I have been using a Freestyle Libre on myself. Initially I bought it to learn about it, so I could teach my dad, as well as teach pet owners of diabetic cats.
What I didn’t know is that I get nocturnal hypoglycemia, where my blood glucose drops below 3.9 mmol/L. Somethings it’s as low as 2.2 mmol/L. What I have discovered is that those nights where I get startled awake before my alarm, it is because I’m hypoglycemic.
We know that insulin resistance can affect fertility, but how does low glucose affect fertility? It can’t be good.
Insulin-induced hypoglycemia in ewes caused a decrease in estradiol concentrations for 8 to 12 hours, and delayed the LH surge by 15 hours.
In cattle, the post-partum period is a time of negative energy balance. There is evidence that hypoglycemia can contribute to poorer oocyte quality and embryo development.
I don’t know how long these hypoglycemic events have been going on for, but I’m glad I discovered this, so that I can try to fix it!
So far what works is not prolonged fasting, avoiding high carb meals before bed, and having a high protein snack before bed to keep it going. A smoothie with some protein powder, chia seeds and hemp seeds, or yogurt with some seeds seems to work well for me.
I will keep you posted on how working with the Freestyle Libre and balancing my glucose at night affects my fertility!
Until then, here’s a little video on the Freestyle Libre in a cat!