Fitness and decline

Insulin is not banned in sport if you are a type 1 diabetic, for obvious reasons. I only meant it is banned as a performance enhancing drug.

Just because the body's cells become less sensitive to the effects of insulin, doesn't mean that we all become type 2 diabetics when we get older, as it is only 'relative' resistance. Diet and lifestyle factors also play a part.

Not so long ago, type 1 diabetics were discouraged from physical activity as it would make them prone to hypos, it was thought. Regular exercise can actually reduce your insulin requirements in the long term.

He's type one, using injections of insulin to balance his blood sugar.

Exercise makes his blood sugar level go down, so he can eat less "punishment bread" and other items of healthy food that he does not really like that much.

Before he was diagnosed his weight plummeted- thinnest I have ever known him to be, which is why we all nagged him to go to the docs.