Living At High Altitude Could Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk
Living at high altitude could reduce type 2 diabetes risk Living at high altitude could reduce type 2 diabetes risk Sitting less and walking more could reduce fasting insulin levels by 11 per cent 27 January 2017 People living at higher altitudes have a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes , heart disease and stroke , according to Spanish researchers. Scientists at the University of Navarra suggest that the geographic area in which you live to contribute to the risk of metabolic syndrome. This is the medical term for the combination of high blood sugar , blood pressure and cholesterol , which contributes to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes , heart disease and stroke. "We found that those people living between 457 to 2,297 metres had a lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome than those living at sea level (zero to 121 metres)," said co-senior author and PhD candidate Amaya Lopez-Pascual. Obesity, smoking and sedentary behaviours are among the leading risk factors for metabolic syndrome, but not a lot is known about how our environment could affect this risk. The researchers analysed data from a Spanish project that asked participants to submit their health information twice-yearly since 1999. This data was then used to track the development of metabolic syndrome in relation to the altitude of where participants lived, of whom were initially health at the beginning of the study. It was shown that the higher the altitude where a person lived, the less likely they were to develop metabolic syndrome. This association existed even after analysis of family history. "Living or training at high altitudes or under a simulated hypoxic [oxygen deficient] environment seems to help with heart and lung function, losing weight , and improves insulin sensitivity ," said co-senior author Continue reading >>
High Altitude And Diabetes
I often feel like living with diabetes is an extreme sport. It may not involve much physical exertion, but the mental effort required counting carbs, measuring exercise against insulin, worrying about lows while you sleep is just as tiring, if not more so, than preparing for a test of athletic endurance. I mean, hell a race eventually ends. Diabetes aint over till youre dead. Partially for this reason, I am not really into things labeled extreme (or, god help us, x-treme). Not extreme skiing, not extreme surfing, and certainly not Extreme Pizza, a chain near my old house in California. No, I prefer safety to adrenaline and while Im always up for adventure, I like there to be a safety harness attached. Unfortunately, Im about to wade into the waters of what Ive decided can be classified as extreme diabetes spending time at high altitude. My husband and I are currently traveling for several months before settling back down on the east coast, and our next adventure is traveling overland to Tibet. (Tomorrow, we take the train from Xining to Lhasa, on the worlds highest railway.) Im forgetting the precise numbers right now, but Lhasa is pretty damn high. And its not the highest place well be at the end of our overland journey, just before the Nepal border, well be at over 4,900 meters above sea level. Thats right: meters. Thats more than 16,000 feet. Its up there. So what does this have to do with diabetes? Several things. First, the symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness which include dizziness and confusion are close to those of hypoglycemia. (If only our bodies had evolved more precise warning systems. There could be little codes an itchy left ear means altitude sickness. Tingling in your right buttock means low blood sugar. Wouldnt that be easier?) Second, if youre dehydra Continue reading >>
High Altitude's Never-ending Love For Hypoglycemia - Diabetes Daily Grind | Real Life Diabetes Podcastdiabetes Daily Grind | Real Life Diabetes Podcast
High Altitudes Never-Ending Love For Hypoglycemia On trail to Mt. St. Vrain in the Rocky Mountain National Park 2 days. 8 low blood sugars. The numbers tellthestory:the higher you climb, the lower you fall.We all enjoy good paradox, right? Am I a mountain man? No, partlybecause it takes me 3 weeks to grow a 5 oclock shadow, and I spend the majority of my life at sea level. Oxygen likes to have a good time at sea level. It glides into my lungs with relative ease, slips into my blood, and enjoys homeostasis. At high elevations, especially those approaching 10,000 feet, oxygen gets depressed. It hides out with its cats and starts crocheting. In response to this hermitism, the heart works double time. Being that the heart is a relatively selfish organ in its oxygen (and subsequently glucose) use, it singlehandedly elevates our metabolism, by 10-20% at my best guess. So whats the end result for the insulin-deficient? Low blood sugars. When you toss in a bit of strenuoushiking on a non-acclimated body, youve got yourself the perfect recipe for consistent hypos. Its now day 3. Im about to set out on a hike. Just scarfed down a healthy sized breakfast and Im defying all logic with a no bolus policy. Why? Well, because its hard to bounce back from a low just 30 minutes into a hike. Ill check every 30 minutes, avoid complete diabetes management ignorance, and bask in some mountain air. If youve traversed the high altitude diabetes management journey, drop us a few tips below! Continue reading >>
Diabetes And High Altitude: Your Complete Travel Guide
Does altitude affect your diabetes? Some people say yes, some say no. As with many aspects of diabetic care, it depends largely on the individual. What is altitude sickness? Altitude sickness...as defined by Google is... “Illness caused by ascent to high altitude, characterised by hyperventilation, nausea, and exhaustion resulting from shortage of oxygen.” So basically if you are going higher in the world than what you are used to...Then you are likely to experience altitude sickness. It affects everyone differently- I have had people tell me they couldn’t leave their hotel rooms, to people who managed it easily. Everyone is brilliantly unique! Diabetes and altitude sickness is then a whole other ball game. Blood glucose and altitude Does altitude affects blood sugars? Altitude can impact your blood sugars in a variety of ways... 1) Hypoglycemia and altitude The symptoms of altitude sickness are quite similar to those of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), such as, sickness, feeling light headed & dizzy, actual headaches & out of breath; so it can make it difficult to actually work out whether you are in a hypo or suffering from attitude sickness- this happened quite frequently with myself in Bolivia & Peru, and I would recommend testing your blood sugars even more frequently to make sure you know the difference. 2) Hyperglycemia and altitude Altitude can potentially cause your blood sugars to go high- now I have seen articles argue for and against this, but I will tell you that in my own experience, this is completely true. At high altitude my blood sugars took a turn for the worst and were a lot harder to control. I frequently had high blood sugars for no other logical reason- and when you have the continual symptoms of a high blood sugar, and the symptoms of altitu Continue reading >>
Altitude |
Aside from the in-flight experience, you may need to deal with the effects of high altitude if you are traveling to one of various popular destination spots renowned for their high altitude sports such as cross country skiing, snowboarding, or mountain climbing. Having an awareness of how altitude may affect your blood glucose readings in these situations is a must for anyone with diabetes. Most blood glucose meters are dependent on oxygen to work properly. At altitude, the amount of oxygen in the air decreases and can negatively affect the performance of a meter, leading to errors in working out dosages. Most people only pause to wonder about altitude once they are boarding a plane for a long-haul flight, but what about people who live at altitude? There are numerous cities across the globe that are situated in high altitude settings. Individuals with diabetes who live in these cities may regularly administer erroneous insulin dosages. Cities such as these include Colorado Springs, USA (1840 meters, 6040 feet), Mexico City, Mexico (2200 meters, 7220 feet), and La Paz, Bolivia (3640 meters, 11940 feet). For many blood glucose meters, there is about a 1-2% underestimation of blood glucose levels for every 300 meters (1,000 feet) of elevation. This could mean nearly 25% error in the daily meter readings if you live in La Paz! No wonder many individuals have a hard time establishing strong control of their levels while traveling. Even if they are able to hit their target numbers, their meters may not be reading accurately. How frustrating! Further research needs to be conducted to check the performance of glucometers as various altitudes in order to better understand the relationship between altitude and glucometer performance. Until then, speak with your team of medical Continue reading >>
Effect Of High Altitude On Blood Glucose Meter Performance.
Abstract Participation in high-altitude wilderness activities may expose persons to extreme environmental conditions, and for those with diabetes mellitus, euglycemia is important to ensure safe travel. We conducted a field assessment of the precision and accuracy of seven commonly used blood glucose meters while mountaineering on Mount Rainier, located in Washington State (elevation 14,410 ft). At various elevations each climber-subject used the randomly assigned device to measure the glucose level of capillary blood and three different concentrations of standardized control solutions, and a venous sample was also collected for later glucose analysis. Ordinary least squares regression was used to assess the effect of elevation and of other environmental potential covariates on the precision and accuracy of blood glucose meters. Elevation affects glucometer precision (p = 0.08), but becomes less significant (p = 0.21) when adjusted for temperature and relative humidity. The overall effect of elevation was to underestimate glucose levels by approximately 1-2% (unadjusted) for each 1,000 ft gain in elevation. Blood glucose meter accuracy was affected by elevation (p = 0.03), temperature (p < 0.01), and relative humidity (p = 0.04) after adjustment for the other variables. The interaction between elevation and relative humidity had a meaningful but not statistically significant effect on accuracy (p = 0.07). Thus, elevation, temperature, and relative humidity affect blood glucose meter performance, and elevated glucose levels are more greatly underestimated at higher elevations. Further research will help to identify which blood glucose meters are best suited for specific environments. Continue reading >>
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Blood Glucose Monitoring At High Altitudes
Blood Glucose Monitoring at High Altitudes I would like to comment on Dr. Christian D. Herter's article in the "Clinical Decision Making" section of Diabetes Spectrum ("DKA on Mt. Rainier: A Case Report," Vol. 12, No. 4, p. 198-200, 1999). Although many people may never attempt the extremes of temperature, altitude, and physical exertion reported by Dr. Herter, the article brought to light some important and often overlooked management issues that can also be experienced in less extreme conditions. Dr. Herter's "five extra essentials" (extra insulin, extra supplies, back-up monitoring supplies, injectable glucagon, and willingness to communicate) should be taken on all trips, not just outdoor adventures. Having dealt extensively with blood glucose monitoring at various altitudes, I would like to further comment on the effects of altitude. As altitude increases over 6,000 feet, all meters and strips can be affected by the decreased oxygen needed for the enzymatic reaction to occur. Cold temperatures further compromise this reaction. I suggest that those traveling to higher altitudes carry control solution and compare the results at high altitude to those obtained at their home altitude. High altitudes affect even visual blood glucose test strips. Individuals with type 1 diabetes who travel need to be aware of these deviance's and to adjust their therapy appropriately to avoid medical emergencies. Continue reading >>
Diabetes In The Altitude
I spent the last week in Crested Butte, Colorado, for what has now become an annual family ski trip. The place we were staying was at an elevation of 7,000-something feet. Of course, my mom told us to drink plenty of water and take saltwater nose drops to flush the system out. All of this is fine and dandy, but I wondered what, if any, effect does altitude have on diabetes ? I know that my lungs were working a bit harder to adapt to the drier air. I was out of breath after climbing two sets of stairs. I also found that I needed a snack every couple of hours on the slopes, but this makes sense, as snow skiing is a workout. I would leave the condo every morning with my glucometer, NovoLog FlexPen, needles, and about four granola bars to eat on the lifts in between runs in case I felt a little low. The tricky part here was that it was more of a guessing game, because my glucometer could easily get too cold at the top of the mountain to check my blood glucose. Anyone have any tips on checking your blood glucose outside in really cold weather? This year had exceptionally good weather for spring skiing and we celebrated my niece Sara Reevess fifth birthday. I really enjoy spending time with her and watching her grow up. We skied together and she followed right in my tracks. There is nothing cuter than a five-year-old with pigtails on skis. After a long day on the slopes, we got in the hot tub with everyone for a few minutes and she felt like a big girl. One morning, before breakfast, I was in the kitchen drawing up my insulin , and she was at the bar having cereal. I asked her if she wanted to give me a shot, and she said no. Then she said something that surprised me. She said one of her best friends, Molly, has diabetes. Maybe its just that it was coming from an adorable fi Continue reading >>
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Does Altitude Affect Blood Sugar Readings?
Does altitude affect blood sugar readings? Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please,join our community todayto contribute and support the site. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Does altitude affect blood sugar readings? A friend called me today to see if I might help find an answer for him. He is 70, diagnosed type II 2 years, fairly well controlled by diet and exercise alone. Normal bgs. fasting 110-125, dropping to 100 before lunch. 2 hr PP normally in the 130's. He watches his carbs carefully. Around 15-25 grams carb at lunch and 10-15 at other meals -- less than 75 day. Problem is he is vacationing in New Mexico at 8700' above sea level -- he lives at 700' in Texas. His blood sugar has gone up very high with little or no change in his diet. Fasting is now 170's and doesn't drop as it usually does. PP after lunch (his largest meal) is also 170's. Lowest he's been since being in NM is 145+/-. His question is does altitude affect bgs, and if so, what can he do to help bring numbers down without meds? (He's not close to medical help where he's vacationing.) I've searched this forum and found nothing. Did find a a 2 year old thread on another forum that indicated bgs in Type 1s can be affected either way by altitudes above 6500', and meters tend to lose accuracy above that elevation also. Does anyone have any other information or personal experience that I can pass along to him as how he can bring his bgs down? I've been vacationing in Utah for the past week, at 9200 feet, and I find that my BGs are running higher than usual, but not hugely. Average for the last 7 days is running 94; 5% higher than the week before. Fastings all in the 90s (and one 101), after a week in the high 80s. My highs are not necessarily higher (only Continue reading >>
The Altitude Highs And Lows How High Altitude Affects Bloodglucose
The Altitude Highs and Lows How high Altitude affects BloodGlucose Few things feel better than summiting an epic peak or racing down a mountain on skis, and few things feel worse than a bouncing blood sugar forming jagged peaks across your cgm monitor and ruining your epic day. Some of my favorite outdoor activities take place above sea level, but exercising at high altitude can be a glycemic nightmare for a type 1 diabetic. Curious as to why this is, I set about to understanding whats happening on the inside that could be impacting blood glucose at high altitude. The answers I found boil down to physiology and biochemistry, and Ill do my best to lay it out for you.Please see the end of the article for more research on these topics. Why do I tend to be hyperglycemic at high altitude? There is less oxygen and air pressure at higher altitudes. The earths gravity holds oxygen close to the surface, so that half of the oxygen in the atmosphere is found below 18,000 feet. This means that as you climb above sea level atmospheric pressure and oxygen pressure fall. Our bodies have multiple ways to adapt to existing at high altitude and having less oxygen,and there are short term adaptations as well as longer term adaptations. For the purpose of explaining altitudes effect on blood glucose, I will focus primarily on the shorter term responses. Why am I always winded when working out at high altitude? If youve ever hiked at higher altitudes, youll recognize the first one-hyperventilation. As you ascend you often find yourself breathing heavily, and you may feel easily winded. For most of us living close to sea level, this is normal. With less oxygen available, you begin to hyperventilate as a means of releasing excess CO2 (carbon dioxide), and increasing the rate of fresh air thr Continue reading >>
Managing Diabetes At High Altitude: Personal Experience With Support From A Multidisciplinary Physical Activity And Diabetes Clinic
Managing diabetes at high altitude: personal experience with support from a Multidisciplinary Physical Activity and Diabetes Clinic Find articles by Sivasujan Sivasubramaniyam 2 Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus, London, UK, 1 Department Diabetes and Endocrinology, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK, 3 Academic Department of Military Medicine, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK, 1 Department Diabetes and Endocrinology, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK, 2 Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus, London, UK, 3 Academic Department of Military Medicine, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK, Correspondence to Dr Neil E Hill; [email protected] *GM contributed to this article but is not affiliated with an academic institution. Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer Copyright Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted. This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: Physical activity is important for well-being but can be challenging for people with diabetes. Data informing support of specialist activities such as climbing and high-altitude trekking are limited. A 42-year-old man with t Continue reading >>
Blood Glucose And Altitude
I am 72 years old and have had diabetes for 15 years. At sea level in Southern California, with a moderate activity level and normal eating habits, I need between 140 and 150 units of Humalog each day. When I exercise, my blood sugars rise, and I need insulin to come back down. I keep my blood glucose in check by measuring 4 to 6 times per day, and I use both a needle and a pump. I control to between 70 and 110 and have an A1C of 6.2.I currently live in Aspen/Snowmass, Colo., at an altitude of 8,200 feet. Although I do exercise more, my insulin requirement is between 40 and 50 units each day. In addition, when I exercise, my blood sugars drop, so I can only ski or bike starting at an elevated blood sugar level. Quite the opposite from sea level.The dawn phenomenon that I experience requires me to take an additional 15 units of insulin at sea level, but only an additional 6 units when I am at a higher altitude.I have not found an explanation yet for this phenomenon. William McArthur, Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado Continue reading >>
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Effect Of High Altitude On Blood Glucose Meter Performance
Participation in high-altitude wilderness activities may expose persons to extreme environ- mental conditions, and for those with diabetes mellitus, euglycemia is important to ensure safe travel. We conducted a field assessment of the precision and accuracy of seven commonly used blood glucose meters while mountaineering on Mount Rainier, located in Washington State (elevation 14,410 ft). At various elevations each climber-subject used the randomly as- signed device to measure the glucose level of capillary blood and three different concentra- tions of standardized control solutions, and a venous sample was also collected for later glu- cose analysis. Ordinary least squares regression was used to assess the effect of elevation and of other environmental potential covariates on the precision and accuracy of blood glucose meters. Elevation affects glucometer precision (p 0.08), but becomes less significant (p 0.21) when adjusted for temperature and relative humidity. The overall effect of elevation was to underestimate glucose levels by approximately 12% (unadjusted) for each 1,000 ft gain in elevation. Blood glucose meter accuracy was affected by elevation (p 0.03), temperature (p 0.01), and relative humidity (p 0.04) after adjustment for the other variables. The in- teraction between elevation and relative humidity had a meaningful but not statistically sig- nificant effect on accuracy (p 0.07). Thus, elevation, temperature, and relative humidity af- fect blood glucose meter performance, and elevated glucose levels are more greatly underestimated at higher elevations. Further research will help to identify which blood glu- cose meters are best suited for specific environments. blood glucose (SMBG) is an important part of the management of patients with diabetes mel- li Continue reading >>
- The effect of high-intensity breastfeeding on postpartum glucose tolerance in women with recent gestational diabetes
- A Craftsman Blames His Tools: Blood Glucose Meter Accuracy & Long-Term Diabetes Control
- Postprandial Blood Glucose Is a Stronger Predictor of Cardiovascular Events Than Fasting Blood Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Particularly in Women: Lessons from the San Luigi Gonzaga Diabetes Study
How Elevation Affects Your Blood Sugar
If you regularly travel from a sea-level location (such as Miami) to a high-level location (such as Albuquerque or, say, a mountaintop), you might wonder why your blood sugars always read lower at the high elevation. Its not your imagination: Most blood glucose meters use a chemical reaction that requires oxygen from the air to measure blood sugar. At high altitudes, there is less oxygen in the air, which causes the results to be lower. Thus, the results you get may be affected by altitude. If you are traveling to a place with a much different altitude, read the instructions that came with your meter and also the package insert in the strips. You may also call the toll-free 800 number in the package insert, or write to the company that makes the meter to find out whether its readings are affected by altitude. If you spend time on social media, why not get your diabetes tips there also? Lifescript has just launched a dedicated type 2 diabetes Facebook page that will offer diabetes tips, recipes, inspiration and more. Youll get advice, find friends, and discover solutions to everyday living. Come join us! Sign up for our Living with Diabetes Newsletter! Thanks for signing up for our newsletter! You should see it in your inbox very soon. Continue reading >>
Asknadia: Why High Altitudes Will Give You High Blood Sugars
AskNadia: Why High Altitudes Will Give You High Blood Sugars Why do my BGs run high when I hike in higher altitudes? When you exercise in elevations your body is accustomed to, chances are you have a good idea of how your blood sugar will respond. Exercising in high altitudes such as hiking generally, reduces your oxygen intake and stresses your body. Stress releases cortisol, the stress hormone, causing blood sugars to go up. Additionally, research demonstartes that carbohydrate metabolism may be comprised at higher altitudes causing insulin resistance. On the flip side, If you get dehydrated from hiking you will experience similar symptoms to hypoglycemia; shortness of breath, nausea, and rapid heart beats. Blood Glucose Meters, CGMs & Insulin Pumps Medical devices can vary in their accuracy at higher elevations. If one device is less accurate, it will be confusing to isolate which one is impacting your blood sugar. Calibrate all your devices to affirm their accuracy before you start your trip. This will add anther layer of security to assure your blood sugar readings are within the proper range for your devices. I would also recommend testing your blood sugar before, during and after your hike to give you a baseline on how higher elevations impact your blood sugars, making your return trip less stressful and more predicable. If possible, bring back up diabetes supplies just in case you ascertain accuracy issues with one medical device. Nadias feedback on your question is in no way intended to initiate or replace your healthcare professionals therapy or advice. Please check in with your medical team to discuss your diabetes management concerns. AskNadia and receive her unique perspective on your question. Or share your story with us. Nadia was not only born into a fa Continue reading >>
