Type 2 diabetes story: The best time to exercise for optimal blood sugar control
Type 2 diabetes can be a 'devastating diagnosis' says expert
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
The benefits of being active can’t be overstated, but they hold particular promise for diabetics and those at risk of the condition. Not only can exercise help the body use insulin by increasing sensitivity, but it can also help ward off all the risk factors for diabetes. The debate over whether nighttime or morning exercise is better for blood sugar control, however, is still fraught.
The benefits of exercise for diabetes come down to its ability to lower blood glucose levels and boost the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which counters insulin resistance.
Scientists advocate all types of exercise for better management of blood glucose, but some studies have highlighted how the timing of exercising may help maximise the effect.
Kuehl said: “A recent study has shown that an evening workout can help improve lipid markers and glycemic control for obese and overweight individuals in ways a morning workout failed to do.
“Working out in the late afternoon or evening, on the other hand, could be ideal for peak performance.”
READ MORE: Type 2 diabetes: People who ‘can’t fit into trousers they wore aged 21’ at risk
“Your body temperature is higher than the morning, and you’re better fuelled up from morning meals.”
Some studies have shown that resistance training done before and after dinner reduces after-meal blood glucose.
Exercising at this time has also been shown to reduce triglyceride levels, which could help ward off cardiovascular complications further down the line.
Benefits of working out in the evening include a better control of appetite-related hormones, which in turn could help with the management of weight.
One hypothesis garnering a lot of attention in medical circles suggests that diabetes can be reversed through weight loss.
Notably, type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas cannot make enough insulin or the insulin it makes does not work properly to control blood sugar levels.
This is thought to be down to high-fat cells in the liver and pancreas which halt the production of insulin.
But a growing body of research is suggesting that regardless of one’s body mass index, fat in these areas of the body is one of the drivers of diabetes.
Losing weight is therefore one of the most logical approaches to managing the condition to date, and Kuehl suggests that working out in the morning may maximise fat burn.
Kuehl explained: “Exercising in the morning, particularly on an empty stomach, can help boost fat burn.
“Overnight your glycogen stores have been depleted, and during your workout can deplete fully. This can help put you in a state of fat burn, and studies have shown working out while fasted can increase fat burn throughout the workout.
“However, over a 24-hour period, this increased fat burn might now result in an increase in overall fat burn.”
Further studies have found that exercising in the morning on an empty stomach may lower the risk of late-onset hypoglycaemia – which refers to low blood sugar levels.
Choosing which time to work out could help you develop the right strategy to keep blood glucose levels in check.
In general, researchers say the best time to exercise is one to three hours after eating when blood sugar levels are likely to be higher.
Source: Read Full Article
