About Diabetes
Type 1: Always Insulin Requiring
Type 1 diabetes is less common than type 2; the former comprises only about 5 to 10 percent of all cases. Type 1 has an autoimmune basis-meaning that an immune system gone awry is responsible for destroying most or all of the insulin-making capacity of the pancreatic beta cells. Having this type means that you have to take insulin to survive. If you developed type 1 rapidly during your childhood or adolescence, you are not alone; the teen years are when type 1 diabetes is most commonly diagnosed. Its usual symptoms include the "polys" (polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia, otherwise known as excessive urination, thirst, and hunger), unexplained weight loss, and unusual fatigue, all of which are related to having an elevated blood glucose level caused by lack of insulin in the body.
Requiring daily insulin also means that balancing your blood sugar levels when you exercise is going to be tricky because both insulin and physical activity can independently (but additively) lower your blood glucose. You may need to alter your insulin and your carbohydrate intake before, during, and after exercise to stay in balance because hypoglycemia commonly results from being physically active.
Content reprinted with permission: Diabetic Athlete's Handbook, Your Guide to Peak Performance, by Dr. Sheri Colberg. Human Kinetics, November 2008.
For more information about the book, click here.