Exercise has long been shown to have tremendous health benefits for individuals living with Type 2 diabetes.
Some experts suggest the benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exceed those of low or moderate-intensity continuous exercise.
HIIT involves short bouts of exercise with the goal of maintaining a near-maximal heart rate, followed by brief periods of decreased activity or rest. While it can vary based on individual goals and differences, the exercise protocol lasts an average of 20 – 45 minutes, about three – 5 days a week.
Along with the proven health benefits, the modest time commitment required by HIIT has made it an appealing choice for many.
Glucose regulation
Insulin resistance is a hallmark trait of many metabolic conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, and it can lead to alarming blood glucose levels.
Compared to low and moderate-intensity exercise, HIIT causes a large increase in the number of active muscle fibres at one time. This can lead to more glucose uptake and thus a temporary ⎯but notable⎯decrease in blood glucose.
Following a HIIT session, one particular study showed an elevation of a specialized protein which facilitates the entrance of glucose into the body’s muscle cells.
Levels of hemoglobin A1c, an oxygen-carrying protein embedded with glucose, have also been shown to decrease following HIIT.
Although it’s temporary, the glucose relief which HIIT provides remains significant to clinicians and researchers. In fact, it has been suggested that exercise intensity should be the primary focus when prescribing exercise to individuals with Type 2 diabetes.
Cardiovascular health
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death not just in the U.S., but the world.
According to the CDC, roughly 610,000 people die of heart disease every year. That’s around 25% of the deaths in the country. These are largely the result of obesity, genetic heart conditions, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and all the other risk factors that lead to heart disease. What if there was a simple way to prevent heart disease? What if doing something for a few minutes per day or hours per week could drastically reduce and even reverse health problems like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease? Wouldn’t you want to do it?
That’s right, we’re talking about exercise. Everyone knows that exercise is the best way to fight off heart problems, reduce body fat, and prevent diabetes. But did you know that exercise can actually reverse the effects of heart disease?
A study published by the European Association for the Study of Diabetes found that HIIT exercise can improve both diabetes control (over blood sugar levels) and heart structure in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. Diabetes can drastically increase the risk of heart disease, including complications that can be fatal. Diabetes specifically affects the function and structure of the left ventricle, which is your heart’s primary pump. To date, there are no clinical treatments that can reverse the damage caused by diabetes.
However, after studying the effects of HIIT exercise on diabetics, researchers found that the high-intensity exercise can improve the function and structure of the heart. Specifically, the exercise benefitted the heart’s left ventricle, strengthening it and helping it to work more efficiently. It also helped to improve diabetes control.
For the first time, something can help to reverse the damage done to your body (to your heart,specifically) by diabetes. HIIT exercise can do wonders to improve your cardiorespiratory fitness, but it will also decrease your risk of heart disease and prevent diabetes from damaging the most important organ in your body.
If you’re worried about heart disease—especially disease caused or exacerbated by diabetes—it’s time to put on those running shoes and try some high-intensity interval training at HIIT Logic. You can reverse the damage done to your heart and decrease the risk of future cardiac events. With just a few minutes per day, you’ll see serious improvement in your health and give yourself a fighting chance at a long, healthy life.