A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that patients with type 2 diabetes saw a substantial improvement in glycemic control when they added a single, moderate-intensity workout to their daily routine.
Method
In their study, researchers gathered 60 people afflicted with type 2 diabetes and monitored their glucose levels over two separate three day periods. During each three day period, researchers ensured all participants followed strict dietary regulations in order to provide the most accurate results. One group participated in moderate-intensity exercise during the three day period, while the control group did not. Participants had their glucose levels monitored for a continuous 24-hour period after a single exercise session. The control group did not participate in the exercise sessions, but they had their glucose levels measured at the same time as the exercise group.
Results
On average, the control group experienced hyperglycemia for an average of 8 hours and 16 minutes per day. The average duration of hyperglycemia was reduced to an average of 5 hours and 38 minutes over the 24-hour period in those patients who participated in the moderate-intensity exercise activities. Other results include:
- Exercise lowered average blood glucose concentrations.
- Exercise reduced glycemic variability.
- There was considerable variation between subjects in the exercise group, but the average result represented a 31% decrease in the prevalence of hyperglycemia.
Conclusions
Researchers concluded that a single, moderate-intensity exercise significantly improved glycemic control throughout a 24-hour period in insulin and non-insulin treated patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes should strongly consider daily exercise to help regulate glucose levels.
Dr. Silverman comments
This study is great.
Simply put, all patients with diabetes should work out every day because exercise helps control blood glucose. This will go a long way to reduce their overall blood sugar over the course of a day. Long term control is essential in reducing the complications of diabetes, and if it goes unregulated it can lead to skin, kidney, eye, liver, cardiac, brain and other organ dysfunction.
Instead of just writing for higher doses of Insulin and newer expensive medications, we should be writing prescriptions for daily exercise routines and suggestions on how to implement it. Coordination with exercise physiologists and coordination of exercise classes for patients with diabetes would save insurance companies immense amounts of money.
Related source: Medscape