Diabetics are advised to work out in order to control blood sugar levels. A new research by the University of Copenhagen shows that interval training is more effective than walking at a continuous speed and helps manage blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
Researchers explained that people with type-2 diabetes are not advised high-intensity exercise because of fear of injuries. However, strenuous exercises are more effective in controlling blood sugar than low-intensity exercises.
Three random groups of people with type 2 diabetes were formed : a control group (CON), an IWT group and an energy-expenditure matched CWT group. They were prescribed standardized training of five sessions per week of one hour each. The patients' insulin levels were measured with a hyperglycemic clamp. Glucose metabolism and muscle strength was also checked. The various variables were checked before the regime and four months later.
The research led by Dr Thomas Solomon and colleagues at the university found participants in the interval-walking training (IWT) group showed improved blood sugar control. Researchers explained that this was because IWT augmented insulin sensitivity and increased peripheral glucose disposal, indicative of improved glucose metabolism, the study authors wrote in the press release.
The research team did not find any changes in the continuous-walking training (CWT) or the CON groups.
According to the researchers, "The most main finding of this study was that IWT, but not CWT, increased insulin sensitivity without a compensatory decrease in insulin secretion, which improvied the overall impact of insulin on blood sugar in these patients."
A report published in Mayo Clinic advises diabetics to get a nod from the doctors to exercise, especially when they have been following an inactive lifestyle. Moreover, diabetics should dedicate at least 150 minutes every week for moderately intense physical workouts such as fast walking, lap swimming and cycling.
The current study is published in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.
