- Researchers report that people with type 2 diabetes may benefit more from exercising in the afternoon.
- In a new study, researchers reported that participants who exercised later in the day achieved better results in terms of blood sugar levels.
- They said they don’t yet know why exercise in the afternoon is more beneficial, but it may be due to improved sleep patterns and healthier eating habits.
Physicians have long praised the benefits of exercise in helping people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) manage their chronic disease and reduce the risk of health complications.
Now, a new study has been published in a journal diabetes care It suggests that the time of day people with type 2 diabetes exercise can help determine how beneficial it is.
In this study, the researchers reported that afternoon exercise had the most dramatic results in controlling blood sugar levels.
“These are very interesting findings because we know that physical activity is beneficial, but our study adds a new understanding that the timing of activity may also be important. ” Chen JingyiStudy co-author and professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts, Harvard Medical School in Boston, said. medical news today.
It also includes a team of researchers from Brigham and Harvard University Joslin Diabetes Centeranalyzed 1- and 4-year physical activity data in 2,400 people classified as overweight and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Each participant wore a device that measured physical activity.
participant is,
The researchers determined that those who engaged in moderate (brisk walking or dancing) to vigorous (running or fast cycling) physical activity in the afternoon had the lowest blood sugar levels after one year. Those who exercised in the afternoon were also most likely to stop taking diabetes medications that monitor their blood sugar levels.
After three years, those who maintained a regular afternoon exercise routine kept their blood sugar levels low, the researchers said.
Exactly why afternoon exercise resulted in the greatest reduction in blood sugar levels is unknown.
But the researchers suggested sleep patterns, diet and metabolism could be clues.
Dr. Qian said he hopes that further research will measure such factors and identify more direct relationships.
This could provide more evidence for people with type 2 diabetes and for doctors to prescribe exercise at specific times to lower blood sugar levels, she said.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. It occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or when it no longer produces enough insulin.
Dr. Mitchell LazarDoctors at Penn Health System University in Pennsylvania cautioned that the new study failed to prove a specific cause-and-effect relationship between when people with type 2 diabetes exercised and lower glucose or blood sugar levels. bottom.
“It’s too early for doctors to take this to the bank and prescribe afternoon exercise, because while this study shows some correlation, it doesn’t demonstrate causation, nor do other confounding factors.” “Because we don’t take it into account,” he said. MNT.
Other studies have established associations between physical activity and health risks in people with type 2 diabetes.
a 2021 surveyFor example, they conclude that morning workouts may increase the risk of heart attack in men with type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when there is a problem with how the body uses or produces insulin, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels. Symptoms include frequent urination, increased thirst, and blurred vision.
It can occur at any age, but is more likely to occur.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates the movement of blood glucose, or sugar, into cells so that cells use it for energy.
When sugar cannot enter cells, excess glucose accumulates in the blood and the body cannot use it for energy. As such, circulatory and nerve damage can cause flu-like fatigue, urinary tract infections, and numbness and tingling in hands, arms, legs, and feet.
Excessively high or low blood sugar levels can quickly lead to emergencies such as seizures and unconsciousness.
Maintaining blood sugar levels within target levels can prevent serious long-term complications such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, nerve damage, eye damage and vision loss, and kidney disease.
