Effects of a Low-Carbohydrate-High-Protein Pre-Exercise Meal in Type 1 Diabetes-a Randomized Crossover Trial

CONTEXT: Current guidelines for exercise-related glucose management focus on reducing bolus and/or basal insulin doses and considering carbohydrate intake. Yet far less attention has been paid to the potential role of other macronutrients alongside carbohydrates on glucose dynamics around exercise.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of a low-carbohydrate-high-protein (LCHP) compared with a high-carbohydrate-low-protein (HCLP) pre-exercise meal on the metabolic, hormonal, and physiological responses to exercise in adults with insulin pump-treated type 1 diabetes.

METHODS: Fourteen adults (11 women, 3 men) with insulin pump-treated type 1 diabetes (median [range] HbA1c of 50 [43-59] mmol/mol (6.7% [6.1%-7.5%]), age of 49 [25-65] years, and body mass index of 24.0 [19.3-27.1] kg/m2) completed an unblinded, 2-arm, randomized, crossover study. Participants ingested isocaloric meals that were either LCHP (carbohydrate 21%, protein 52%, fat 27%) or HCLP (carbohydrate 52%, protein 21%, fat 27%) 90 minutes prior to undertaking 45 minutes of cycling at moderate intensity. Meal insulin bolus was dosed according to meal carbohydrate content but reduced by 25%. Basal insulin rates were reduced by 35% from meal ingestion to end of exercise.

RESULTS: Around exercise the coefficient of variability was lower during LCHP (LCHP: 14.5 ± 5.3 vs HCLP: 24.9 ± 7.7%, P = .001). Over exercise, LCHP was associated with a lesser drop (LCHP: Δ-1.49 ± 1.89 vs HCLP: Δ-3.78 ± 1.95 mmol/L, P = .001). Mean insulin concentration was 30% lower during exercise for LCHP compared with HCLP (LCHP: 25.5 ± 11.0 vs HCLP: 36.5 ± 15.9 mU/L, P < .001).

CONCLUSION: Ingesting a LCHP pre-exercise meal lowered plasma glucose variability around exercise and diminished the drop in plasma glucose over exercise.