Blood glucose level and training

[Greg W]

Any non-diabetics check their blood glucose levels for training? I have a family history of diabetes, so I purchased a blood glucose meter and have done a ton of research. My diet is pretty good, but I wanted to find out how even my good foods effected blood glucose levels. I decide to post this after hearing Schaub's podcast where he said he was just not right for his fight. Do UFC guys check blood glucose levels prior to fights?? Seems almost everyone spends hundreds on supplements, but nobody I know monitors blood glucose, unless they are diabetic. From my research it seems everybody has a slightly different optimum blood Glucose level (BGL) for physical activity. It seems from my research that most healthy people should have a BGL around 120 prior to strenuous activity. Most healthy people walk around with a BGL below 100, most in the 70-80 range. I have been testing and logging my BGL numbers for a while now. I test my morning fasting number, my pre- workout number and my post workout number, and note how I felt during training and how well I recovered from training the next day. The same food can effect BGL differently for different people. So you can't just say, I eat food x, y hours before training so you should too. Just from my limited experience, I seem to have better performance, if I start training with a BGL closer to 120 than if I go in at 89. Curious to see what others have to say. Maybe high level athletes already do this and I am just slow to the party.

[Greg W]

a link to an article.
https://www.insidetracker.com/blog/p...ls-in-athletes

http://sock-doc.com/2013/12/fat-or-sugar/

[Nick Paul]

My metabolism is pretty quick so if I don't eat within a couple hours of training I definitely feel it. I haven't heard of many athletes monitoring it too closely. I know they have blood work done and monitor their heart rates pretty closely, so I always wondered why blood sugar isn't something they would measure. Speaking of Schaub's podcast, I tried eating a candy bar before practice, and it's pretty awesome. When my blood sugar is higher I for sure feel like my endurance is stronger.

[John Mejia]

a link to an article.
https://www.insidetracker.com/blog/p...ls-in-athletes

http://sock-doc.com/2013/12/fat-or-sugar/

Interesting, I'm gonna read up on this.

[Chris Leavelle]

Just means you will have more glucose readily available. That alone should increase performance over a short amount of time. Its one of the reasons most pre-workout drinks are loaded with carbs. The problem will be that window when your body has depleted its glucose levels and has to begin manufacturing it.

[Greg W]

I have found certain things that get me to 140 to begin practice but drop to 100 or below at the end. I don't feel great. I have also found things that get me to start around 120 and I finish right around the same. I also feel sluggish at 140 to start, so just having something like a candy bar for the spike to 140 might not be great for me during a 2 hour session. Just for some test data I ate pizza, come to find out no food I eat elevates my BGL like Pizza. I can go into practice with a 160 BGL, feel like crap, and have it plummet to 100 at the end. Note to self, don't eat pizza on training days. I haven't tried any of those pre-workouts to see what those do.

Chris, can you please expand a little.

[Kurzy]

Thanks for sharing in the thread. Interesting.

[Josh Passini]

We smell diabeetus here in Chicago. Steady intake of fruit snack and pre-workout. We are golden!

[Chris Leavelle]

I wouldn't think spiking your blood sugar much over 120 would have any positive effect since your body's response will be to release insulin and bring it down. Combine that with exercise were your already burning glucose and your blood sugar levels will drop fast. During an average workout you can use up your blood glucose in around 10-15 minutes then you start releasing stored glycogen from the liver. That'll last you about another 15 or so minutes after that your body starts to use fat as energy. There's a lot better explanations of this process online its been a while since I took Human Physiology.