Sugar, insulin and exercise?

[cahemdue]

Quick question regarding simple carbs, insulin spikes and usage of blood sugar. I understand on a basic level that eating sugars increases blood sugar levels, which in turn leads to an increase of insulin secretion, which leads to a crash due to reduced blood sugar levels etc. Just curious on timescales and other affecting factors.

If you were to have a mixed simple/ complex carb meal of around 600 calories (mostly of carbs) then almost immediately commence a workout of around 600 calories would the insulin spike still happen or would the digestion of said carbs be offset against the current demands of the exercise keeping blood sugar at a more constant level?

 

[PillarofBalance]

I am going to over simplify this answer since you don't really have a full understanding of how carbohydrate is digested stored and utilized for energy.

You eat a carbohydrate.

It's digested by amylase in the mouth and small intestine and absorbed as glucose in the small intestine where it enters the bloodstream.

Insulin picks up that glucose and carries to the muscle where it is stored as glycogen and then used as energy as needed.

Ingesting carbs and then exercising right away doesn't cause that whole process to be skipped.

Moral of the story is just eat an appropriate amount of food. Eating some carbohydrate whether simple or complex will aid your workout with energy.

 

[HDH]

Quick question regarding simple carbs, insulin spikes and usage of blood sugar. I understand on a basic level that eating sugars increases blood sugar levels, which in turn leads to an increase of insulin secretion, which leads to a crash due to reduced blood sugar levels etc. Just curious on timescales and other affecting factors.

If you were to have a mixed simple/ complex carb meal of around 600 calories (mostly of carbs) then almost immediately commence a workout of around 600 calories would the insulin spike still happen or would the digestion of said carbs be offset against the current demands of the exercise keeping blood sugar at a more constant level?

Yes, if you want to spike your insulin levels and push nutrients to where they need to go faster, the carbs will do it. The simpler the carbs, the higher the spike.

You can do it pre and post workout but I would add a fast protein as well.

Same thought process as injecting diabetic's insulin, just not to the same degree.

H