Question: Keeping with the theme of cold weather and diabetes, how do people find the cold affects their blood glucose levels?
This question was prompted from Heather Buckle’s talk about exercise and diabetes at the Annual Type 1 Diabetes Update at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. Heather is a person with type 1 diabetes, a physiotherapist, and a certified diabetes educator at the Health & Performance clinic in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. During her talk she mentioned that blood glucose levels tend to go lower when active outside, as you use up glucose keeping your body warm. She further noted this is especially so if you are shivering.
Responses: The majority of people agreed that their blood glucose levels drop, sometimes drastically throughout the winter months. Holly said that hers goes down, because she “use[s] it up trying to keep warm.” Daniel and Chantal agreed, with Chantal saying that she uses as “a good excuse to indulge in some rich hot chocolate with marshmallows” (yum!) Vicki said that it seems that the colder it gets the more her blood glucose levels drop, noting “-15 to – 20 is what hits me hard … sigh. Don’t want to see what happens at – 50.”
But, typically, diabetes isn’t always straight forward. D-mom @NitaCure4T1D on Twitter said: “This is our 2nd winter so we will know more. No change at all in winter. M [her son with diabetes] stayed the same even with a whole day of skiing.” Similarly, Andy said that he hasn’t noticed that his blood glucose levels are affected by varying temperatures, but that he does try to keep his levels a little higher when out, because he doesn’t want to have to stop and eat and get cold.
Jason said that when he was using multiple daily injections he noticed that he would need to boost his long acting insulin slightly in the fall and then lower it again in the spring. He switched to an insulin pump six months ago and is not sure how things will shift with the seasons on this new delivery/treatment regime. Robbie noted that it makes his blood glucose “rise through the roof!”
Thanks to everyone who chimed in! How about you? How do you find the cold affects your blood glucose levels generally and during activity?
