Is anyone on this board diabetic? If so, what precautions do you take before and during games so you don't have a low? What does a low feel like during a game? I got dizzy in a game today, and the trainer suggested I drink a Dr. Pepper. I'm not diabetic, but the trainer talked about low blood sugar and it made me think. I asked about a Snickers bar or Skittles, but she said a full sugar soda is the quickest way to fight a low. I don't drink soda though. Anyhoo, thought I'd start an informational conversation about it.
One of the college kids in my area has type 1 diabetes (on insulin since childhood) would keep a large sack of hard candy in her ref bag. She didn’t drink sodas or Gatorade.
One of the long-time referees in our area is diabetic and suffered a low in the second of our three game set. My recollection is he said he felt a little "out of it". He did the same thing you described above, so he's better armed now when it happens. I don't remember what excuse we gave for the next game to be delayed while we got him something in a store across from the field (which is rare), but he appeared ok for the last match as an AR and didn't need a lot of time for the blood/sugar to reach his norm. Orange juice will also get you back to normal within 30 minutes and better than a soda. EDIT- I did have a relative who had the Libre Freestyle 3 on their arm. When you set the alarm at a certain number (60 as a low and 200 as a high perhaps?), it triggers a chirping alarm. The receiver/alarm is very light-weight and is small enough to fit in your referee shorts pocket. I have a friend who wears it constantly and started doing so in his 40's and never complained about it being an inconvenience, which might be better than panicking that you'll have a low during a match without getting the symptoms first.
If you are not diabetic, its likely more a fitness / glycogen issue, especially if you did prep prior to the game or just burned through you readily available fuel. The dizzyness is the start of a 'bonk.' I've experienced it cycling. Dizziness, and sudden loss of energy. A Snickers bar is not very fast to get into the blood stream, but isn't a bad option as it will last longer as an energy source. Straight carbs, are the best way to get back on track and a soda will do that, with the carbonation being an additional mental benefit. My go-to's at a break are a soda and either pop-tarts or a rice crispy treat to restore energy. I keep rice crispy treats and gu (w. caffeine) in my car to use as needed when refereeing. If you wan't t be healthy and clean about it, bananas are a great source of fast carbs.
the only bad thing about orange juice, if you have to go back on the field, is the acidity. Your stomach may not like that.
Good point. Figure the carbonation from the soda wouldn't do well either. I'll try some things out. Thanks for the suggestions.
Yes, some sodas have acidity, but nearly at the level of juices. I love effervescence from seltzer and soda. It can feel very refreshing, but too much gas in the gut would be a problem if overdone.
Juice or Gatorade is definitely the fastest to hit the bloodstream. Consider also something heartier in addition to smooth out the crash afterward as well, because it will be a spike. If it's an ongoing thing, or even if you're just diabetic, then get a continuous glucose monitor like that described above. There's plenty of brands, so pick one your insurance will cover and your doctor will prescribe so that you can get it for free. Everyone should try one at least for a couple of weeks, just to get a better sense of what actually happens to your blood sugar levels with different food/exercise combinations.