I have type 1 diabetes, I’m training for a marathon, and my blood sugar often spikes in the first five miles of running. Today, I tried creatine for performance improvement, and my blood sugar spiked and keeps going up, even though I stopped running and took two correction boluses. Is creatine to blame or should I suspect some other cause?

There have been some studies published in patients with type 1 diabetes and exercise training. Creatine has not necessarily been associated with worsening control. In fact, in a short-term study published in the journal Diabetes, there was some improvement. This does not mean there is a general con census that creatine is good in diabetes and safe in patients with type 1 diabetes. However, it does not fit with your limited experience. I would suggest you also look for another source.

JTL

[Editor’s comment: Creatine, which is sometimes used as a performance-enhancing supplement, is different from creatinine. See Creatine, Creatinine, and Confusion.

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