Chances are you’ve seen more and more people with little circular patches on their upper arms. They are called continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs. While originally designed to help diabetes sufferers monitor their blood sugar, the use of these health monitors is starting to trend among fitness lovers. But are they necessary?
Our glucose levels are undoubtedly a fundamental health marker. After all, glucose is the main sugar found in our blood, acting as our body’s primary source of energy. Being aware of your glucose levels can help ensure you keep it in an ‘ideal range’ to perform at your best. Maintaining stable glucose levels also reduces the risk of Alzheimer's, cardiovascular defects, and hypertension.
However, tracking specific glucose levels can be overwhelming. What’s most important is understanding what impacts your glucose levels and the actions you can take to stay in the ideal range. This is where the latest research comes in.
Dr Jinger Gottschall and a team of researchers set out to find practical steps that people can take to reduce glucose variability and maintain stable blood sugar levels.
The research saw 35 healthy adults wearing a continuous glucose monitor for two weeks while maintaining their typical routines. In addition, participants wore a heart monitor during planned exercise. They logged training sessions (total time, intensity zones, perceived exertion) as well as daily meals (time of day, macronutrient grams), sleep (total time, subjective quality), and emotions (stress, motivation, fatigue).
The results highlighted how short bursts of cardio are vital to helping keep glucose levels stable. This can be pinned on the fact that exercise plays a key role in naturally regulating blood sugar and improving overall metabolic health.
An ideal training mix to keep glucose levels stable:
- 2x weekly sessions of vigorous exercise, including 20 minutes within each session above 80% heart rate max, or Zone 4.
- 2x weekly sessions of longer duration moderate cardio, with a minimum of 60 minutes between 60-70% heart rate max, or Zone 2.
- 2x daily cardio sessions separated by 4-6 hours when possible, comprising a minimum of 20 minutes each, above 60% heart rate max – such as a brisk walk.
DIET, EMOTIONS AND SLEEP
Exercise is not the only way to manage your glucose levels.
A diet that supports stable glucose levels promotes longevity, preventing blood sugar variability and crashes that can affect energy, focus, and mood. Researchers found:
- Ideal meal macronutrient percentages equated to 50% carbohydrate, 35% protein, and 15% fat.
- A breakfast rich in protein is optimal for stabilizing glucose, with 20+ grams an ideal minimum.
Ensuring good sleep health helps reduce glucose variability, with high-quality sleep correlated to reduced glucose variability. Researchers advised that 7 hours of sleep per night is the recommended minimum to reduce glucose variability, with 8-9 hours the ideal amount.
Lead researcher Dr Jinger Gottschall says many people are unsure what constitutes healthy glucose variability, but it’s important to understand what lifestyle habits enhance frequent fluctuations in glucose levels and the long-term consequences associated with them.
“The key benefit of this research is that it provides manageable, actionable steps that can be incorporated into daily life to reduce glucose variability. We know data tracking can be overwhelming, so instead, we want to demonstrate that small adjustments – such as frequent cardio and increasing protein intake – can make a significant difference.”
