T Nation

Can High Carb Drinks Cause Diabetes?

Supplements and Nutrition
#1

Don’t rush to conclusions too quickly…

A high carb drink common for many weightlifters might be anywhere from 50 to 150 grams of carbs from dextrose, maltodextrin, gatorade and/or Surge in a 1 to two hour period.

If you work out 4-5 times a week, that is a lot of insulin inducing carbs. Although not quite your Big MAC, French Fries, and Large Coke, the insulin response is similar. Eventually, your body theoretically will become resistant to huge insulin spike and you will need more and more carbs to get an insulin boost.

This is Type II Diabetes. Although body fat % may be low and you are generally healthy, are we exposing ourselves to becoming Diabetic with the amount and frequency of insulin spikes?

Thanks for the responses.

#2

Oh my God! That means we all have it!

#3

Is there a high occurence of athletes and bodybuilders with diabetes?

No.

#4

Pop is evil!

#5

[quote]Hawkson101 wrote:
Although body fat % may be low and you are generally healthy, are we exposing ourselves to becoming Diabetic with the amount and frequency of insulin spikes?

Thanks for the responses.[/quote]

Your body is not that fragile and should not be held to the same standards as sedentary obese people. Type II diabetes is related much more to LIFESTYLE than the simple fact that someone ate carbohydrates regularly. T

hat means you need to think deeper than some “either or” scenario where carbohydrates are either “good” or “bad”. There is a huge difference between a bodybuilder who trains several times a week, has a decent general understanding of food and remains active…and some guy who sits on the couch for hours after work (where he sat for hours) as he throws Twix candy bars and Coors Lite down his throat.

Insulin is also one of the most anabolic hormones in your body. You won’t be gaining too much muscle without it. Very little when it comes to biology is “all good” or “all bad”.

#6

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Your body is not that fragile and should not be held to the same standards as sedentary obese people. Type II diabetes is related much more to LIFESTYLE than the simple fact that someone ate carbohydrates regularly. T

hat means you need to think deeper than some “either or” scenario where carbohydrates are either “good” or “bad”. There is a huge difference between a bodybuilder who trains several times a week, has a decent general understanding of food and remains active…and some guy who sits on the couch for hours after work (where he sat for hours) as he throws Twix candy bars and Coors Lite down his throat.

Insulin is also one of the most anabolic hormones in your body. You won’t be gaining too much muscle without it. Very little when it comes to biology is “all good” or “all bad”.[/quote]

Good post. Plus, the average bodybuilder is not spiking his insulin levels that often. If the OP knew anything, he’d know that one reason for frequent feedings is to avoid the insulin spikes.

People getting Type II diabetes skip breakfast, eat fast food for lunch, have a candy bar at 3 p.m., and eat some shit at dinner before eating some potato chips and falling asleep on the couch.

#7

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#8

I’m a Type II who is absolutely convinced that I did it to myself. That doesn’t necessarily make me an expert, but I have done a ton of research and can only agree with what has been said already. Life will give you plenty of things to worry about. If you are active and otherwise healthy this isn’t one of em.

It takes years of sluggish living and horrendous eating for someone who wouldn’t have developed a dangerous level of insulin resistance through heredity anyway (if there actually are such people) to do so through lifestyle. Unfortunately there are plenty of folks committed enough to their own self destruction to accomplish this however.

#9

not to mention the fact that fat cells do not take up glucose very well in response to insulin after vigorous exercise, thus the post workout feeding window.