Fasting and Blood Glucose

Brad Pilon, author of Eat Stop Eat, raised an interesting issue having to do with blood glucose during a fast. Coincidentally, I read that while near the end of a fast, having just come from the gym and a heavy workout. I tested myself at 114 gm/dL, which is higher that I was testing before at any old time during the day (100-105, usually). Hmm... 28 hours into a fast, and after a series of heavy weight lifting. Isn't the conventional "wisdom" that fasting is bad because your blood sugar lowers too much; and by all means, "you don't want to exercise." After all, Zeus didn't make us like he made virtually all the other animals, who engage in their most strenuous activity of hunting when they're really, really hungry. Right?

So, on my next 30-hr fast a few days later, I decided to check BG right before I left for the gym, at about 25 hours into the fast. I measured 77, which is a very predictable result (normal BG is 70-140 mg/dL, in spite of what the pill pushers say) during a fast. I had an intense routine, but not nearly so much as the previous time. So, at hour 27, and about an hour after completing the workout: 101 gm/dL. How can that be? And without that candy marketed as "power" that they try to sell you so "your blood sugar doesn't drop" when you exercise. Clever guy that Zeus, eh?

Here's the comment I posted at Art's blog about it, and be sure to read Art's response as to the the underlying chemistry. Also, Brad did another test -- measuring before workout, at intervals during the workout, and after. Similar results. Same with John Barbin. Note: they are both using the mmol/L scale, normal range being 3.9 - 7.8. I'm 22 hrs into my first of two fasts this week, and I'll go through the routine again, just to see if I can reproduce the results. I'm dropping around 2 pounds per week net, and it's all fat. It's amazing where all you carry that stuff, which doesn't seem apparent until you begin to notice voids in all kinds of places.

I really need to update the photo to the right. My face isn't nearly so fat, anymore; and 5-6" are gone off the waist with at least 6" to go.