Are There Any Precautions I Should Take When I Exercise with Diabetes?

Are There Any Precautions I Should Take When I Exercise with Diabetes? (0:49)

Exercise is a great way to manage your blood sugar, especially if you have diabetes. There are some precautions you should take, says endocrinologist Athena Philis-Tsimikas, MD, of Scripps Health. In some cases, exercise can make blood sugar too low.

Read Transcript

Yes, because exercise is a great way to lower blood sugar but it can also drive your blood sugars too low. So we usually tell our patients to carry a little bit of sugar with them that can be candy, can be glucose tablets. Check your blood sugars before you walk and check them after you come back, to make sure you haven't dropped too low.

Sometimes if you're too high we tell people not to go out and take a walk or do exercise either, because during exercise you release adrenaline and adrenaline is a hormone that actually pushes blood sugar up. So, it can go both ways..