Exercise

Impact on blood glucose

Regular activity is a great tool for lowering blood glucose levels. Your body uses glucose for fuel when you start exercising. This results in your blood glucose falling.

Q How long does it take before glucose stops falling after you exercise?
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Your body can keep using glucose long after you have finished exercising. In some cases, particularly involving physical activity that is hard or very demanding, your blood glucose may initially rise before it falls some hours later.

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Your body can keep using glucose long after you have finished exercising. In some cases, particularly involving physical activity that is hard or very demanding, your blood glucose may initially rise before it falls some hours later.

Benefits for glucose control

Physical activity may help clear glucose from your blood, which is a real benefit for people with diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes who exercise regularly may even be able to manage their blood glucose without insulin or diabetes pills or they may need less medication.

Things to watch out for

  1. Don't start exercising if your blood glucose is less than 100 mg/dl. Have a snack, such as a piece of fruit or a few crackers and then test again 15-30 minutes later.
  2. Get to know how exercise affects your blood glucose levels. Test before, during and after exercise. You will then know how to balance food and exercise so that your glucose does not go too low.
  3. Blood glucose can swing too low if you exercise for long periods or on an empty stomach. Always keep some form of glucose handy, just in case you need it while exercising.
  4. If you exercise in the evening, you may leave yourself vulnerable to hypoglycemia (lows) while you sleep. Make sure to check your blood glucose before you go to bed and perhaps overnight.

This information was reproduced from the "Complete Guide to Diabetes" with the permission of the American Diabetes Association.

It is a comprehensive book and recommended by the American Diabetes Association for those people that want to learn more about diabetes.

Click on the image to go to the American Diabetes Association bookstore.

Note: Care4life has no commercial interest in any of the books or resources it recommends.