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Is Physical Exercise in Hypoxia an Interesting Strategy to Prevent the Development of Type 2 Diabetes? A Narrative
Estelle De Groote1, Louise Deldicque1
1Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Abstract:
Impaired metabolism is becoming one of the main causes of mortality and the identification of strategies to cure those diseases is a major public health concern. A number of therapies are being developed to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but few of them focus on situations prior to diabetes. Obesity, aging and insulin resistance are all risk factors, which fortunately can be reversed to some extent. Non-drug interventions, such as exercise, are interesting strategies to prevent the onset of diabetes, but it remains to determine the optimal dose and conditions. In the search of optimizing the effects of physical exercise to prevent T2DM, hypoxic training has emerged as an interesting and original strategy. Several recent studies have chosen to look at the effects of hypoxic training in people at risk of developing T2DM. Therefore, the purpose of this narrative review is to give an overview of all original articles having tested the effects of a single exercise or exercise training in hypoxia on glucose metabolism and other health-related parameters in people at risk of developing T2DM. Taken together, the data on the effects of hypoxic training on glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity and the health status of people at risk of T2DM are inconclusive. Some studies show that hypoxic training can improve glucose metabolism and the health status to a greater extent than normoxic training, while others do not corroborate the latter. When an additional benefit of hypoxic vs normoxic training is found, it still remains to determine which signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms are involved.
Insights
Hypoxic training may improve glucose metabolism and health in individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, current research is inconclusive regarding its benefits over standard exercise, requiring further investigation into underlying mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic Health
- Exercise Physiology
- Preventive Medicine
Background:
- Impaired metabolism is a leading cause of mortality, with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) a growing concern.
- Obesity, aging, and insulin resistance are key risk factors for T2DM, necessitating effective interventions.
- Non-drug interventions like exercise are crucial for T2DM prevention, but optimal protocols are still under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review original research on the effects of hypoxic training on glucose metabolism and health in individuals at risk of T2DM.
- To evaluate whether hypoxic training offers additional benefits compared to normoxic training for pre-diabetic populations.
- To identify gaps in knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxic training's effects.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of original articles.
- Studies focused on single exercise or training sessions in hypoxia.
- Participants included individuals at risk of developing T2DM.
Main Results:
- Data on the efficacy of hypoxic training for glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in at-risk individuals are inconclusive.
- Some studies suggest improved outcomes with hypoxic training compared to normoxic training, while others do not.
- The additional benefits, signaling pathways, and molecular mechanisms of hypoxic training remain to be fully elucidated.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence on the benefits of hypoxic training for preventing T2DM is mixed and inconclusive.
- Further research is needed to determine optimal hypoxic training protocols and understand the involved molecular mechanisms.
- Hypoxic training presents a potential, yet unproven, strategy for improving metabolic health in at-risk populations.
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