Richard157

I need more insulin in cold weather and less in the warmer weather.

The weather can affect your blood glucose control and insulin requirements. Some people experience a sudden decline in their insulin requirements when a long period of cool weather (e.g., winter) is abruptly interrupted by significantly warmer weather. In such individuals, insulin requirements will rise as winter occurs and drop in the summer. The reason for this effect is not completely understood, but may relate to the increased dilation of peripheral blood vessels during warm weather and resultant increased delivery of glucose and insulin to peripheral tissues.

People with diabetes who also have the disease lupus erythematosus may experience just the opposite – lower insulin requirements in cold weather and higher requirements in warm weather.

If you find your blood glucose suddenly going unusually high or low and the weather is changing, test often and talk with your doctor about adjusting your treatment routine.

Tip of the Day courtesy of Dr. Richard Bernstein, author of Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution

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"Cold Weather Increases A1Cs.

Do your A1C levels rise every winter? You're not alone.

A team of researchers working in Veterans Health Administration centers across the country has found a link between cold weather and higher A1C levels. (A1C tests provide a snapshot of blood glucose control over 3 months.) For 2 years, the group studied 272,722 veterans with diabetes. The A1C levels of those in the study group were averaged and analyzed by climate and season.

After considering other factors that could affect A1C levels, such as age, sex, race, and severity of diabetes, the researchers found an independent seasonal pattern linked to colder temperatures. In all climates, A1C levels peaked from February through April; they hit their lowest points in August through September. The average increase in A1C levels from summer to winter was 0.22 percentage points.

The people who experienced the most fluctuation in terms of their A1C levels were those who lived in what the researchers called "intermediate" climates-
places where winter temperatures ranged from 32° F to 40° F."

The quote above is found in the following article:

Type 1/Type 2 - Cold Weather Increases A1Cs