Effects of Chronic Exercise on Type 2 Diabetes

Research has shown that exercise has a very positive effect on managing type 2 diabetes, including all the complications associated with it. Type 2 diabetes is marked by failure of insulin to process blood glucose from the bloodstream. Unlike normal conditions, insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes disables the normal process of sugar absorption in the body, which results in hyperglycaemia. Effects of chronic exercise on type 2 diabetes have been promising.

Impact of exercise with type 2 diabetes

Reduced hyperglycaemia

Heightened level of physical activity helps to clear glucose from the bloodstream within 12 to 48 hours after exercise. So, when this exercise is maintained regularly, it helps to sustain this effect of clearing excess glucose from the blood. Thus, it minimises hyperglycaemic impact over a period of time. Blood sugar control can result especially when skeletal muscles are adapted for physical training. This is so because the skeletal muscles make use of glucose for bringing about physical activity.

When muscles need more glucose, increased storage of glucose in the muscles. It also improves the ability of insulin to get pushed into the cells, in other words the insulin sensitivity improves. Thus, you are able to directly extract glucose from blood without using insulin. That is why it is important for people having reduced insulin production to undergo chronic exercise regime.

Insulin action

Exercise has been found to significantly improve insulin action which is directly related to oxidation of fat and its storage in muscles. As resistance exercise develops a mass of skeletal muscles, it helps to manage the condition of diabetes.

Social support

It has been observed that the best impact of physical activity in treating diabetes is when it is based on self-efficacy backed by social support from family, friends and health care providers. These people should encourage moderate activity in the diabetic patient so that he is able to continue it for long. They need to promote lifestyle interventions for positive physical activity.

Exercise is clearly seen to have a very positive role to play for prevention and control of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and complications related to diabetes. Research has shown that both resistance training and aerobics can help in managing insulin action and improving it. It is done by management of BG levels, CV risk, BP, QOL and mortality.

What is most important in these analyses is that most patients of type 2 diabetes can perform the exercises that are needed for controlling their condition without any risk. This means they should have regular training of various exercises in order to maintain their condition at manageable level. In fact it is of critical importance that individuals take to exercise for managing their type 2 diabetes.

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