#544 Diabetes Variables: Masturbation

September 17, 2021Scott Benner

Diabetes Variables: Masturbation

Scott and Jenny Smith, CDE share insights on type 1 diabetes care

You can always listen to the Juicebox Podcast here but the cool kids use: Apple Podcasts/iOS - Spotify - Amazon Music - Google Play/Android - iHeart Radio - Radio Public, Amazon Alexa or wherever they get audio.

+ Click for EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

DISCLAIMER: This text is the output of AI based transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors and should not be treated as an authoritative record. Nothing that you read here constitutes advice medical or otherwise. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making changes to a healthcare plan.

Scott Benner 0:00
Hello friends, and welcome to Episode 544 of the Juicebox Podcast.

Hey everybody, this is the next episode in the diabetes variable series. So it's going to be me and Jenny Smith. Jenny, of course, is a 30 plus year type one, a CDE, a nutritionist, she says a whole bunch of stuff. And she's here today to talk about a new topic, something that might come up in your life, that very well may impact blood sugars. The variable that we'll be talking about today is masturbation. I know you probably saw that in your podcast player, but I'll just give you a second to let it sink in. Right. So you know, that's what we're going to talk about. And it's gonna be serious and it's gonna be silly. So try to expect both serious and silly here. Please remember, while you're listening, that nothing you hear on the Juicebox Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise, always consult a physician before making any changes to your healthcare plan. or becoming bold with insulin. I looked up some euphemisms for masturbating, because I thought I would put a couple in here, but if I'm being honest, a number of them are disturbing, so we're just gonna skip it. Instead, I'd like you to say your favorite euphemism out loud right now, no matter where you are.

This show is sponsored today by the glucagon that my daughter carries. g vo cuyp. Open. Find out more at G Vogue. glucagon.com forward slash juicebox. Okay, all right. I'm just I'm just gonna ask you before we start, are you Oh, are you up for something here?

Jennifer Smith, CDE 1:53
Sure. It's not like technically research, like, Oh my gosh, I have to delve into like studies for this question

Scott Benner 2:00
the exact opposite of that. Okay, you're ready? I feel so weird. I'm not gonna look directly at you, Jenny. Okay, I want to talk about a variable today that I'm hoping I mean, honestly, if you can't help me with this is going to be such a sad conversation but orgasm. Oh, interesting. Good question. It's a honestly, do you want to know where I got it

Jennifer Smith, CDE 2:26
from? From your questions online besides

Scott Benner 2:29
the list? The The reason I moved it up on my list was, there was a massive conversation in the private Facebook group amongst parents. I just it's so weird to say, who all had an aha moment at the same time. And a lot of their statements sounded like this. Oh, I just thought that at a certain time of night, my kids blood sugar went up, or I thought a shower made my kid's blood sugar go up, or I thought and I was like, Oh my god, I never thought of this. So

Jennifer Smith, CDE 3:04
that's in the population in which that will occur. Yes, because I've got little kids who are like five and their bath makes their blood sugar go up, I guarantee it's

Scott Benner 3:16
gonna be a different thing. So the the, so the conversation started very boy centric, like people are very much like, Oh, this is why my son showers make his blood sugar up. This is why when my son's like, door is locked, his blood sugar goes up like this stuff, right? But then very lovely. adult women who have type one in the group jumped in and said, I gotta be honest with you. My blood sugar goes up to when I'm doing that. And I was like, Okay, now some people said it doesn't. And some people says it does. But I want to, I guess I'm separating orgasm, during intercourse from orgasm while you're by yourself, because I guess it's probably if you're doing it right. It's probably more vigorous when you're doing it with somebody else. Right. So then there's other things to think about, like I

Unknown Speaker 4:09
would guess so. Yeah, two children stop.

Jennifer Smith, CDE 4:16
Oh, yeah. Yes, I would guess so. I mean, experience wise. And actually, because I get into those conversations with my female clients. I don't think it's honestly ever been something that I've worked with, that a gentleman has brought up to me, but the women that I work with, especially like in preconception time, and all of that kind of stuff. It's it's a topic that that's brought up. I've actually found I think, it seems to be about like a 5050. And in women, so to speak, not the teens but women who seem to have more of a drop in their blood sugar. After but, you know, I'd have To have data with markers so when and whatever to actually see was there actually arise before like the drop off almost like you drop in blood sugar after exercise, but not maybe during it. So that could be but I would expect in the teen population, I'd expect if I, if there's a little bit of maybe like, maybe there's like a behind the scenes like anxiety, especially for teens who live with their parents and are in their shower or lacking their bedroom door. And there are other people in the house, right? So they're kind of at a point of like,

Scott Benner 5:39
So are you saying that while in my

Jennifer Smith, CDE 5:41
mind, maybe a little anxious doing this because they might be discovered maybe I don't know. I thought

Scott Benner 5:48
I enjoy thinking mister with you. This is fun. So the plotting, you're saying could bring your like an anxiety or something? While I'm walking around the house, making sure I got door locks tissue. Whenever I need, I might be getting like, like, Hey, I'm about to do this thing. Maybe somewhat. Maybe it's exciting. Maybe I'm excited. I'm about to do it. Maybe I'm worried somebody is going to catch me. Right? Okay,

Jennifer Smith, CDE 6:15
I would I would put it kind of in the class of like, practice running, usually will keep your blood sugar steady or drop it right. You get to your a race and the adrenaline of the race day performance expectations and everything. Many of the athletes I work with on their race or their you know, team kind of competition, they their blood sugar's go up, I see what you're saying. Maybe it's I mean, again, studies would have to be done to the

Scott Benner 6:44
point. I guess we can just talk these are all thought yeah. So

Jennifer Smith, CDE 6:49
that's a great question. That's a great question. Really, it is,

Scott Benner 6:52
listen, it is something that I would guess impacts most people. I might be giving something away here. But I would say many days of the week. Yeah. frequently with enough frequency that it should be talked about. There's no way anyone's going to talk about you said earlier. This has never come up with any gentlemen, I'm going to tell you Jenny, a guy who brings up the Bleep this up. But a guy who gets on with you to talk about diabetes and starts talking about their health habits probably not going to come across like gentlemen. This is true. That's why they're not asking. They're probably just figuring out on their own. That's why the podcasts here so we can talk about stuff like this.

This show is sponsored today by the glucagon that my daughter carries. g vo hypo Penn. Find out more at G Vogue glucagon.com forward slash Juicebox.

Jennifer Smith, CDE 7:54
Podcast Funny thing is about it that from a parent's standpoint, it's not something I've heard in terms of a question from parents either. Yeah. And the topic of alcohol comes up very frequently for my teen population. I mean, I've had questions as young as kids who are like 13 and 14, parents questioning, you know, well, we don't encourage this. And we've been, you know, we've discouraged until this certain age or whatever. It is a point that I want you to bring up to reference the dangers of it. But this other topic,

Scott Benner 8:30
people don't want to think about it. I'm here, don't bring up by going through the the Facebook, the thread, it was forever long. And most people found it incredibly valuable. Because you realize that especially for a mom, I think, like I would imagine it dad's just like I get that happening. And I don't say anything, but moms are probably like they look at their sons. And they don't think of them that way when they're young. And then you hit that moment where you're going to figure this part out. That's not nearly the first thing that's going to pop into your head when you're like, I wonder why his blood sugar is going up. Because you're going to be thinking like, oh, maybe this is happening. Maybe it's a Grossberg maybe it's this, maybe it's that

Jennifer Smith, CDE 9:06
or maybe he's sitting and eating the bag of Pringles in his bedroom and forgot to Bolus or whatever you're thinking other things.

Scott Benner 9:13
But more more accurately what happened is somebody they found attractive, he probably scrolled by on Instagram. And now there you go, now we're gonna see what we can do. So is there a physical like suit? But to start over again, you're saying women, when they're by themselves as often as not finish? And then their blood sugar's drop? Or what do you see there?

Jennifer Smith, CDE 9:38
Yeah, I mean, I would say again, in the women that I'm working with, mostly that the topic comes up, it's like in the preconception stage, right? Where they're actually trying to have a child and have to do things in order to have the child we you know, into terms of that many are very willing and want to actually make notes about things that they can figure out what to do. And so most often, I would say, like I said before about 50, at least 50% of women find that it's more the after is a drop in blood sugar. Versus the during. Okay, so. And I would expect maybe it has to do with movement and length of time together and all of the other things that could propel more of a drop in blood sugar, or it could be, you know, like the end of a run. Many people have a lower blood sugar in the aftermath of a run for hours because of the lasting effect of those like, feel good hormones and the exercise, so

Scott Benner 10:47
Okay, but if we're, if we're talking about Have you had any experience with like, women talking about masturbating, or no smoking, mostly, yeah. So no, nobody's ever come to you and said, like me when I flick my been like stuff, nothing like that. By the way, what's your favorite? What's your favorite? Well, I'm gonna bleep this out. So no one ever tell me your favorite euphemism for masturbating that a woman can use?

Jennifer Smith, CDE 11:14
Oh, my God, I don't even know. I know. There was I guess I never think about that. I mean, in terms of like, what you would call it? I don't? Yeah,

Scott Benner 11:26
I don't know. Fine. All right. I just thought totally funny. Alright, so. Alright, so

Jennifer Smith, CDE 11:34
I think it's a great question, though. Especially considering all of the like, tuning commentary that was kind of being discussed online about it.

Scott Benner 11:45
Yeah, it was super interesting how interested people are I also listen, as I think through what I know about masturbation, and what I know about diabetes, I would say for an older person who doesn't feel a guy who doesn't feel like oh, someone's going to catch me doesn't have any of that build up stuff. I would say that, you know, you'd be surprised how it pops into men's heads, like, in the course of a day, you know, like the way you might the way you might think like, I'm gonna get a glass of water now, like a guy might be like, Oh, you know, I'm gonna do and so that might be very blunt, say leading into it. And then so I'm a guessing there's vigor and excitement. dooring.

Jennifer Smith, CDE 12:22
And then it could be like an adrenaline rush could

Scott Benner 12:24
be a bit of an adrenaline rush, although sometimes it's medical journey. You know what I'm saying? Sure. No, you don't even know you're such an awesome person. I such a white person, you're such a nice person. Like, here's my sometimes it just needs to be accomplished. Okay. It's like a chore and not not a fun thing. But I would think that to

Jennifer Smith, CDE 12:44
get it done, it's like mowing the lawn, check it off.

Scott Benner 12:47
See, there's your euphemism. It's, it's next time your husband like disappears for 15 minutes, and he comes back go, Hey, were you mowing the lawn? Never know what you were talking about. And, and so I would, I would guess, too, for a lot of women it might feel more intimate than then for guys who might see it more as utilitarian sometimes. I guess. Yeah. So there's a lot to be considered here. But if you're the parent of a adolescent child, and you can't figure out why every time the door's locked, there's a blood sugar change. I mean, I don't know where to go from there with that I never had to have that conversation with my kids so far. Although in the course of the conversation online, an adult woman talked about her mother could see her orgasms on this CGM and knew it over like, because her mother was like, inspect your clue. So so the girl would go out sometimes on a date she see this thing happen, the girl comes home. And then no mom started putting two and two together and then the girl grows up and becomes an adult and the moms and now though girl's mom knows when she's having sex by your CGM data.

Jennifer Smith, CDE 13:59
I feel like my you got to get rid of Yeah, that would be time to go then. You can't follow me anymore. I'm

Scott Benner 14:04
so sorry. But anyway, that's a variable. It's really interesting. I guarantee you no one else is going to bring up on their diabetes blogger podcast except for me.

Jennifer Smith, CDE 14:14
No. So that might be more of an after dark.

Scott Benner 14:18
I think I can do it. After Dark berry diabetes variable after dark, and then I'm just gonna call it I don't even know what I would call it. I'll use my I can't use my favorite euphemism. But anyway, I will share something personal with you or not about me about a euphemism that I think is funny. All right. We're done with this. Now it's over.

A huge thank you to one of today's sponsors, g Vogue glucagon, find out more about chivo hypo pen at G Vogue glucagon.com forward slash juice box. you spell that g VOKEGL Uc ag o n.com forward slash juicebox. And if you enjoy Jenny she actually does this for a living so you can find her at integrated diabetes comm Let me help you with your diabetes needs.

Before I go, I'll remind you that the diabetes pro tip series begins at Episode 210 and goes on for quite some time. Episode 211 is called all about MDI while 212 is all about insulin to 17 Pre-Bolus to 18 Temp Basal to 19 insulin pumping to 24 mastering a CGM to 25 bump and nudge to 26 the perfect Bolus 220 excuse me 231 variables, that's a pro tip that just talks about variables. And then this is a episode about a specific value anyway. Let's not get confused, you're probably writing 237 diabetes pro tip setting Basal insulin 256 exercise 263 fat and protein 287 illness injury and surgery 301 glucagon and low VGS 307 emergency room protocols 311 long term health 350 bump a nudge Part Two 364 pregnancy 371 explaining type one glycemic index and glycemic load 449 postpartum 470 weight loss they are available right here in your podcast player at Juicebox Podcast calm and at diabetes pro tip comm check them out. Please, please, please. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back soon with another episode of the Juicebox Podcast.