Hypoglycemia and Spinning

[Triskeliongirl]

I am a mild type I diabetic, so I understand what you are talking about.

1. I second the recommendation to use a glucometer. I would get symptomatically hypoglycemic even if my blood sugar is in the normal range when I consumed a pre-ride meal with carbs, since our bodies can actutely sense the RATE of change of blood sugar. If you let it get too high at the ride start, and then you start exercising, exercise will cause a massive translocation of glucose transporters to the plasma membrane, which is a good thing, but if the blood sugar then clears too quickly you will feel hypoglycemic even if you are not.

2. The way I solved the problem, is to eat a high protein (but no carb) pre-ride meal, being sure that I start the ride with normal blood sugars, and then I use a drink called muscle milk light during my ride which, which I mix at 10g CHO, 25g protein per bottle. You can also metabolize protein for fuel on the bike (deaminate amino acids to carbon skeletons that feed into TCA cycle).