Exercise is one of the most important ways for diabetics to control their blood sugar, but did you know that in some cases, exercise not only does not lower blood sugar, but can lead to an increase in blood sugar and even dangerous complications such as hypoglycemia?
So, what are these situations, why do they happen, and how can they be avoided?
With the deepening of scientific research, people are increasingly aware of the important role of exercise in diabetes management.
Proper exercise is not only effective in lowering blood sugar, blood lipids, and blood pressure, but also improves the efficacy of medications and has a positive impact on patients' mental health.
1) Exercise helps lower blood sugar levels by enhancing the affinity of insulin to receptors and improving the body's sensitivity to insulin.
Exercise also promotes the body's use of glucose, which further lowers blood sugar. This is undoubtedly one of the effective ways to control blood sugar for diabetic patients.
2) Exercise also has significant hypolipidemic and hypotensive effects. By exercising regularly, you can increase the level of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) in your blood, which can reduce your risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
Exercise also helps with weight loss, relieves high blood pressure, and provides a natural and effective way for people with cardiovascular disease.
3) For obese diabetic patients, moderate exercise can help reduce weight and enhance the sensitivity of target tissues to insulin, thereby reducing the dosage of hypoglycemic drugs and improving the effect of drugs.
This is especially important for patients who wish to control their blood glucose levels through comprehensive management.
4) Proper exercise can not only help patients release stress and relax their minds, but also improve sleep quality, which can have a positive impact on mental health.
It should be noted that diabetic patients should take into account their own physical condition when choosing exercise, choose the appropriate amount and type of exercise, and avoid physical discomfort caused by excessive exercise.
It is recommended to develop a personalized exercise plan under the guidance of a doctor or a professional, gradually increasing the intensity and duration of exercise to ensure the safety and effectiveness of exercise.
In fact, the effect of exercise on blood sugar is not static, it is closely related to the type of exercise chosen.
Aerobic and anaerobic exercise have different effects on blood sugar, and in some cases, rebound hyperglycemia after hypoglycemia can occur after exercise.
1) Aerobic exercise, such as swimming, jogging, brisk walking, cycling, and tai chi, is characterized by low to moderate intensity, rhythm, and long duration.
During aerobic exercise, the uptake and utilization of glucose by muscles and other peripheral tissues increases, and the body's sensitivity to insulin increases.
These changes work together to help lower blood sugar levels. Therefore, aerobic exercise is seen as one of the effective ways to help with blood sugar management.
2) Anaerobic exercise, such as sprinting, weightlifting, high jump, long jump, etc., is favored by many sports enthusiasts for its high-intensity and short-term characteristics.
The impact of this type of exercise on the human body goes far beyond muscle training and strength improvement, it also has a significant impact on the body's metabolic processes at the microscopic level, especially in the regulation of blood sugar levels.
During anaerobic exercise, the sympathetic nervous system in the body is activated as a mechanism for the body to cope with tension and stress, and the activation of the sympathetic nervous system leads to the adrenal glands to secrete a series of hormones, including catecholamines, glucocorticoids, and glucagon, among others.
Together, these hormones act on the liver, prompting it to accelerate the breakdown of glycogen, releasing more glucose into the bloodstream, causing blood sugar levels to rise.
This process is an effective mechanism for providing energy quickly for anaerobic exercise that requires a large amount of energy in a short period of time.
This also means a temporary increase in blood sugar levels, especially if the glucose absorption capacity of muscle tissue is not enough to keep up with the rate of glucose output.
3) Rebound hyperglycemia after hypoglycemia. After a long period of continuous exercise, hypoglycemia may occur due to the body's high glucose consumption.
At this point, the body rapidly increases blood sugar levels by activating a feedback mechanism to ensure the body's energy needs. This rapid transition from hypoglycemia to hyperglycemia is known as rebound hyperglycemia after hypoglycemia.
Therefore, when choosing the type of exercise and the intensity of exercise, it is particularly important to understand your physical condition.
In general, if the goal is to lower blood glucose, it is recommended to choose low- to moderate-intensity, long-duration aerobic exercise and observe the actual effect of exercise on blood sugar.
The relationship between exercise and blood sugar is not static, and exercise under certain conditions, such as exercising on an empty stomach in the morning, may not always cause blood sugar to drop, but may cause blood sugar to rise.
1) When diabetic patients exercise on an empty stomach, the sympathetic nervous system in the body is activated.
This activation leads to an increase in the release of adrenaline and other hormones that inhibit insulin secretion, as well as stimulate the liver to release stored glucose to meet the energy needs of muscle tissue.
Diabetic patients are unable to adapt effectively to this exercise-induced hormonal change due to impaired insulin secretion, resulting in an increase in blood sugar levels.
Further, the need for glucose in muscle tissue increases during exercise to support the energy requirements of athletic activities. However, in people with diabetes, impaired insulin secretion prevents blood glucose from being fully utilized.
Even if the uptake of glucose by muscle tissue increases, blood sugar levels can still rise due to insufficient insulin action.
2) Moderate exercise is often thought to help lower blood sugar because exercise can promote insulin secretion, which helps transport glucose into muscle cells, thereby lowering blood sugar.
ButExcessive exerciseIt can lead to muscle energy depletion, which in turn prevents glucose from entering muscle cells smoothly, causing the body to respond to stress.
At this time, the body releases hormones such as adrenaline, which prompts the liver to convert glycogen into glucose and release it into the bloodstream, resulting in a rise in blood sugar levels.
Therefore, diabetics should be extra careful when choosing the type of exercise and determining the intensity of exercise. Early morning exercise on an empty stomach, especially if you don't eat any food, may not be the best option for all people with diabetes.
Not all types of exercise are suitable for all people with diabetes, and the choice and implementation of exercise needs to be done carefully.
1) For diabetic patients with serious complications or large blood sugar fluctuations, especially for those with significant fundus lesions, vascular lesions or renal lesions, or patients with unstable blood glucose control and prone to hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, strenuous exercise may pose a risk, so strenuous exercise should be avoided.
2) For patients who are able to exercise, develop a personalized exercise plan. This plan should be developed under the guidance of a doctor or professional, taking into account factors such as the patient's age, strength level, medical condition, and whether there are complications.
Choosing the right type and intensity of exercise can maximize the benefits of exercise while avoiding potential risks.
In the choice of exercise, it is recommended to exercise forms with low to medium intensity and low risk, such as walking after meals, dancing, gymnastics and tai chi.
These exercises are not only safe, but also easy to follow, and have a positive effect on improving blood sugar control and improving quality of life.
3) The arrangement of exercise time should also be cautious, it is recommended to start with a short period of time and gradually increase, and it is advisable to have a slight heat and light sweating.
Exercise should not be scheduled on an empty stomach, and the best time is after a meal, which can not only avoid the risk of hypoglycemia, but also use exercise to help burn blood sugar after meals.
4) If conditions permit, patients should check their blood sugar before exercising to ensure that their blood sugar is within a safe range. If your blood sugar is too high or too low, it is recommended to hold off on exercising until your blood sugar is adjusted to a suitable range.
5) When exercising, the body's sugar depletion rate accelerates, especially when performing moderate-to-high intensity or long-lasting exercise.
In this case, if glucose is not replenished in time, diabetic patients are prone to hypoglycemic reactions, manifested by symptoms such as hand tremors, sweating, and palpitation.
Carrying candy or syrup with you that can quickly raise your blood sugar is essential for dealing with sudden hypoglycemia states.
As soon as you feel the signs of hypoglycemia, you should stop exercising immediately and consume these fast-replenishing foods in time to avoid the dangers of hypoglycemia.
6) Uncomfortable symptoms such as palpitation, fatigue, dizziness or chest tightness that may occur during exercise are all warning signs sent by the body.
These signals may indicate low blood sugar, fluctuations in blood pressure, or other underlying health problems. In the face of these symptoms, patients should immediately stop exercising, find a safe place to rest, and take appropriate remedial measures, such as consuming sugar-supplemented foods or drinking water.
If symptoms persist or are severe, it is important to seek medical help immediately to prevent the problem from getting worse.
Exercise is a double-edged sword for diabetics. Under the right conditions, exercise can help patients lower blood sugar, improve physical condition, and improve quality of life.
But in certain cases, exercise can also lead to elevated blood sugar, low blood sugar, or other complications.
When exercising, diabetic patients should understand their own situation, choose the appropriate exercise method, intensity and time, follow the guidance of doctors or professionals, pay attention to monitoring blood sugar and body response, and replenish water and glucose in time to ensure the safety and effectiveness of exercise.
In addition, attention should be paid to dietary balance, medication**, regular check-ups, etc., and comprehensive management should be implemented to better control blood sugar, prevent complications, and ensure good health.