Is there any relationship between strenuous exercise, chromium and insulin resistance?
Would you consider a chromium supplement with a reduction in sugar consumption?
What are natural sources of chromium?
Does magnesium also factor into this?
I exercise treadmill/Stairmaster 6 to 7 days a week and blood sugar recently was up to 160 – 190 ranges. Lower carbohydrate/sugar has reduced this level. Thanks.
Exercise decreases insulin resistance if the exercise reduces body fat. Higher body fat contributes to increased insulin resistance and that is why people who are overweight have a higher risk of diabetes. Your exercise program sounds good, but I am wondering if you are exercising aerobically. If your heart rate is too high so you cannot carry on a conversation while on the treadmill, you may be mobilizing stored glycogen into your bloodstream as glucose to fuel anaerobic exercise. Also, you should talk to an exercise physiologist about adding some weight training exercises.
Chromium is involved in the production of insulin and the release of glucose’s energy from cells. Taking a chromium supplement will not increase the production of insulin unless your eating plan is deficient in chromium. Recent research does not support taking a chromium supplement for people with diabetes or pre-diabetic insulin resistance.
Food sources of chromium are broccoli, grape juice, whole grains, potatoes, beef, orange juice, turkey, red wine, apples, banana, and green beans. Chromium is found in a lot of healthy foods.
Research has shown that people who eat foods high in simple sugars (more than 35% of calories) are more likely to have a chromium deficiency due to increased loss of chromium in urine. This may be due to the fact that foods in a high sugar displace healthy foods high in chromium. Reducing the amount of simple sugar is always an improvement to a healthy eating plan.
Magnesium is involved with calcium and phosphorus in depositing these minerals in bones and teeth (50% of magnesium is in bone), the transmission of nerve impulses like keeping normal heart rhythm, keeping a healthy immune system, the building of protein structures, enzymes and muscle contraction. Yes, magnesium helps regulate blood glucose levels and is involved in energy metabolism.
You may want to talk to a registered dietitian about a diabetic nutrition therapy as a blood sugar of 160 to 190 is more than a slight elevation. Fasting blood glucose should be 70 to 105 milligrams per deciliter. It is normal for blood glucose to double within 2 hours after a meal, but your blood sugar should be less than 140 milligrams per deciliter 4 hours after a meal. When was your blood glucose taken? After a meal or fasting in the morning?
