May 11, 2026, 7:03 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Matthias Steiner was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes just before his 18th birthday. This didn’t stop his career as a weightlifter–but the chronic autoimmune disease still accompanies him today. In a conversation with FITBOOK Editor-in-Chief Nuno Alves at the OMR, the former Olympic champion explains what daily life with diabetes looks like, why high blood sugar makes him irritable, and why soft drinks are particularly critical for him.
Diagnosis Just Before the 18th Birthday
Matthias Steiner won gold at the 2008 Olympics. What many don’t know: The former weightlifter competed with Type 1 diabetes. Steiner received the diagnosis one day before his 18th birthday. It’s important to him to distinguish this from Type 2 diabetes, which is often a result of an unhealthy lifestyle marked by overeating and lack of exercise. Type 1, on the other hand, is an autoimmune disease. “My immune system is attacking me,” he explains. In this form, the immune system attacks the body’s own cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. This hormone normally channels sugar from the blood into the cells to provide them with energy. Therefore, Type 1 diabetes can occur despite a healthy lifestyle. “As a child, I was slim, athletic, didn’t smoke, drank almost no alcohol, ate well, and still got Type 1 diabetes,” Steiner says. “It has nothing to do with that.”
Daily Life with Diabetes–”You Don’t Have Pain”
“In the first years, you really struggle with it: How do I get this under control, and what are the effects?” Steiner describes the beginnings. The fatal thing about diabetes is that you don’t necessarily feel the consequences immediately. “You don’t have pain. You might feel a bit more sluggish, but we all feel that way sometimes when we’re overwhelmed,” Steiner says. That’s why the disease is easily underestimated in the first years.
Over time, however, he understood how important stable values are. Regular check-ups–such as for the eyes and circulation–are part of Steiner’s routine. It became increasingly clear to him: The better the blood sugar levels, the better daily life functions.
Why Should Diabetics See an Eye Doctor?
Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the eyes, which affected individuals may not immediately notice. Over time, however, this can lead to mild vision problems up to blindness. The German Diabetes Society (DDG) recommends that Type 1 diabetics have an eye check-up starting at age 11 or at the latest five years after diagnosis.1
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When Sugar Rises, Mood Drops
With Type 1 diabetes, Steiner says he notices very quickly when his blood sugar isn’t right. If the level rises too high, he feels it not just physically. “Then comes quick fatigue, quick irritability,” he says. Although he is actually a calm person, high blood sugar changes him significantly: “When the blood sugar is too high, I’m also explosive.”
He also noticed how much diet affects the body. For Steiner, the impact of carbohydrate-rich foods and drinks is particularly drastic. “If I drink soft drinks now and eat a plate of pasta and don’t inject, then I’m quickly in a coma.” His insulin pump has helped him see these connections even more clearly. For a pizza or a soft drink, he needs significantly more insulin than for vegetables or eggs.
The role of diet in health is also addressed by Nuno Alves in his book “Highway to Health–In 7 Steps to a Healthy Long Life,” which will be released on January 4, 2027.
Also interesting: Causes and symptoms of Type 1 diabetes in children
For Him, Diabetes Means Management, Not Restriction
Even after more than 25 years, Type 1 diabetes remains a condition for Steiner that requires constant attention. “I have to make sure it fits 24 hours a day,” he says. He especially has to consider sports: Is he training? How will weightlifting affect his blood sugar later? Does he need to reduce the insulin pump at night or eat something beforehand?
For Steiner, it’s a lot of planning–but not a restriction. “It’s management. But it’s not a restriction,” he says. He simply takes a few more minutes for each situation. He sees this not only as a necessity but also as a healthy way to deal with himself: “In the end, it’s even stress reduction because I consciously take time and say: I need time for myself.”