Exercise and glucose: what to expect and how to manage
An explainer on how exercise affects glucose levels, what to monitor, and what to ask your diabetes team about insulin and carbs.
Exercise affects your blood glucose levels, and knowing how can help you manage them better. Here’s what you need to know.
- Check your glucose levels before, during, and after exercise to see how your body responds.
- Gentle exercise tends to lower glucose levels, but intense workouts can raise them.
- Watch for hypos (low glucose) during and after exercise, including hours later and overnight.
- Extra carbohydrate is something you can manage yourself; insulin adjustments are worked out with your diabetes team.
- Be ready to treat a hypo with 15-20g of fast-acting carb, like a sugary drink or glucose tablets.
How exercise affects glucose levels
Exercise can have varying effects on your blood glucose levels. Gentle or steady activities, like walking or yoga, generally lower your glucose. However, more intense activities, such as sprinting or heavy weightlifting, can temporarily raise your glucose levels due to adrenaline. Monitoring your levels closely helps you understand how different types of exercise affect you.
When hypoglycaemia can occur
Hypos, or low blood glucose levels, can happen both during exercise and afterwards, including hours later and overnight. This is because your muscles continue to use glucose even after you’ve stopped exercising. Being prepared with fast-acting carbohydrates is essential to treat any hypo that occurs.
What varies between people
What counts as extra carbohydrate varies with the type of exercise, its duration, and your starting glucose levels. Your diabetes team can help you figure out your own pattern and what adjustments might be needed.