DIABETES AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE

Any type of exercise performed at an intensity appropriate to the specific person will have beneficial effects on blood glucose control. There is no best exercise for diabetes, which is why we recommend CrossFit as a training system since you will benefit from different stimuli such as running, rowing, movements with our body weight or with external weight and the combination of these as well as other tools. of physical training.

People with type 1 diabetes and those with type 2 who require insulin injections, or the administration of secretagogue medications, should take into account the effect of exercise in advance to adjust the insulin dose both before and after exercise to prevent hypoglycemia from occurring. Failure to make an adequate adjustment can have consequences on blood glucose levels during exercise and up to 24 hours afterward.

If you exercise with excess insulin in the blood, glucose levels may drop too low and hypoglycemia may occur. If this was not taken into account when scheduling the insulin injection, it will be necessary to eat carbohydrates before and during sports, for example, oatmeal, fruit, etc.
On the contrary, exercising with insufficient insulin in the blood, due to having reduced the previous dose too much, can make it difficult for glucose to pass into the muscle fibers, producing hyperglycemia during and after physical activity. It is also likely that the body will try to resort to alternative sources of energy, which will increase ketone bodies in the blood and some symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain may be experienced.

If the exercise is of long duration, such as a soccer game or a long-distance run, it may happen that the body depletes glycogen reserves and resorts to fat metabolism. In this case, ketones will also rise, but without producing hyperglycemia, and it will only be temporary. However, it is recommended that people with diabetes consume glucose or other sugars during exercise if it lasts for a long time, to avoid hypoglycemia. Generally in the case of CrossFit we will be training short durations with 60 minute sessions including warm-up, practice of the movements of the day and cool down leaving us with 10-20 minutes of intense physical exercise relative to the capabilities and needs of each person.

The hypoglycemic effect of exercise continues after the end of exercise, so it is advisable to eat a serving of carbohydrates to prevent hypoglycemia during the following 24 hours. Both the muscles and the liver need to replenish the reserves of sugar consumed during exercise, so, although blood glucose may rise temporarily after intense physical activity, blood glucose levels must be monitored and insulin doses adjusted accordingly. properly. As we always recommend that the carbohydrate sources of your choice are unprocessed or minimally processed versions, we prefer the apple over a chocolate bun.

The practice of any sport, apart from being used for physical exercise, also contributes to people’s mental well-being. Children and adolescents in particular can benefit greatly from the more recreational aspects of sports practice and manage to lead an active and healthy lifestyle while developing social and psychological skills. Diabetes is not a reason to avoid practicing any sport, but it is advisable to learn to take the appropriate measures to keep blood glucose under control while doing it, as well as instruct the people with whom you are going to do it how to act. in case a medical emergency occurs, such as severe hypoglycemia. In any case, when deciding to carry out a specific or continuous physical activity, it is key to transfer it to the medical team, so that they, in coordination with the patient, adjust the treatment prescribed up to that moment.