Aerobic exercise for a total of 150 minutes a week, 4 to 7 times per week for at least 30 minutes, has a long list of health benefits. 

Benefits of exercise include:

• Usually lowers your blood glucose
• Improves insulin sensitivity, which means your body’s own or injected insulin works better. Note: You may need an adjustment in your diabetes medication or insulin dose to help prevent the blood sugar from going too low. Ask your health care provider for advice
• Reduces body fat
• Helps to build and tone muscles
• Lowers your risk for heart disease
• Improves circulation
• Preserves bone mass
• Reduces stress, improves sleep and enhances quality of life

Exercise is more than  running, biking, going to the gym or playing a sport. Most activity is exercise. Activities of daily life—from cleaning, to gardening or shopping - are all forms of exertion that increase insulin sensitivity and that can lower your blood glucose. Most activity will lower the blood glucose, but not always.

Exercises that decrease blood glucose

Daily life activities, like shopping, cleaning, gardening, walking and sexual intimacy, as well as more strenuous sports activities, such as swimming, jogging and tennis, will increase insulin sensitivity and lower insulin requirements.

These activities may require reducing the dose of insulin releasing pills or insulin if you are treated with these types of diabetes medications, and may require consumption of extra carbohydrate to keep the blood glucose stable.

Exercises that may increase blood glucose

There are also activities and exercises that may increase blood glucose. This is because the activity may release glucose counter-regulatory hormones, such as epinephrine (adrenaline) that opposes the action of insulin and raises the blood glucose. A classic example of this is bench-pressing free weights. It’s difficult to generalize, though, since other anaerobic activities will still lower blood glucose.

Consult your medical provider team for specific questions regarding your activity. In another example, competitive activities will often raise blood glucose. Someone about to run a race gets an epinephrine (adrenaline) surge that is part of the competitive drive, which may result in elevated blood glucose during the race. In contrast, blood glucose can drop during practice.

Diabetes treatment includes being active, but you need to follow a few sensible steps before you begin an exercise regimen.

• Discuss your exercise plan with your healthcare provider and get clearance.
• Practice good foot care. This is especially important if you have circulatory problems or diminished sensation in your feet from nerve damage. Wear absorbent socks and shoes that fit well. Be sure to inspect your feet daily, and promptly report any abnormalities to your doctor.
• If needed, adjust your Diabetes medication or insulin dose and food intake, as recommended by your medical team. Every person’s body responds differently to these factors, making it critical to create a personalized plan of care including exercise, insulin and food adjustments, with your diabetes healthcare team.
• Monitor your blood glucose frequently if you are taking pills that release insulin from your pancreas or insulin.
• Wear a medical alert tag.