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Safe exercise options for people with diabetes

Elsamma Chacko

People with diabetes can tame post-meal glucose surges in real time by doing a 30 min moderate aerobic exercise starting 30 min after the start of the major meal(s) of the day. Although glycogen-depleting high-intensity activities offer many health benefits, including insulin sensitivity improvement through muscle glycogen replenishment, these can also result in wide glucose fluctuations signified by post-exertion hyperglycaemia and delayed hypoglycaemia. Data obtained in previous studies, viewed holistically, strongly indicate that a short bout (10 min) of high intensity exercise before the daily aerobic activity during the mid-postprandial period three times a week can lead to better health without jeopardizing glycaemia. Long duration pre-meal exercises have resulted in glycaemia improvement: light walks for 120 min improve fasting glucose and high intensity interval (the fast/slow design) exercises of long duration (>60 min) looks promising for overall glycaemia.