Hypoglycemia and bodybuilding

[HeavyDutyGuy]

I've had mild hypoglycemia for a long time. Years ago, someone told me (I only remember it was aa female) that all bodybuilders are somewhat hypoglycemic. Presumably due to all the muscle mass sucking up sugars to make glycogen? But not like me lately..about 6 years ago I had a major episode was driving with a female friend, and started to feel really hungry, followed fairly quickly by feeling shaky (not uncommon for me), but then it go way worse, started feeling confused, (ran a red light out of the shopping center as she was trying to get me to go to IHOP to get some food in me asap), then as we sat down, the sweating started. Not a little. A lot. Just a waterfall. Was not fun. Stopped once I got food in me. Hadn't had many since. Til this past month. Its happened about 4 times, including today.. Wasn't even especially hungry, had had a small breakfast, and it was only 2 1/2 hours later..BAM.. Got 3 McDoubles, wolfed them down, and almost passed out from fatigue. I just feel HAMMERED when it happens. I felt damaged after if that makes any sense. Can't be good.. Upping my small meals from 6 to hopefullly 8 today.. Not sure what else to do... maybe I've increased my muscle mass and metabolism so much, my previous eating patterns aren't cutting it now? I dunno.. .. Anyone with input, feel free. PS I'm ok now, but those attacks are scaring me a bit... not fun, and seemingly unpredictable..

[freebirdmac]

I wouldn't screw around here. Go see a doc :)

[Mac]

Start monitoring your blood sugar and buy a monitor to see exactly where you're at.

If there is a problem proceed to your doctor.

[MattPT88]

Ya those "attacks" you are experiencing are probably your blood sugar bottoming out. You can buy glucose tabs from WalGreens that look like mentos in case something like that happens. Check ur BS when u feel like that. Normal values are 70-99mg/dL. Some sources say 70-109mg/dL. But a BS of 109 is starting to get to the pre diabetic limits.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

I guess I mispoke. I know its blood sugar crashing. I know the symptoms. Just don't know why the frequency of intense incidents jumped so much. I wonder if it means I'm in a big growth spurt from the super intense training the last few weeks. (And a few anabolic "supports").. I'm really think the 5 or 6 small feedings every 3 to 4 hours just aren't making it anymore?.. I just had my 6th today, my body just seems to be sucking it in, I will try to have 2 more before midnight. I work til 11 anyway.

[triceptor]

Some other considerations..... have a complete thyroid panel done. (TSH, total and free T4 & T3, reverse T3 and TPO) You look well built in your avatar so if you ARE insulin resistant its probably not from being a fat bastard eating all the wrong foods. When your thyroid starts going hypo it makes insulin less effective at getting glucose into the cells and causes hypoglycemia. a glucometer may NOT show low blood sugar in this situation...

if you ARE seeing low BG (<70ng/dl) when you're having these episodes I would have your MD look at a liver values and adrenal hormones as well as some sex steroidsl.


BTW are you on TRT/HRT?

[esplendido]

I guess I mispoke. I know its blood sugar crashing. I know the symptoms. Just don't know why the frequency of intense incidents jumped so much. I wonder if it means I'm in a big growth spurt from the super intense training the last few weeks. (And a few anabolic "supports").. I'm really think the 5 or 6 small feedings every 3 to 4 hours just aren't making it anymore?.. I just had my 6th today, my body just seems to be sucking it in, I will try to have 2 more before midnight. I work til 11 anyway.

Are you using GH?

[triceptor]

Are you using GH?

great question....

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Hmm thyroid, didn't even consider that, thanks. I didn't know the information you posted. Every time I've had a blood test, its usually pretty normal. Thyroid, BUN, creatinine, etc. even blood sugar all basically midrange. As to what values aren't normal- On Test, yes, those values w/o HRt are lowish. Not on HGH, though I'd qualify as my IGF levels were low. Just can't hang with the price. I don't know about being hypo or insulin resistant, because I don't put on weight that easy, and seem to feel and look better when eating a medium level of carbs. I stay away from too many simple sugars, because they make me a bit lazy, lol.. But keep posting here, I'm learning some things, and maybe others have had similiar experiences.. Or maybe I'm just a freak lol.

[triceptor]

Hmm thyroid, didn't even consider that, thanks. I didn't know the information you posted. Every time I've had a blood test, its usually pretty normal. Thyroid, BUN, creatinine, etc. even blood sugar all basically midrange. As to what values aren't normal- On Test, yes, those values w/o HRt are lowish. Not on HGH, though I'd qualify as my IGF levels were low. Just can't hang with the price. I don't know about being hypo or insulin resistant, because I don't put on weight that easy, and seem to feel and look better when eating a medium level of carbs. I stay away from too many simple sugars, because they make me a bit lazy, lol.. But keep posting here, I'm learning some things, and maybe others have had similiar experiences.. Or maybe I'm just a freak lol.

any other symptoms? ringing in ears.. tingling in feet hands. numbness in feet hands? thinning hair. prematurely grey hair?

[HeavyDutyGuy]

any other symptoms? ringing in ears.. tingling in feet hands. numbness in feet hands? thinning hair. prematurely grey hair?

Well the hair, lol. I started going grey in my 30's. Used to have a mop, thinned on top some, but not on sides at all. None of the other symptoms at all.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

James I use to get that sensation some 25 years ago while dialing in for a contest. We would go on carb depletion but we did not know then to up our fats for caloric compensation....i.e. proper Keto. I would need to eat a banana or apple to stop the world from spinning. Some times my heart would go a bit tachycardia on me. Scary shit. Once I got lost in my car and in near panic stopped at a Vietnamese market and bought some fruit. When the world stopped spinning and my heart slowed down I found myself miles off track and in a neighborhood I never knew existed.

Isn't Bodybuilding fun? Surprised at your 'normal' BUN test. Most high protein diets raise this off the charts. If your ins. covers it...do the adrenal and thryoid tests mentioned by Triceptor.


Baldie

[Mac]

any other symptoms? ringing in ears.. tingling in feet hands. numbness in feet hands? thinning hair. prematurely grey hair?

I have ringing in the ears and sometimes it's bad but never experience low blood sugar symptoms.

BTW, your SuperHumanRadio show is f'n great, glad its back on.

[Rocco1943]

Just a thought. When I was a kid I had severe Hypoglycemia. At the time no one considered it a legitimate problem. My folks found a Dr. who did and after confirmation of it, he placed me on a diet that was very similar to Keto. Plenty of green veggies, very low carbs plenty of protein, and fairly high in fats. I took a couple of weeks and my symptoms decreased to almost non existent and I stayed on it for 4-5 years. I finally got more relaxed with the diet as I started dating and not wanting to look weird to my friends about the way I was eating.

That was in the '50's and now I have no problems and still conscious about carbs, sweets etc. and feel great.

So, you might want to try changing your diet for a few weeks, keeping carbs very low sugars non existent.

As I say, just a thought

[esplendido]

Ringing in the ears can be a symptom of high blood pressure...

[Mac]

Ringing in the ears can be a symptom of high blood pressure...

My BP is 120/75. I have had it most of my adult life. I am used to it.

[tiramisu]

People who recommend sugar as a cure for systemic hypoglycemia have no idea what they are talking about and should be shot and pissed on. Avoid spiking your blood sugar at all costs. It will ruin your day.

I've been hypoglycemic for 30 years or so. The cure is predominantly diet. A healthy diet with little to no processed foods and no processed sugars. Complex Carbs, Good Fats and Protein and magically your issues will disappear. Never wait till you are hungry, graze, eat 5-8 meals a day.

I've been for many a blood test and been so confused I could barely tell them my name but the tests come back in the normal range. People have a very broad sensitivity to blood sugar and insulin. In almost all cases correcting the diet is the key. If you eat well then it will take several days of diet abuse to get you back in the hypoglycemic state. It also takes you several days to get things stable once you've fucked up.

So eat well and you won't have an issue.

[traininghard]

I've had mild hypoglycemia for a long time. Years ago, someone told me (I only remember it was aa female) that all bodybuilders are somewhat hypoglycemic. Presumably due to all the muscle mass sucking up sugars to make glycogen? But not like me lately..about 6 years ago I had a major episode was driving with a female friend, and started to feel really hungry, followed fairly quickly by feeling shaky (not uncommon for me), but then it go way worse, started feeling confused, (ran a red light out of the shopping center as she was trying to get me to go to IHOP to get some food in me asap), then as we sat down, the sweating started. Not a little. A lot. Just a waterfall. Was not fun. Stopped once I got food in me. Hadn't had many since. Til this past month. Its happened about 4 times, including today.. Wasn't even especially hungry, had had a small breakfast, and it was only 2 1/2 hours later..BAM.. Got 3 McDoubles, wolfed them down, and almost passed out from fatigue. I just feel HAMMERED when it happens. I felt damaged after if that makes any sense. Can't be good.. Upping my small meals from 6 to hopefullly 8 today.. Not sure what else to do... maybe I've increased my muscle mass and metabolism so much, my previous eating patterns aren't cutting it now? I dunno.. .. Anyone with input, feel free. PS I'm ok now, but those attacks are scaring me a bit... not fun, and seemingly unpredictable..

I know this post is about 2 years old, but if you're still on here, did you ever find a solution? I suffer from the same symptoms and I tired of it. I was searching the web trying to find the answer and a link to this thread came up. If you figured it out and I can get soem advice it would be very much appreciated.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

I know this post is about 2 years old, but if you're still on here, did you ever find a solution? I suffer from the same symptoms and I tired of it. I was searching the web trying to find the answer and a link to this thread came up. If you figured it out and I can get soem advice it would be very much appreciated.

RX wiped out my long reply before I was finished. In a nutshell- eat like an 80s bodybuilder- high protein and complex carbs, essential fats only, no simple sugars-except paradoxically if you get a crash. Chicken, fish, lean beef on occasion, rice, broccoli, oats, muffins - bran if you can find them, bananas are ok for the potassium. Hope this helps,

[traininghard]

RX wiped out my long reply before I was finished. In a nutshell- eat like an 80s bodybuilder- high protein and complex carbs, essential fats only, no simple sugars-except paradoxically if you get a crash. Chicken, fish, lean beef on occasion, rice, broccoli, oats, muffins - bran if you can find them, bananas are ok for the potassium. Hope this helps,

Most definitely. I appreciate it and I'm going to give it a shot. I've been trying to do the Palumbo diet, but it's not working for me. The weight loss is I just can't handle the ups (anxiety, shakes, confusion, etc.) or the down (crashing and feeling lethargic. My goal is to get as lean as possible by my 35th birthday (middle of January). I'm going to try this approach and I'll post my results. Any other advice would be appreciated. Thank you for your help.