Hi everyone,
I have type-1 diabetes, I am using rapid Insulin three times a day with meals. I check my sugar level regularly and most of the time its normal 97%. I do regular exercise in gym.
The problem with me is that I am under weight. I am 6'2" and weigh 67kg (147 pounds). age 29
Three months ago i read some where that Whey protein helps gaining weight, but until now I haven't gain anything.
I also eat healthy meals, fruits and vegetables.
Does anyone know about this problem ? and have any solution ?
your suggestion are highly appreciated,
Thanks
I think many of us would like to have your problem. That being said, let me give you some suggestions.
First, you probably don't want to gain weight, you want to gain lean body mass. If you actually want to just gain bodyfat, problem solved, just eat a ton of carbs and bolus for them. One popular way to gain lean body mass without bodyfat is coupling heavy resistance exercise with a high calorie, low carb, high protein diet. At times I have consumed upwards 200-250g of protein/day.
Buy 100% whey protein at Costco, get the low carb version, it is good and cheap. Supplement a protein shake every morning, before workouts and after workouts. I like mixing the shake with whole milk or cream.
As for resistance exercise, do heavy weight training. When you challenge your body, it responds by changing your body. Do heavy hard things. Barbell squats, deadlifts, leg presses. I found the programs from Mark Rippetoe to be very good, you can learn more from the "Starting Strength" wiki.
Thanks a lot for your reply,
Although I am doing heavy weigh lifting, but I am consuming just one portion of Whey protein a day and two portions when I go to gym. Little worried about too much proteins because I heard we(diabetics) are also at higher risk for kidney failure :(
its your thyroid ok? if you don't know you can make an exam of the thyroid.
It must be okay, I have regular checkup every 3 months. My doctor never referred me to thyroid scanning.
Your BMI is 18.9 in the normal range (and not underweight) and it sounds like you eat a healthy diet, so maybe not so important for you to increase your weight?
I wonder, though, if you want to gain weight because you lost weight when you were first diagnosed two years ago? It is typical for T1 diabetics to lose weight prior to diagnosis due to water, muscle and fat loss if they experience any ketoacidosis. The water loss is quickly regained, but it can take longer to regain lost muscle.
If that is the situation you are in, then I agree with bsc that exercise is important to gaining muscle (though I find his recommendation to combine that with a low-carb diet rather bizarre since low-carb diet is typically recommended for weight loss and not weight gain).
Pamela has good advice too, since it is fairly common for T1 diabetics to also have thyroid issues.
To sort through the different possibilities maybe you can say what your weight history has been - are you losing weight now, did you lose weight prior to diagnosis, or have you always been the weight you are now? And why do you think it is important to gain weight?
Yes you are right Jag1, I lost weight when I was diagnosed 2 years ago almost 12kg. i was 64 kg when I was diagnosed, then after 12 months i was 69 kg. but that was my static point. Now the case is I am 67 kg, i am not sure why i lost these 2kgs (may be due to high sugar levels which I couldn't caught).
I am also wondering that is there anything to do with Insulin intake, I mean rapid and long acting ? I am using rapid now, and even after meals I feel hungry again.
I have used long acting Insulin as well but post meal sugar levels were always high.
Huh? Insulin doesn't cause blood sugar levels to rise. You take long lasting (basal) once or twice daily between meals to keep your fasting blood sugars between meals controlled. If your blood sugars 4-6 hours after a meal rise, that is typically a sign that you are not getting enough basal insulin. High blood sugars 2 hours after meals are indicative of not enough rapid (bolus) insulin at mealtimes.
And yes, increased insulin is a factor in weight gain. Insulin controls not only the uptake of glucose into our bodies, it also controls the uptake of fat.
Well of course Insulin lower sugar level. I am only using rapid Insulin, three times just before meals. My fasting and between meals levels are always normal.
It is strange but it is like this, I suppose may be due to exercise its normal in between too. And one more thing since I have started exercise my Insulin intake is reduced to 35-40%.
If exercise such as walking or aerobic exercise raises your fasting blood sugar between meals, that is a sign that you don't have enough natural basal insulin production. You might do better with a basal. It may be that your mealtime insulin is at least partly acting as your basal as even the modern rapid insulins have a duration of action of perhaps 5 hours.
I don't have an answer about the whey protein, specifically. But I have found that adding healthy fats to my foods is the only thing that keeps my weight stable instead of losing. So I usually roast my veggies with olive oil or eat salad with a decent amount of oil & vinegar. Sunflower seeds as a snack. You get the idea. Whenever I back off from that a bit, I tend to lose a few more pounds. So if your health and cholesterol levels have been good, it may be worth a try.
I am also concerned by this too. I would like to up my protein intake, but I don't want to put added stress on my kidneys. I read that a high protein diet is fine for healthy kidneys, but it feels like a catch 22.
Can a Type 1 really exist on bolus alone, even if honeymooning? Maybe too thin due to high blood sugars. Just a thought.