How Diabetes Affects Professional Athletes

Professional athletes are not just high-paid entertainers; they are also role models who are looked up to by young people around the world. Because of this, it’s important that the public has access to information about how diabetes affects professional athletes, especially since sports figures tend to be at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes due to their diet and exercise habits. This article will cover how diabetes affects professional athletes and why it’s so important for them to be informed about this disease that can lead to serious health problems if left untreated.

To be a successful athlete with diabetes, it is going to take a lot of work on their own to keep themselves healthy. The key factor an athlete with diabetes has to worry about is the well-being of their blood sugar levels. With good nutrition and sufficient control, you too can succeed, all without being touched by hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.

What does it take to be an athlete with diabetes?

People with diabetes are encouraged to exercise daily in order to control blood sugar levels, develop a healthy lifestyle, and better mood. Yet, because they have diabetes, exercise may affect blood sugar levels.

Those with diabetes will want to look into how exercise affects blood sugar levels, and how blood sugar is safe for specific needs before, during, and after exercising. The main goal for parents is to inform newly diagnosed and young children with type 1 diabetes about how exercise affects blood sugar.

What about high blood sugars during exercise, do they not count?

Yes, high blood sugar while exercising is not good. You will want to cancel your workout plans if your blood sugar is over 300 mg/dl. You should get a test for ketones from your urine with a ketone strip if your blood sugar is over 240 mg/dl before exercising. You can buy ketone strips at any pharmacy.

For those with ketones in their blood, don’t exercise until blood sugars are under 240 mg/dl and ketones are absent.

Don’t exercise when you have ketones in your blood because ketones signify a lack of insulin. Exercising when ketones are present will help you burn fat and may make the problem worse. This can lead to a dangerous condition called Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

Never forget to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, even when your blood sugars are high or you are working out. And always keep your insulin doses in mind – they were prescribed by your doctor after all. Do not exercise until you are in ketosis.

Minimizing Risky Behaviors

Studies have found that teenage girls who participate in distance running, aesthetic sports such as figure skating, cheerleading, and ballet, or activities that put great emphasis on their body weight like figure skating, cheerleading, and ballet have higher rates of unhealthy weight control than the general population, with many reporting skipped insulin or lowered insulin dosages to maintain their weight. And a problem like eating disorders in adolescent girls and young women with type 1 diabetes has been studied, with it being clear that it is fairly common, and often happens alongside poorer metabolic control. Any doctor in charge of women athletes with diabetes, especially if they’re in sports with a high prevalence of the female athlete triad, should be wary of preventing and identifying this problem early on.

Healthy athletes with or without diabetes must have a balance of macronutrients or nutrition basics to fuel training and athletic performances. 

Research suggests that strength-trained athletes with diabetes need the same amount of protein as anyone else does if they’re lifting weights regularly. You might not need as much if you’re sedentary. There is evidence that large amounts of protein consumption may negatively affect kidney function.

Strategies for Athletes to Manage Diabetes

For people with diabetes who need to take insulin, there are many considerations when exercising, but this will depend on what type of exercise, how recently they’ve taken insulin, and other factors. The best strategies also depend on what type of insulin you use and how you keep track of your blood sugar.