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Thread: Exercise-Related Hypoglycemia and Caffeine

  1. #1
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    Default Exercise-Related Hypoglycemia and Caffeine

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    Dr. Feigenbaum,

    While I believe I know the solution to the below problem, I was hoping that I could bother you for your expertise in understanding the mechanisms behind said situation. I'm really trying to use my own training to understand what others might experience should I acquire trainees in the future. Hopefully this is a noble pursuit and not a stupid question and waste of your time.

    The Situation:
    Bio: Novice male, 23 years old, 210 pounds, 5'10", Diet 4500 calories, weight gain is occurring
    Program: SSNLP, Squat 290x5x3, Bench 190x5x3, Press 130x5x3, Deadlift is construction zone, work in progress 190x5
    Symptoms: Lightheadedness, nausea, clamminess, excessive sweating, and mental fog that occurs in later squat sets and progressively gets worse throughout the workout. Some shakiness but could be a result of effort. Increases in frequency when caffeine is taken (400mg - 600mg). A meal is typically consumed 1-2 hours pre-workout and consists of 5 ounces of lean meat/poultry and 1 cup of whole grain pasta/brown rice/sweet potatoes/quinoa.

    My coach has suggested that this could be blood sugar related and that some more simple carb consumption prior to and during the workout might help. Would you have any insight (ha of course you have insight) into this situation and, as a bonus, what role caffeine might have in it, if any?

    Thanks for all you do.

  2. #2
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    Does it happen when you don't have any caffeine? Is there a difference when you finish the meal 2hrs prior to training vs 1hr?

  3. #3
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    It has happened before when I haven't had any caffeine. However, it doesn't occur with perfect regularity. There does not seem to be a difference with when I finish the meal, but I will start logging everything surrounding the circumstances of my workout. I just can't have whatever 'it' is happening because it is impacting my training.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dalton Clark View Post
    It has happened before when I haven't had any caffeine. However, it doesn't occur with perfect regularity. There does not seem to be a difference with when I finish the meal, but I will start logging everything surrounding the circumstances of my workout. I just can't have whatever 'it' is happening because it is impacting my training.
    Whatever it is, I don't think it's hypoglycemia. Any other supplements on board?

  5. #5
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    Very infrequent creatine, trying to get back on board with taking it. Other than that all I take is a multi-vitamin (2 decades of habit), and fish oil/flaxseed oil (habit, and I hate fish so eh). I will start taking Gainzzz Rx. To answer your question, when this has occurred, there have been no other supplements of note.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dalton Clark View Post
    Very infrequent creatine, trying to get back on board with taking it. Other than that all I take is a multi-vitamin (2 decades of habit), and fish oil/flaxseed oil (habit, and I hate fish so eh). I will start taking Gainzzz Rx. To answer your question, when this has occurred, there have been no other supplements of note.
    Hmmm. I don't have enough information here.

    1) Does this happen every workout? If no, how often does it happen and what is the difference when it does vs doesn't happen as far as pre workout nutrition, caffeine, stress levels, etc?

    2) List everything you eat prior to working out. What time do you workout during the day? How is your hydration?

    3) Does this feeling ever happen to you outside of a workout? If yes, when?

    4) What do you do when this happens? Anything make it better or worse?

  7. #7
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    1) It happened precisely zero times prior to beginning training at Atlanta Barbell (a month and a half ago). Since then, it has occurred approximately 5 times or once every other workout. It has occurred during the last 3. Always (with the exception of once) on a standard non-light day while being coached. I eat extremely regularly. My pre-workout meal is always a cup of some slow carb and lean protein, minimally salted if any 1-2 hours prior to the workout (I eat 5 of these per day). This has been the case for 3 months. With regards to caffeine it seems to be a crap shoot. 3 without caffeine and 2 where caffeine. No difference noted. The worse occurred without the caffeine when I experienced numbness/tingling in my hands. Stress levels are almost always low. Work is typical and I avoid social stress like the plague.

    2) Diet:

    6:30 a.m : Protein shake containing protein powder, oats, flax seed, peanut butter, and banana
    9:30 : 1 cup of pasta/rice/slow carb here and 5 ounces of chicken/lean beef
    12:30: repeat of meal 2
    3:30: repeat of meal 2
    Training between meal 1 and 2
    6:30 target (sometimes late) repeat of meal 2
    9:30 repeat of meal 2 and another shake of protein, strawberries, and banana.

    I only add a little bit of salt to the meats so they are palatable

    I workout in the evenings between 5 and 7 as regularly as I can. I drink between half a gallon and 3/4 of a gallon a day of fluids. Urine is clear or close to that.

    3) This never occurs outside of a workout

    4) Typically I will take a knee or a seat and rest until it kind of goes away. Once the workout is over the feeling goes away within 15-30 minutes.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jordan Feigenbaum View Post
    Does it happen when you don't have any caffeine? Is there a difference when you finish the meal 2hrs prior to training vs 1hr?
    Sounds exactly like what I have - Neurally mediated hypotension. I can write a lot here, having learned how to deal with it quite well. Deyhydration, vasodilators, and lack of salt all exacerbate the problem. For me, I need a minimum of four or five hours of fasting before certain types of workouts.

  9. #9
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    Dr. GainzZz,

    I understand that I am providing two posts back-to-back, but I felt that this information is relevant. I ate a meal exactly 1 hour prior to working out, took Gainzzz Rx 30 minutes prior to working out along with 600mg of caffeine (300 pound squat, 135 press. Wanted to nail it), but this time I added some things. I drank some gatorade during my workout and munched on Sour Patch Kids during my workout. I experienced none of the previous issues.

    P.S. Gainzzz Rx has a nice flavor (watermelon) and I like it a lot. The supplement and the taste.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dalton Clark View Post
    Dr. GainzZz,

    I understand that I am providing two posts back-to-back, but I felt that this information is relevant. I ate a meal exactly 1 hour prior to working out, took Gainzzz Rx 30 minutes prior to working out along with 600mg of caffeine (300 pound squat, 135 press. Wanted to nail it), but this time I added some things. I drank some gatorade during my workout and munched on Sour Patch Kids during my workout. I experienced none of the previous issues.

    P.S. Gainzzz Rx has a nice flavor (watermelon) and I like it a lot. The supplement and the taste.
    That's awesome man.

    Only other thing I'd add is more sodium to your diet- like 500mg per meal (GainzZz Rx has some).

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