Diabetes, Energy and After-Meal Fatigue

When you eat anything, whether a heavy meal or a snack, the sugar from the food is released into the blood. The blood glucose level rises, and in order to regulate it, insulin is secreted from the pancreas. In individuals who have diabetes, this process is a little sluggish. Insulin is either secreted in an insufficient quantity, or it is secreted, but it is ineffective. Hence, regulating blood glucose levels is a challenge in diabetic individuals.

With a sudden rise in blood glucose levels, in diabetic patients, insulin secretion suddenly spikes after a meal. Since insulin is responsible for regulating blood glucose, its sudden spike brings down the glucose levels suddenly. This drop in blood glucose levels is called reactive hypoglycemia. These fluctuations in diabetic patients are responsible for fatigue after meals.

What is CGM?

A CGM or Continuous Glucose Monitoring is a wearable device for diabetic patients that, as the name suggests, helps to monitor blood glucose at all times. CGM helps you record data to keep a tab on your blood glucose. It enables you to improve your diet and lifestyle to keep your diabetes in check. This device’s sensor is inserted inside your skin, either on your stomach or on your arm. The sensor detects your blood glucose levels through the interstitial fluid, which is a fluid inside your cells. The readings are displayed on a digital monitor. The CGM checks and transmits your blood glucose levels every few minutes.

Everyone feels a little sluggish after having a meal, but diabetic patients feel extremely exhausted as if they cannot function at all. If you have ever felt the same post your meal, that is a classic sign of fatigue due to an insulin spike. With fluctuating blood glucose levels, your energy levels tend to go haywire. Fluctuating blood glucose does not just affect your energy level, it also impacts your mood. With these sudden surges, you tend to be irritable, and it becomes difficult even to get simple things done. This ultimately makes you feel low.

How can a CGM help you with Mastering Energy Levels?

1. ‍Track your Blood Glucose: A continuous monitoring of blood glucose will help you understand the way your body processes food. You will be able to track the changes in your blood sugar levels and compare them for different meals. This data will help you control glucose spikes and regulate your blood sugar levels. ‍
2. Diet: Diet is the most critical factor in the treatment of diabetes. Components of your diet that affect your blood sugars are carbohydrates, the glycemic index of food items, and portion sizes. Knowing the effect of various foods on your body will help you plan your diet better. ‍
3. Personalized Treatment: Diabetes is one of the most common disorders. There is a load of information on the internet. Even so, there is no blanket approach when it comes to the treatment. Your lifestyle, diet, and workout would depend on your body. Track your blood sugar and take note of what helps you. This way, you can personalize the treatment for yourself.‍
4. Track Data: Make a note of the blood sugar levels when you eat your meals, even when you deviate from healthy meals. Track this data and record it in an excel sheet. You can refer to it when you want to make changes to your diet or lifestyle, and it also helps your doctor understand your body better. ‍
5. Reach out to an Expert: Diabetes is not a severe disorder, but it can lead to serious consequences if left untreated. It can even be reversed in some cases if suitable measures are taken in time. CGM will help track the changes in your body and know when to reach out to your doctor.

Bottom Line

A continuous glucose monitoring device helps diabetic individuals monitor their blood glucose at regular intervals. Together with diet optimization and physical exercises, it can help you achieve stable blood glucose levels and ultimately give you a much better life.

FAQs

1. How CGM May Help People With Type 2 Diabetes on Insulin Lower Their A1C?

A person with type 2 diabetes can use a CGM at their discretion. Since a CGM can measure the bodily blood sugar levels every 3 minutes and will represent the data graphically, it would be an added advantage to look for any patterns or ups and downs during a certain part of the day. For example, if the morning sugars are high, the night-time insulin dose/medication can be upped. CGM can also help understand how the body interacts with certain foods. So in case you realize that eating a banana increases your sugar levels, you can choose to eat it only during lows, or bolus appropriately for it. This device, therefore, helps in planning the diet as well which is an important part of diabetes management.