Five-a-side football and the "diabetic effect".

[Colquig]

I am new to this forum. I am a 53 year old type 1 diabetic on a daily insulin dose of 15 lantus plus novo rapid, three times. I also take eltroxin tablets. Love to play 5-a-side football, but have been dogged all my life with the hyperglycaemic effect - the reaction of glucagon in the system once games begin. The energy draining rapidly from the legs and the system. Anybody with any concrete advice? Hoping to get another year or two out of the ball. It is good for the system, body and mind!!

[ZuperNev]

Keep fighting, What diet are you on? What type of Diabetes do you have? Have you looked at walking football? Lots of questions I know but hopefully leads to better advice.

[Colquig in reply to ZuperNev]

Thank you. It is the Type 1. I am trying to keep up the running form, but have heard very good things about the walking football.

[MikePollard]

I applaud your determination to wring out of life what you can, for as long as you can.

Body and mind are inextricable, when one goes up one goes down, and vice versa.

I am no expert in diabetes, especially type one, but am a keen researcher on diet and health, and would like to know more.

So for a start, what is your diet based on?

[Colquig in reply to MikePollard]

Cheers, Mike,

No, the diet is pretty tight. I start the day with porridge and have done so for a long number of years. The diet is very much a slow-release type, well-balanced though my blood sugars have never been so. I keep very active.

The effect of the 'adrenalin rush' is the core difficulty - even when it is playing a fun-style five a side with like minded individuals - in the 35 plus age bracket!

Colin

[MikePollard in reply to Colquig]

Have you considered the low carbohydrate high fat lifestyle?

[bpranesh46]

Please try Sugar Knocker or BGR 34 Ayurveda Tablets.

[Colquig in reply to bpranesh46]

Wow. How do the tablets work?

[Snapp]

This is the problem with all type 1 diabetics on daily multi injections. Have you considered using an insulin pump instead of injections, this could avoid the hypo problem during excercise.

[Activity2004 in reply to Snapp]

Snapp,

Not all diabetics are the same. Something used for one person may not be the best for the next person. Different people, different results.

[Snapp]

Type 1 diabetes is very different to type 2 diabetes. On exercising, a type one diabetic can easily have hypoglycaemia if extra carbohydrate is not taken at the start or during excercising.

[Snapp]

Let me elaborate further.

The original poster asked for advice regarding hypoglycaemia In which he encounters during excercising - a side effect of ALL TYPE 1 diabetics on mdi (multiple daily injections).

There are two options in which Colquig and any other TYPE 1 diabetic have:-

1) EXTRA CARBOHYDRATES

To eat extra carbohydrates before/during excercising. This can be inconvenient, especially in team sports, but is a necessity to avoid hypos. This can also raise the blood sugar for a while if taking carb before excercising, but again is necessary to avoid hypos.

2) AN INSULIN PUMP

10 percent of TYPE 1 diabetes use an insulin pump over mdi. The pump can be programmed to secrete varying amounts of insulin throughout the 24hour day. It is ideal for TYPE 1 diabetics that exercise/ play sport, and for those that want tighter control over their blood glucose.

Google 'insulin pumps for type 1 diabetics'.

[Colquig in reply to Snapp]

In fact it is not the hypo effect during exercise that knocks me - it is quite the opposite - it is in fact the hyper effect - which I did state in the original post. The insulin pump sounds good, but at this point in my life-it may be too inconvenient. The medical staff have never pushed me in the direction of the pump.

[Colquig]

Thanks again for the advice on the pump.