Effect of combining pre-exercise carbohydrate intake and repeated short sprints on the blood glucose response to moderate-intensity exercise in young individuals with Type 1 diabetes.

Aims: To determine whether pre-exercise ingestion of carbohydrates to maintain stable glycaemia during moderate-intensity exercise results in excessive hyperglycaemia if combined with repeated sprints in individuals with Type 1 diabetes.

Methods: Eight overnight-fasted people with Type 1 diabetes completed the following four 40-min exercise sessions on separate days in a randomized counterbalanced order under basal insulinaemic conditions: continuous moderate-intensity exercise at 50% peak; intermittent high-intensity exercise (moderate-intensity exercise interspersed with 4-s sprints every 2 min and a final 10-s sprint); continuous moderate-intensity exercise with prior carbohydrate intake (~10 g per person); and intermittent high-intensity exercise with prior carbohydrate intake. Venous blood was sampled during and 2 h after exercise to measure glucose and lactate levels.

Results: The difference in marginal mean time-averaged area under the blood glucose curve between continuous moderate-intensity exercise + prior carbohydrate and intermittent high-intensity exercise + prior carbohydrate during exercise and recovery was not significant [0.2 mmol/l (95% CI -0.7, 1.1); P = 0.635], nor was the difference in peak blood glucose level after adjusting for baseline level [0.2 mmol/l (95% CI -0.7, 1.1); P = 0.695]. The difference in marginal mean time-averaged area under the blood glucose curve between continuous moderate-intensity and intermittent high-intensity exercise during exercise and recovery was also not significant [-0.2 mmol/l (95% CI -1.2, 0.8); P = 0.651].

Conclusions: When carbohydrates are ingested prior to moderate-intensity exercise, adding repeated sprints is not significantly detrimental to glycaemic management in overnight fasted people with Type 1 diabetes under basal insulin conditions.