlling their BG level, so at the end of 3 months which is the lifespan of the red blood cell a non-diabetic person could potentially end up with higher a1c levels than a diabetic?
Hi Rincer,
The effect of exercise on blood glucose is mixed. Long slow exercise will typically reduce blood sugar. Competition / High intensity / high effort exercise will typically first cause a rise, and later blood sugars will be lower and the lower period is much longer than the temporary higher period. So the temporary high will be well offset by the long term effect of that exercise. However, in a non-diabetic person blood sugar is very finely controlled and blood sugar will not vary much at all.
A completely normal non-diabetic person (including athletes) will have blood sugars in the range of 70 - 120 all the time, with most numbers being at the lower end of this range (80-100). A completely normal a1c will be < 5.0 (about 4.3 - 4.6 is apparently typical).
For a person who is diabetic or prediabetic, exercise is very beneficial in helping to normalize / control blood sugar. I am diabetic. I may go a bit higher than normal during long and/or intense exercise (typically exercise must last at least 30 - 60 minutes). But in the 24 hours then following that exercise I need to greatly reduce insulin /can eat more carbs than usual.
Hope this helps.
The effect of exercise on blood glucose is mixed. Long slow exercise will typically reduce blood sugar. Competition / High intensity / high effort exercise will typically first cause a rise, and later blood sugars will be lower and the lower period is much longer than the temporary higher period. So the temporary high will be well offset by the long term effect of that exercise. However, in a non-diabetic person blood sugar is very finely controlled and blood sugar will not vary much at all.
A completely normal non-diabetic person (including athletes) will have blood sugars in the range of 70 - 120 all the time, with most numbers being at the lower end of this range (80-100). A completely normal a1c will be < 5.0 (about 4.3 - 4.6 is apparently typical).
For a person who is diabetic or prediabetic, exercise is very beneficial in helping to normalize / control blood sugar. I am diabetic. I may go a bit higher than normal during long and/or intense exercise (typically exercise must last at least 30 - 60 minutes). But in the 24 hours then following that exercise I need to greatly reduce insulin /can eat more carbs than usual.
Hope this helps.
Great, thanks!
So then if its normal to have high BG during and after exercise, wouldn't athletes naturally have higher BG levels, since their liver is more finely tuned to respond to any kind of physical stress?
The A1C levels should also be at the high end compared to a person who leads a sedentary lifestyle, since in athletes the blood gets flooded with sugar every time they train or compete?
So then if its normal to have high BG during and after exercise, wouldn't athletes naturally have higher BG levels, since their liver is more finely tuned to respond to any kind of physical stress?
The A1C levels should also be at the high end compared to a person who leads a sedentary lifestyle, since in athletes the blood gets flooded with sugar every time they train or compete?
That is Ok I wont say normal as I dont know what is normal, I know that BG under 140 is ok.
No
what was the meter reading before the run?
when doing strenuous exercise the liver squirts out sugar to raise BG. the liver thinks your running away from a saber tooth tiger so you need extra sugar to run.
what was the meter reading before the run?
when doing strenuous exercise the liver squirts out sugar to raise BG. the liver thinks your running away from a saber tooth tiger so you need extra sugar to run.
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