September 17, 2002
Exercise and Sports
Question from London, England:
My son, who has had type 1 diabetes for two months, is a black belt karate (which he has done seven years). Normal high level training has not been to much trouble, but he is having big problem during competition when the adrenalin kicks in, and his blood sugar drops alarmingly. Is this normal ? Are there any suggestions you can make?
Answer:
As this appears to be the pattern that you and your son are observing surrounding his participation in karate competition, you should work with his diabetes team to develop a plan to compensate for, and hopefully prevent, this adrenaline-related hypoglycemia. You have a number of options, including reduction(s) in insulin doses; increases in carbohydrate/protein intake in the meal or snack prior to competition; or a combination of these. Frequent blood sugar testing on the day of the competition should assist in making adjustments to this plan. Here’s wishing him the best of luck in his upcoming competitions!
DMW
