About Hyperglycemia Due to Exercise

Blood sugar levels can be affected by any number of stimuli, but one of the most common is the presence of exercise. Exercise normally has the function of lowering blood glucose toward a state of hypoglycemia, but under certain conditions the exact opposite can occur, leading to a state of elevated blood sugar, or hyperglycemia. Understanding why and when this is likely to occur is your best defense against exercise-induced hyperglycemia.

Blood Sugar

• Blood sugar, or glucose, is the primary fuel used by your body. Glucose is normally formed from dietary carbohydrates. Following the process of digestion, the newly formed glucose is released into the bloodstream. At this point, the pancreas produces insulin, which shuttles glucose into muscle cells (for energy) and fat cells (for storage). While this process is normally transparent, things can occasionally go wrong due to disease or abnormal conditions.

Hyperglycemia

• Hyperglycemia is a state in which blood sugar is excessively elevated and remains so for a prolonged period of time. While hyperglycemia most often affects individuals with diabetes, it can nevertheless affects others not afflicted. Hyperglycemia generally occurs where insufficient insulin is present in the bloodstream to cope with the volume of glucose present.

Hyperglycemia and Exercise

• Although exercise normally results in a lowering of blood sugar levels, diabetics can often experience the exact opposite result. Due to their inability to manufacture insulin, diabetics who already have elevated levels of blood sugar can actually increase their blood sugar further by exercising, resulting in a state of hyperglycemia. This, in turn, can lead to the dangerous condition known as ketoacidosis--or diabetic coma.

Warnings

• If you are not suffering from diabetes, you have little to fear when it comes to inducing hyperglycemia through exercise. If you are diabetic, however, be sure to monitor your blood sugar at all times--according to the American Diabetic Association, if it rises above 240mg/dl, do not exercise as you are at an elevated risk of developing exercise-induced hyperglycemia and possibly ketoacidosis.

Considerations

• If controlling your blood sugar has been a recurring problem, the American Diabetics Association recommends that you consult with your supervising physician to develop a new strategy to manage your glucose levels, avoiding the possibility of exercise-induced hyperglycemia. Altering both the type (additional low glycemic index carbs), quantity (smaller meals have less of an impact on blood sugar), and frequency (frequent meals keep blood sugar relatively stable) of your meals might help.