Exercise and Type 1 Diabetes: Strategies for Glucose Control

Exercise is a fun and an important part of living a long and healthy life with type 1 diabetes. However, it is important to learn how your body will react to changes in physical activity and what you can do to help make exercise problem free. Blood sugar control during, and after, exercise requires advanced planning, a good understanding of carbohydrate metabolism and knowledge about insulin action. Knowledge about the type of exercise that you do is also important (mild, moderate, heavy aerobic exercise, resistance and/or anaerobic exercise). To maintain stable blood glucose (BG) levels during exercise usually requires planning and adjusting insulin levels and/or carbohydrate intake. Understanding how to properly adjust insulin and/or carbohydrates for the intensity of exercise will help avoid unwanted lows (hypoglycemia) or highs (hyperglycemia), while maintaining good sporting performance