Part 5 of 5: Managing ‘The Whip’:

Blood Sugar Spikes and Athletic Performance

For athletes with type 1 diabetes (T1D), managing blood sugar during and after exercise can be incredibly complex. One phenomenon that’s particularly tricky is “the whip,” a sharp spike in blood sugar that happens after intense or prolonged exercise. Chris Jarvis, Olympic rower and founder of ICD, has experienced this firsthand and has turned that knowledge into valuable guidance for other athletes managing T1D.

Chris first encountered the whip during his intense Olympic training schedule, where he was rowing three times a day. Despite carefully managing his insulin and carb intake, he would often finish practice with normal or even low blood sugar, only to see it skyrocket to alarming levels shortly after stopping. “It was horrible,” he admitted.

While his teammates were loading up on pancakes and syrup to refuel, Chris was grappling with this unpredictable spike.

At first, it was believed that only short high-intensity exercises like sprints or heavy lifting could cause this kind of spike. But Chris’s experience told a different story. After working with Dr. Michael Riddell and Dr. Jane Yardley, Chris helped uncover that endurance exercise like rowing for an hour and a half or longer could also trigger the whip. The body redirects blood away from the digestive system during exercise, which slows down the absorption of carbs. When the workout ends, blood flow returns to normal, causing a flood of glucose into the bloodstream- the whip.

Managing the whip is tricky but Chris has learned strategies that help and he’s sharing them with athletes through ICD. One key tip is to focus on faster absorption methods.

“Energy gels and gummies work better than liquids because they start absorbing in the gums immediately,” Chris explained.

Taking smaller amounts more gradually also helps avoid the delayed spike.

Through ICD, Chris continues to educate athletes on managing the whip, empowering them to stay competitive without letting T1D hold them back. His experience has not only shaped his own success but is helping athletes worldwide tackle this challenging part of managing diabetes in sports.

This is part five of a five-part series, detailing Chris Jarvis’ story, and the origins of I Challenge Diabetes, compiled and written by ICD intern Hodan Abdi. Check out the rest of the series here!