High/Low Blood Sugar Levels Affecting Body Composition?

[Tonkabosh]

Apologies if this is in the wrong section as I didn't really know where to put it, although considering a lot of you have had experience in using Insulin as an AAS I figured this would be as good a place as any to ask. Anyway...

I'm an Insulin dependent diabetic & have a question. Can having constant high/low blood sugars affect body composition? I.e. the way your body looks. I've always wondered this and having been a diabetic for quite some time now (I'm 21 & have had diabetes since I was 9), I'm just wondering whether my Diabetes & blood sugars could have any influence on the way I look physically.

Another reason I asked is because I'm currently cutting & trying to figure out (through trial & error) how much insulin I should be taking to compensate for the lack of carbs in my diet. This trial & error has caused my blood sugar levels to bounce around all over the place & I don't particularly want it to affect the way I look if I can help it.

I just thought that maybe your body holds onto fat, loses muscle etc depending on whether your blood sugar levels are high or low constantly? One of the reasons I thought this is because if I WASN'T diabetic, my pancreas would of course release exactly the right amount of insulin for the foods I'm consuming but as I'm a diabetic I have to figure it all out myself.

Thanks in advance.

 

[aquatic_glories]

Of course. Didnt read the whole thing but insulin is crazily important for body composition.

you sensitivity to it decides the amount of nutrients muscle/fat cells take . Plus insulin also has noticable effect in cortisol, even testosterone.
Very anabolic and anti-catabolic at the same time and transports nutrients

 

[Tonkabosh]

Thanks for the reply. That's a shame to be honest as my blood sugar levels are all over the place at the moment due to me cutting. I'm gonna have to speak to my Diabetes Consultant about this I think.

 

[aquatic_glories]

It is probably the very best thing you can do for your body composition ,, Until you dial that in, dont even think of something else!!

hope this helps

 

[miscreant]

High bloog sugars can put your body into ketosis - well, not actually - the high levels can indicate you are in ketosis. If your body is not able to fuel itself by replenishing glucose (from the blood) because it's not being evacuated with insulin (due to lack of, or resistance to), your body will switch to burning fat for energy. Interestingly enough, this seems to occur in the abdomenal region. Lean people with ketosis due to high sugars tend to lose the fat from the abdomen, and less from anywhere else.

4 months ago I went into 13s in A1C, and my meds stopped working. I was 12.5% BF. I went on insulin, and have started gaining weight again, but also dropping fat, but NOT in the abdomen. Skin folds are all down everywhere except the abs (11.3% currently), but my blood sugars are under control again.

I do wonder why you are having trouble with dieting? Are you on a set insulin regime and must eat "around" this, or are you on a flexible as needed basis? Perhaps posting what you are one, and how you are dosing would help. I'm Basal (long acting) / Bolus (short acting analog) with MDI, so I basically eat what I want, when I want, and simply administer insulin as needed.

 

[Tonkabosh]

Currently I'm on the following doses:


AM

Actrapid (Fast Acting) - 20 units
Insulatard (Slow Acting) - 20 units

PM

Actrapid (Fast Acting) - 10 units
Insulatard (Slow Acting) - 10 units


I've been wondering recently though if I would benefit more from injecting before every meal as opposed to just injecting twice a day. The only problem with this though would be that I'd have to inject up to 6x a day due to eating 6 meals per day.

 

[miscreant]

I'm not a doctor, but if you are eating 6 meals day, your dose regimen is not the right one. Your dose regimen is for a breakfast with carbs, a lunch with no carbs, and a dinner with carbs. I can see why your numbers are everywhere as you don't have any spiking insulin to cover you in the middle of the day.

Do you have an endocrinologist? Does he/she know that you are eating 6 times a day?

Do you produce any insulin? Have you had an insulin production test?

What do you eat for each meal?

Have you every done a basal test?

I'm on MDI (Multiple Daily Injections). I take Levemir (long acting) 13 units morning, 10 units night. Novolog (rapid analog) as needed, before every meal/snack if needed and if needed for adjusting a miss. I generally poke myself 5-8 times a day, and test 10 times a day.

Not only will highs and lows effect your body composition, but it will also effect your performance in the gym. Highs and lows will leave you weak.

I can't speak for anyone else, but the control I have with MDI FAR outweighs the inconvenience of poking myself so many times.

 

[Tonkabosh]

Do you have an endocrinologist? Does he/she know that you are eating 6 times a day?

I've not told them yet, although I have an appointment on Friday so I'll definitely be speaking to them then.

Do you produce any insulin? Have you had an insulin production test?

I have absolutely no idea unfortunately.

What do you eat for each meal?

I'm currently cutting & eat 6 times a day. Only two of these meals contain carbs (Pre & Post workout). The other meals just contain good fats & protein.

Have you every done a basal test?

I'm not sure what that is, sorry.


I've been on the same "twice daily" injections since I was 9 years old, and I'm now 21 years old. If it isn't optimal for what I'm eating etc at the moment I'm definitely going to have to change it, although I don't particularly want to change anything myself without first speaking to my Diabetes team.