Sports and Diabetes series

 

Can physical activity lower blood sugar?
Physical activity may cause hypoglycemia in people who take insulin or hypoglycemic pills, including sulfonylureas (such as Downil) and meglitinides (such as Novonorm). Some pills do not cause hypoglycemia, such as Glucophage.
Hypoglycemia can occur during or shortly after exercise or even the next day, and thus you feel trembling, weakness, confusion, agitation, hunger, and fatigue, and you may sweat heavily or feel a headache.

 In any case, you must remain physically active, and there are some steps to avoid hypoglycemia.
Before sports:
Avoid exercising if you forgot to eat a previous meal and check your blood sugar if it is less than 100 mg / 100 milliliter of blood. Eat a snack.
If you take insulin, ask your doctor. You may need to reduce your insulin dose before exercising.

 

 During sport:
Put an identification belt or ID in your pocket.
Always carry food or glucose pills with you to be prepared in the event of hypoglycemia.
If you will be exercising for more than an hour, your blood should be checked at regular intervals, and you may need a light meal before finishing exercising.
After sport:
Check your sugar to see how exercise is lowering your blood sugar.
How to behave in the event of hypoglycemia?

 If the blood sugar is 70 mg / 100 ml blood or less, do one of the following:
2 or 3 glucose tablets (sugar).
1/2 cup (4 ounces) of any fruit juice.
1/2 cup (4 ounces) of any soft drink (not diet).
A cup of milk (8 ounces).
5 or 6 pieces of hard sweetness.
1 or 3 teaspoons of sugar or honey.
After 15 minutes, check your blood sugar again. If it remains low, eat another snack.
Repeat until the sugar number is 70 mg / 100 ml blood or more.
If there is an hour or more before the next meal, eat another meal.