Type 2 Diabetes and Bodybuilding - possible?

I saw this documentary last night: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/blood-sugar-rising/ Maybe you watched it too. When trying to build muscle, we eat a lot of carbs, like 2x body weight in grams or more, supposedly the good carbs like potatoes and rice most of the time. And we use that glucose for energy, it doesn't go to our waist line. I get all that. But has any research been done about active bodybuilder types developing type 2 later in life?

Replies

  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    you could look up the work by Dr Brad Dieter - his PhD was related to diabetes and exercise physiology - he can probably point you in the right direction

    i know that he has worked with many folks who have diabetes and through monitoring and tweaking diet has gotten them to 3-400g carbs a day
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    yes i know right!

    i've worked with him on and off for several years
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    So you don't need 2x BW in carbs. You can bulk on a ketogenic diet, low carb, etc... If you got diabetes, than you should probably look at a TKD style bulk. Meaning, you should consume a larger portion of your carbs prior to a workout to see the performance increases from carbs and that your carbs will be used intra-workout. So the rises and sustainment of that increased blood sugar will be minimized.

  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Type 2 here. Lifting heavy improves insulin sensitivity. After a session of lifting I can eat quite a few extra carbs, and my bg stays lower than expected for about 24 hours.

    If you have diabetes of any kind you need to be testing your blood before, during, and after any new form of exercise until you learn how it affects you. Some people find that lifting heavy temporarily raises bg due to stress hormones. Some get bad lows and need to have glucose on hand. You have to learn your own body and how it reacts.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    edited May 2020
    MDC2957 wrote: »
    I didn't mean to imply I had II
    I was just wondering if there's any risk of developing it if you're consuming a lot of carbs, but keeping body fat under control, lifting weights, etc..

    Carbs don't cause diabetes. If you want, you can get regular blood work to monitor your fasting blood sugar and a1c.


    ETA: Also, you don't have to bulk with a crap ton of carbs. You aren't going to get more gains with more carbs. So you can run a bit higher fats.
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    MDC2957 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    MDC2957 wrote: »
    I didn't mean to imply I had II
    I was just wondering if there's any risk of developing it if you're consuming a lot of carbs, but keeping body fat under control, lifting weights, etc..

    ETA: Also, you don't have to bulk with a crap ton of carbs. You aren't going to get more gains with more carbs. So you can run a bit higher fats.

    According to what I read, carbs are the energy source for the body, unless you go on that strict keto diet (which I have no desire to do)

    Your body will run on carbs and fat, mostly fat. When you exercise the consumption of carbs will increase. Also, pay meal carb oxidation increases. Are carbs beneficial during a bulk? Yes. But you don't need 500g of them. Hell, you can Keto bulk.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    MDC2957 wrote: »
    I don't think I've ever consumed 500g carbs in a day.. Probably the most was 375ish

    Ok. Continue what you are doing or replace carbs with protein or fats.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Diatonic12 wrote: »

    Just want to point out that type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are entirely different diseases. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder, so they are not even in the same category. They also have different pathways. The thing they have in common is the word "diabetes," but very little besides that.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    MDC2957 wrote: »
    Yes I know, the subject of my post Type 2

    You may know, but my response was based on the comment to which I replied. My point is that it has no more to do with your question than someone who has any other chronic illness without "diabetes" in the name of that illness. This is a common point of confusion, and the reason many of us T1D's would like to see a name change.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    MDC2957 wrote: »
    Sorry my mistake, no my question was about the possibility of bodybuilders developing type II from a large amount of carbohydrate consumption. I didn't know if it was possible or not. I know if you're lazy, and get fat and consume carbs, then you can develop it. But I was more wondering about if it's possible to get it without being fat and lazy.

    Generally no. Eating lots of carbs, assuming a healthy body fat level, doesn't normally increase your risk for type 2 diabetes.