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Exercise therapy in type 2 diabetes: is daily exercise required to optimize glycemic control?
Jan-Willem van Dijk1, Kyra Tummers, Coen D A Stehouwer
1Department of Human Movement Sciences, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Diabetes Care
|March 9, 2012
Summary
Daily moderate-intensity exercise significantly reduces hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes patients. Performing exercise daily or every other day yields similar glycemic control benefits when total work is matched.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Exercise Physiology
- Metabolic Health
Background:
- Exercise transiently improves insulin sensitivity and glycemic control.
- Optimal exercise frequency for maximizing benefits in type 2 diabetes remains debated.
- Daily exercise is speculated to be superior for sustained glycemic management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effects of daily versus every-other-day exercise on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes.
- To investigate if daily exercise offers additional glycemic benefits over alternate-day exercise.
Main Methods:
- Randomized crossover trial with 30 type 2 diabetes patients.
- 3-day study periods with dietary standardization: control (no exercise), daily 30-min cycling, or alternate-day 60-min cycling.
- Continuous glucose monitoring assessed blood glucose homeostasis over 48 hours.
Main Results:
- Both daily and alternate-day exercise significantly reduced hyperglycemia prevalence (P < 0.001).
- Hyperglycemia was reduced from 32% to approximately 24% of the time with exercise.
- No significant difference in glycemic control was observed between daily and alternate-day exercise protocols.
Conclusions:
- A 30-minute moderate-intensity exercise session effectively reduces hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes patients for the subsequent day.
- Matched total work in exercise does not lead to superior glycemic control when performed daily versus every other day.
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