Exercise is beneficial for people with diabetes because it helps lower blood-glucose levels. As a result, people with type 1 diabetes may need less insulin and people with type 2 diabetes may be able to control their diabetes without medication. Exercise has other benefits as well. It helps improve cardiovascular fitness and provides a sense of psychological well-being.
However, exercising when you have diabetes requires careful planning and monitoring, particularly for people who take oral medication or insulin to control their diabetes. These individuals may need to make adjustments to their medication and food intake to prevent blood-glucose levels that are too low (hypoglycemia) or too high (hypergtyce-mia) during exercise.
To prevent hypoglycemia, workouts should be timed in relation to meals and medication. A general rule is to exercise one to three hours after eating something. People with diabetes who take insulin should not exercise when their insulin is at its peak. Since exercise can lower blood glucose hours later, avoid exercising just before bedtime to prevent hypoglycemia in the middle of the night.
Blood glucose can continue to drop for hours after exercising, so test your levels at least twice: once immediately after exercising and again a few hours later. Since more intense exercise prolongs the glucose-lowering effect, be extra careful after strenuous workouts.
If you have diabetes, talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise program or making any changes to your medication or diet. Getting in the habit of exercising regularly may be difficult at first, but the benefits can be great for people with diabetes.
Source: Johns Hopkins University
Good Neighbor Pharmacy Health Connection March 2013
Share with Friend
