Participant profile

This blog follows 20-year-old amateur bodybuilder and university student Oli, he is 5”7 and weights 70kg. He was diagnosed with type one diabetes in his early teens. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease caused by the autoimmune response against pancreatic β cells (Kawasaki, E., 2014). Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood to become too high. It occurs when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, which controls blood glucose, so patients must manually inject (NHS, 2023). Patients with type 1 diabetes can still break down the carbohydrate from food and drink and turn it into glucose, however when the glucose enters your bloodstream, there is no insulin to allow it into the body’s cells, meaning glucose then builds up in your bloodstream, leading to high blood sugar levels (Diabetes UK, 2023). About 8% of people with diabetes in the UK have type 1 diabetes (Diabetes UK, 2023). 

He has been struggling to manage his glucose levels as they can be altered by several factors; such as stress, illness/ infection, level of activeness (not being active, or more active than usual), pain, or drinking alcohol (NHS, 2023).  

The ideal range for blood glucose levels are: 

  • before meals: 4 to 7mmol/L 
  • 2 hours after meals: 8 to 9mmol/L 
  • at bedtime: 6 to 10mmol/L (NHS,2023) 

If your blood glucose levels are too high, it can cause hyperglycemia. This can occur if the patient is stressed, unwell, less active, or not having enough insulin to match carbohydrate intake. Alternatively, if blood glucose levels are too low, hypos are treated when blood glucose falls below 4mmol/L. It can occur when you delay meals, have insufficient carbohydrates in last meal, drinking alcohol on empty stomach, taking too much insulin or by doing lots of exercise without having the right amount of carbohydrate/ reducing insulin dose (NHS, 2023). 

It is crucial to manage T1D efficiently as prolonged high blood sugar levels will seriously damage blood vessels, meaning blood cannot be transported round the body, subsequently causing nerves to be unable to function properly. Once these have been damaged, it is more likely to form similar problems elsewhere in the body. Improperly managed diabetes can lead to a range of acute or chronic complications. For example: 

Chronic complications: 

  • Retinopathy 
  • Foot problems  
  • Heart attack/ strokes 
  • Nephropathy 
  • Neuropathy 
  • Gum disease 
  • Erectile disfunction/ impotence  
  • Increased risk of cancer  

Acute complications: 

  • Diabetic ketoacidosis 
  • Hypers and Hypos  

These can be prevented by making healthier food choices and staying active (Hook, E, 2023). Oli is looking to maintain his current ideal body weight of 70kg, and he is already moderately active as he trains five times a week and has a healthy BMI of 24.2 

He aims to be more meticulous in his diet and training scheme by following a meal plan that allows him to reach energy requirements on training days, whilst maintaining suitable blood glucose levels, and avoiding hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. 

Word count: 485 

Kawasaki, E., 2014. Type 1 diabetes and autoimmunity. Clinical pediatric endocrinology, 23(4), pp.99-105. (Accessed: 30 April. 2023). 

Hook, E. (no date) Complications of diabetes, Diabetes UK. Diabetes UK. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/complications (Accessed: April 30, 2023). 

Diabetes UK (2023 Type 1 diabetes, Diabetes UK. Diabetes UK. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/types-of-diabetes/type-1 (Accessed: April 30, 2023). 

Type 1 diabetes (2023) NHS choices. NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-1-diabetes/ (Accessed: April 29, 2023). 

Newly diagnosed: things to help (2023) NHS choices. NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-1-diabetes/about-type-1-diabetes/newly-diagnosed-things-to-help/ (Accessed: April 30, 2023). 

Managing blood glucose levels (2023) NHS choices. NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-1-diabetes/managing-blood-glucose-levels/ (Accessed: April 30, 2023). 

Hook, E. (2023) Complications of diabetes, Diabetes UK. Diabetes UK. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/complications (Accessed: April 30, 2023).