Exercise is medicine for type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes
Lets discuss the benefits of exercise for type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetic conditions.
Type 2 diabetes has increasingly become a common Australian disease. It’s this commonality that creates a level of complacency when it comes to effective management strategies. Especially in the early stages, it’s easy to forget you even have it.
What do we know? The below facts are regarding Australia alone:
- Diabetes is the SEVENTH most common cause of death by disease
- Diabetes-related issues account for approximately 1.3 million hospitalisations every year
- Blindness: Diabetes is the leading cause of preventable blindness. It effects 25-35% of Australians
- Amputations: more than 1700 people with diabetes die as a result of foot ulcers and leg wounds. More than 4400 amputations occur yearly from diabetes
- Heart disease: people with diabetes are 2-4 times more likely to develop heart disease
- Kidney disease: approximately 280000 people with diabetes also have kidney disease
- These sobering statistics demonstrate the true consequence of not treating your diagnoses in the years where it may seem ‘silent’.
Almost 60 per cent of all cases of type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented with changes to diet and lifestyle
How does exercise for type 2 diabetes play a role in it’s management?
Exercise has been identified as one of the most effective strategies of managing blood glucose levels. Have you heard of HbA1c? This is what the doctor has measured to determine your diagnosis. It indicates how much glycated haemoglobin you have circulating in your blood and therefore the amount of blood sugar.
Exercise:
- Lowers blood sugar levels
- Improves insulin sensitivity
- Aids in weight management
Below are more specific descriptions of the effect of exercise for diabetes:
- Just ONE bout of moderate to intense physical activity can improve your insulin sensitivity for 48-72 hours afterward. This means you will have an ONGOING effect of exercise if you complete it regularly.
- A combination of DIET and EXERCISE is considered the most effective strategy at permanently reducing HbA1c.
- STRUCTURED EXERCISE is more effective than UNSTRUCTURED at reducing blood sugar levels.
How does exercise for diabetes change blood sugar levels?
Exercise promotes the uptake of glucose by muscles without the need for insulin. Remember, insulin is the hormone whose effective output has been disrupted by oversaturated blood sugar. Exercise promotes an INSULIN-INDEPENDENT pathway for blood glucose control through contraction-mediated glucose uptake (simply, the contracting muscles transport glucose from the blood to the muscle for healthy use as energy).
Practical considerations of exercise and diabetes
specific exercises for type 2 diabetes that are more effective at improving your glycaemic control. This is why health professionals, particularly exercise physiologists are looked to for providing evidence-based guidance to those with type 2 diabetes. Exercise physiologists will be able to tailor an effective program of type 2 diabetes exercises based on your age, fitness level and coexisting conditions.
Final words:
Understanding the effects of exercise for type 2 diabetes can empower you to make informed decisions about managing your diagnosis. Combined with help from your doctor and allied health professionals, exercise can become a valuable ally in managing type 2 diabetes and promoting overall health markers.
Should you wish to learn more on the topic, some helpful resources have been included below:
https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/about-diabetes/type-2-diabetes/
https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/living-with-diabetes/exercise/
