# Running and Blood sugar levels



## dplay (Jun 22, 2010)

I've been running for about 18 months and recently have had a few 'odd' blood sugar readings post run. I ran tonight 7miles before I started my level was 7.5, I had a poor run very tight calves and severe pins and needles in my right foot I checked my blood about an hour after my run and my reading was 15.8! I thought exercise lowered levels anyone got any ideas / suggestions please


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## Northerner (Jun 22, 2010)

dplay said:


> I've been running for about 18 months and recently have had a few 'odd' blood sugar readings post run. I ran tonight 7miles before I started my level was 7.5, I had a poor run very tight calves and severe pins and needles in my right foot I checked my blood about an hour after my run and my reading was 15.8! I thought exercise lowered levels anyone got any ideas / suggestions please



How long was your run after you injected/ate? Stupidly, diabetes can push the levels higher if you don't have sufficient 'circulating' insulin to help the sugar out of the blood and into the cells. Consequently, your levels will rise, not fall, and it's probably also the reason why you felt the run was so poor. I try to start my run 90 mins-2hours after eating/injecting, any later and my insulin is likely to be too depleted. Some people get round it by injecting a couple of units just before and drinking some orange juice so they have insulin and carbs working, but without that heavy food feeling in the stomach that can cause nausea or stitches. I've also found that I can manage about 5 miles, but then need a couple of jelly babies a mile to keep my levels up.

It can be a bit of a minefield, and sometimes it's very hard to find an explanation. My levels often rise, but only slightly, during a run, and then I find my insulin sensitivity increasing a few hours afterwards. Still haven't quite cracked it!


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## dplay (Jun 23, 2010)

Thanks again Northerner. I had a banana a couple of hours before my run but no insulin. I had a light lunch and insulin about 6 hours before that. My blood sugar remained high all evening but was back down to 3.1 this morning ( I cope fine with low levels) and I'm now 'normal' and feel fine. I carry jelly babies with me but seldom use them, maybe a jeely baby and a couple of units pre run may help you think?


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## DanW81 (Jun 24, 2010)

i was having the exact same problem as you dplay.  I thought exercise was meant to lower levels to, so couldnt understand why my levels were shooting up by about 5 after id been playing football/circuit training/running.  

I now do exactly what northerner mentioned, i inject a couple of units before i start and this seems to work pretty well for me, you just have to watch out later on when those couple units reach their peak, which i do by taking less insulin with my eve meal.


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## Northerner (Jun 24, 2010)

dplay said:


> Thanks again Northerner. I had a banana a couple of hours before my run but no insulin. I had a light lunch and insulin about 6 hours before that. My blood sugar remained high all evening but was back down to 3.1 this morning ( I cope fine with low levels) and I'm now 'normal' and feel fine. I carry jelly babies with me but seldom use them, maybe a jeely baby and a couple of units pre run may help you think?



I think that this pretty much explains things then - your lunchtime insulin will have run out by the time of your run and the banana will have just pushed you higher as you would not have been able to use the glucose it provided. Personally, I wouldn't eat a banana without injecting for it - I think if you had you would have been fine.

By the way, you should be a little concerned about waking to 3.1 - that's not too far from not waking up at all  If you cope with those levels, that probably indicates that your hypo awareness is poor and you might find yourself only becoming aware when you are too far gone to respond sensibly - people can be very irrational at very low levels. You might want to consider adjusting your background insulin if you have been running - a run will increase your insulin sensitivity. In my case this effect can last for up to 40 hours afterwards.


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## dplay (Jun 24, 2010)

Believe me Northerner I'm ok at 3.1, I've been a diabetic for 43 years and can tell by how I feel were my sugar level is, in those 43 years I have had 1 hypo that caused me to be a bit aggresive and 'silly'. I've just been for a run 90 mins after lunch with a bs reading of 6.5 on return after 3miles against the wind and on a hot afternoon my reading was 2.5 I simply had an isotonic drink and I feel fine .
I will certainly follow the advice on a shot before runs that are sometime after a meal. At the moment my races are mainly on an evening around 7pm, I have my lunch at work at 1pm and don't eat before a race generally, but if I do its a banana so I will have that shot just have to work out how big the shot should be 
Finally I think my tight calves may be due to hydration issues, I tend to sweat a lot during runs, I do take in plenty of fluids but I guess I need more particularily in this hot weather. I'm currently trying a product called 'Elete Electrolyte' which is supposed to be 100% natural,contain magnesium, chloride, potassium and sodium and be good for diabetics anyone had experience of it


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## RunningFrog (Jul 12, 2010)

*high blood sugar*



dplay said:


> Believe me Northerner I'm ok at 3.1, I've been a diabetic for 43 years and can tell by how I feel were my sugar level is, in those 43 years I have had 1 hypo that caused me to be a bit aggresive and 'silly'. I've just been for a run 90 mins after lunch with a bs reading of 6.5 on return after 3miles against the wind and on a hot afternoon my reading was 2.5 I simply had an isotonic drink and I feel fine .
> I will certainly follow the advice on a shot before runs that are sometime after a meal. At the moment my races are mainly on an evening around 7pm, I have my lunch at work at 1pm and don't eat before a race generally, but if I do its a banana so I will have that shot just have to work out how big the shot should be
> Finally I think my tight calves may be due to hydration issues, I tend to sweat a lot during runs, I do take in plenty of fluids but I guess I need more particularily in this hot weather. I'm currently trying a product called 'Elete Electrolyte' which is supposed to be 100% natural,contain magnesium, chloride, potassium and sodium and be good for diabetics anyone had experience of it


Hoping you can help.  My dad is 78 years old, he took up running when he turned 50.  He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 10 years ago and has been managing ok till recently (he takes tablets ).  He runs about three times a week, about 6 miles each time.  Over the past year he has had three falls while running - flat out falls, bashing his face on the ground etc.   I think his blood sugar level is rising quite high while he is out running and this is causing the falls.  I have just got him to measure his blood sugar having returned from his latest run - it was 20!  His diabetic nurse doesn't understand why his blood sugar is rising when he exercises and has told him she can't give him any advice.  His doctor doesn't seem to be very helpful either.  I am hoping one of you will understand what's happening to him and give us some advice - his greatest fear is that he will be told he has to give up running, but the running is his life.  Any advice you can give us will be appreciated.


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## Copepod (Jul 12, 2010)

Running Frog - there's frightening little advice for serious athletics for people with type 2 diabetes; lots for those who want to walk a bit, but I've never seen anything for anyone not on insulin running 18 miles per week. Depending on who does his diabetes care, it might be worth trying to get a referral to a dietician specialising in diabetes and sports. I suspect that the doctor and nurse genuinely don't any experience of your dad's situation - and their automatic reaction to anyone, especially if older, is to stop doing anything rather than finding solutions. Although I'm type 1, I can remember being very frustrated when I asked "my" diabetes specialist nurse about hill walking etc and not appreciating her comments about her own very modest rambling, which, while I appreciated that she enjoyed it, wasn't what I meant at all.
If your dad is taking insulin, then worth looking at http://www.runsweet.com/ (UK based, diabetes [mainly type 1] and sport)
Also, might be worth asking on MAD website (Mountains for Active Diabetics), which includes many international members who run, as well as climb, bike, orienteer etc. http://www.diabetic.friendsinhighplaces.org/
In the meantime, keeping records of blood glucose levels (with a home testing meter, although getting strips might be an issue, to put it mildly), food intake and running miles / times amy help him to gain some insight into his blood glucose profiles. It might be that running at certain times of day or certain times in relation to meals might help a bit. It's true that high blood sugars, as well as low, can cause loss of co-ordination, which would make falling / tripping more likely. It's also true that exercising when blood sugars are already high may rise them even further.


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## RunningFrog (Jul 18, 2010)

Thankyou for your advice copepod, I have passed on your suggestions to my dad.  We hadn't thought of changing the time of day he runs so he is going to try first thing in the morning.  In the meantime he went back to his GP for the results of the blood tests the diabetic nurse took.  GP said his blood sugar results had improved since the last test. When he complained of high sugar levels and falliing when running, the GP said most 78 year old men don't run so if it's causing him a problem he should stop running.  Pretty much the reaction we were expecting but  I am so frustrated by this.  It's true most 78 year old men do not run, but that just makes my dad special not a nuisance.  He is a fit, active man and he has no intention of giving up his running.  He does regular 10k and half marathon runs with his running club in addition to his weekly training runs.  I have asked him to keep a diary of his running/eating patterns/sugar levels to see if we can work out a better way of managing his diabetes but it looks like we can expect no help from the GP.  He will never give up, he will keep on running!!!


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## Copepod (Jul 19, 2010)

Hi Running Frog 
Hope your dad keeps running (and surprising his GP!) for many years yet. My grandad had type 2 diabetes, and wasn't a runner, but he and grandma continued walking long into his 80s and her 90s. Once he had a wound which needed daily dressing from district nurse - who was always pleased to spot them climbing over stiles near their home (village in Shropshire). He was still cleaning leaves from gutters a week before he died (of an unrelated brain haemorrhage).


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