Why does physical activity cause blood sugar fluctuations?

Question

Hello doctor,

My 24-year-old friend is an aspiring dancer and struggles with managing type 1 diabetes during long performance schedules. She is on insulin therapy but experiences unpredictable blood sugar fluctuations during rehearsals and concerts. We want to understand specialized strategies for managing diabetes in high-stress, physically demanding artistic environments. Can you provide insights into performance preparation, glucose monitoring during creative pursuits, and maintaining optimal health?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and understand your concern.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic (life-long) autoimmune disease that prevents your pancreas from making insulin. Insulin is an important hormone that regulates the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. Under normal circumstances, insulin functions in the following steps:

Your body breaks down the food you eat into glucose (sugar), which is your body’s main source of energy.

Glucose enters your bloodstream, which signals your pancreas to release insulin.

Insulin helps glucose in your blood enter your muscle, fat, and liver cells so they can use it for energy or store it for later use. When glucose enters your cells and the levels in your bloodstream decrease, it signals your pancreas to stop producing insulin.

If you do not have enough insulin, too much sugar builds up in your blood, causing hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), and your body can not use the food you eat for energy. This can lead to serious health problems or even death if it’s not treated. People with Type 1 diabetes need synthetic insulin every day to live and be healthy. Type 1 diabetes was previously known as juvenile diabetes and insulin-dependent diabetes.

Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes include:

Excessive thirst.
Frequent urination, including frequent full diapers in infants and bedwetting in children.
Excessive hunger.
Unexplained weight loss.
Fatigue.
Blurred vision.
Slow healing of cuts and sores.
Vaginal yeast infections.

Management :

MDTA (Multidisciplinary team advice). Check four levels of blood sugar level. Insulin dose should be adjusted accordingly to your blood sugar level along with that you should take. Tablet Metformin 500 mg two times a day continuously. Maintain diet and exercise.

I hope this helps.

Thank you