During exercise: Watch for symptoms of low blood sugar

During exercise, low blood sugar is sometimes a concern. It's mainly a risk for people with diabetes who take insulin or other medicines linked to low blood sugar levels. If you're planning a long workout, check your blood sugar every 30 minutes. This is key if you're trying a new activity or increasing the intensity or length of your workout. Checking every half-hour tells you if your blood sugar level is stable, rising or falling. That way, you can get a sense of whether it's safe to keep exercising.

Checking every 30 minutes may be a challenge if you're doing outdoor activities or playing sports. But you need to take this safety measure until you know how your blood sugar responds to changes in your exercise habits.

Stop exercising if:

• Your blood sugar is 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) or lower.
• You feel shaky, weak, dizzy or confused.

Eat or drink something with about 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate to raise your blood sugar level, such as:

• Glucose tablets or gel. Check the label to see how many grams of carbohydrate these contain.
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces/118 milliliters) of fruit juice.
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces/118 milliliters) of regular soda. Do not drink diet soda.
• Hard candy, jelly beans or gumdrops. Check the label to see how many grams of carbohydrate these contain.
• 1 tablespoon of sugar, honey or corn syrup.

Check your blood sugar again 15 minutes later. If it's still too low, have another 15-gram carbohydrate serving. Then test again in 15 minutes.

Repeat as needed until your blood sugar reaches at least 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L). If you haven't finished your workout, you can continue once your blood sugar returns to a safe level. You may need to have more snacks or a meal to raise it to that safe range.