Exercise

Posted on Diabetes, Exercise

“Study Reveals Best Exercise for Diabetes Patients”

Exercise more effective than medicines to manage mental health

A new study has revealed the most effective types of exercise for individuals with type-1 diabetes.

“This study is significant because diabetic patients often lack the motivation to exercise to manage their condition,” explained Dr Pooya Soltani from Staffordshire University.

One reason for this is that physical activity can lead to drops in blood sugar, which can cause discomfort and demotivation. We investigated whether the type of physical activity could mitigate these blood sugar drops.

19 individuals with type 1 diabetes participated in two randomized trials to assess glycemic and cardiovascular responses following interval and continuous exercise.

Participants completed 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise on a treadmill. The interval session involved alternating 1-minute intervals at 40% and 60% of estimated maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). The continuous exercise was performed at 50% of VO2max.

Heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels were measured before, immediately after, and 20 minutes after the sessions. Rates of perceived exertion and enjoyment levels were also assessed.

Similar cardiovascular, rates of perceived exertion, and enjoyment levels were found across genders and sessions. However, the research identified differences in blood glucose levels between male and female participants, with greater reductions in men.

Men exhibited higher blood glucose reductions immediately after and 20 minutes after continuous aerobic exercise, as well as immediately after interval exercise; on the other hand, women showed reduced blood glucose values only after continuous exercise.

The study findings indicate that considering gender-specific differences is crucial when prescribing exercise for type-1 diabetes patients. This is to prevent excessive glucose decreases that can lead to episodes of hypoglycemia.

Dr. Jorge Luiz de Brito-Gomes from Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco stated, “Our study demonstrated that for male patients, interval exercise, such as short bursts of walking, is preferable when starting with low blood sugar levels. On the other hand, continuous exercise, such as running, is more suitable for those with higher initial blood sugar levels. These approaches can help prevent sudden blood sugar drops.”

“For female patients, both interval and continuous aerobic exercise seem to be effective starting points. These findings suggest that gender-specific recommendations should be considered for aerobic exercise prescription, particularly for men with irregular physical activity levels.”

Posted on Exercise

It only takes 15 minutes to change your health.

Corporate Cup, lunchtime yoga, or even ‘walk and talks’—organizations come up with various wellness initiatives to encourage workplace activity. New research shows that just 15 minutes and a touch of gamification can lead to success in this area.

Results from a study involving 11,575 participants from 73 Australian, New Zealand, and UK companies revealed that a gamified workplace wellness program called the 15 Minute Challenge* led to significant increases in physical activity levels. In fact, 95% of participants either met (36%) or exceeded (59%) the physical activity guidelines.

In addition, participants saw an average increase in daily physical activity of 12 minutes per day (85 minutes per week) during the six-week challenge, with a median daily exercise duration of 45 minutes.

Participants also reported improvements in fitness (14%), energy (12%), overall health (8%), sleep quality (8%), and mood (7.1%).

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults aged 18-64 engage in at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity each week. In Australia, 37% of adults and 83% of teenagers do not meet these recommended levels of physical activity.

Lead researcher, Dr. Ben Singh from UniSA, states that the 15 Minute Challenge is an effective way to enhance employee health and wellbeing in the workplace.

“Engaging in regular physical activity offers substantial physical and mental health benefits. It plays a crucial role in preventing and managing chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Additionally, it can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety,” stated Dr. Singh.

Yet nearly half of Australian adults fail to meet recommended activity levels.

Workplaces are ideal for promoting physical activity, as most adults spend their waking hours there.

“In this study, we demonstrated that just 15 minutes of physical activity per day can significantly improve people’s health and well-being. Although the program only mandated 15 minutes of activity, most participants chose to do more.”

“The 15-minute goal serves as an achievable starting point, especially for sedentary individuals. It reduces barriers to entry and helps establish the habit of regular exercise.”

“Ultimately, the 15-minute period serves as a catalyst for increased physical activity, leading many participants to surpass the minimum goal and move closer to or exceed national recommendations.”

UniSA’s Professor Carol Maher, a co-researcher, attributes the program’s success to its gamification and social aspects.

“Encouraging and holding your team members accountable through friendly competition is at the core of the 15 Minute Challenge app and is a crucial motivator for participants to remain dedicated and connected,” Prof Maher explains.

The program promotes team collaboration, tracks rankings, and displays cumulative exercise. Achievements are clearly noted and successes are celebrated, making it a tool that engages people to work together and have fun.

“What we need to remember, however, is that addressing inactivity is everyone’s responsibility. So, if an employer can initiate an effective, enjoyable, and cost-effective option to support their employees, it’s a win-win.”

“Employees who are physically active tend to be happier and healthier. They are more productive, satisfied, and less stressed, and are also less likely to get sick. It is important for employers to consider sustainable and scalable health initiatives, such as the 15 Minute Challenge, to support their employees’ well-being.”

Posted on Exercise, Multiple Sclerosis

“Cognitive processing speed can be improved in individuals with multiple sclerosis through walking.”

Promising results support the need for large-scale randomized controlled trials of remote aerobic exercise training in individuals with MS-related cognitive impairment.

Promising results support development of large-scale randomized controlled trial of remote aerobic exercise training in individuals with MS-related cognitive impairment

“Preliminary research funded by the Kessler Foundation demonstrated that remote aerobic walking exercise training could be a successful method for improving cognitive processing speed impairment in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are fully ambulatory. The results from this single-blind randomized control trial provide support for designing a larger randomized, controlled trial involving a larger sample of people with MS.”

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Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211034823002134?via%3Dihub

The research team studied a group of 25 fully ambulatory individuals with MS who were initially screened for cognitive processing speed deficits; 19 of them completed the study as required. The researchers used the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), a commonly used neuropsychological test to assess information processing speed in people with MS, and the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II), a widely used test for verbal learning and memory. Assessments were carried out at the beginning of the study and after 16 weeks.

Participants were randomly assigned to either 16 weeks of remotely delivered and supported aerobic walking exercise training (intervention condition) or 16 weeks of remotely delivered and supported stretching and range-of-motion activities (control condition). They were given wearable fitness trackers and had weekly video consultations with an exercise specialist to ensure they were using the proper technique, following safety measures, and adhering to the prescribed exercise regimen.

The study’s results were promising. Participants who were randomly assigned to the intervention condition showed significant improvements in their SDMT scores after the 16-week study period compared to participants who were assigned to the stretching condition. This indicates that the remotely delivered aerobic walking exercise training positively impacted their cognitive processing speed. Additionally, the study found that participants had a high adherence rate to the exercise program, completing an average of 80% of the prescribed sessions.

“These findings are very important because cognitive processing speed impairment is a common symptom of MS, affecting up to 70% of patients. This impairment is associated with reduced quality of life, increased unemployment, and decreased social functioning. With limited effective treatments available, this study shows promise for individuals dealing with this disabling symptom.”

The remote delivery and support of the aerobic walking exercise training program have significant implications for improving the accessibility and convenience of care for individuals with MS. Many patients encounter obstacles when trying to attend in-person exercise programs, such as transportation issues or financial constraints. This study shows that exercise programs delivered remotely can be equally effective as traditional in-person interventions, offering a more inclusive solution for people with MS.

The researchers are hopeful about the potential applications of their findings. Lead author Dr. Sandroff, a senior research scientist in the Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research, stated, “Our study demonstrates that remote aerobic walking exercise training is not only feasible but may also be effective in treating cognitive processing speed impairment in individuals with MS.” The team expects that these findings will inspire the development of more accessible, convenient, and widespread exercise interventions, ultimately leading to an improved quality of life for those affected by this challenging disease.

Posted on Diet, Exercise

“Sport or Snack: How Our Brain Decides”

Autism and exercise

The decision-making process in our brain has long been a mystery to science. However, researchers at ETH Zurich have decoded the specific brain chemical and nerve cells responsible for such decisions: orexin as the messenger substance and the neurons that produce it.

The neuroscientific principles mentioned are important because a large number of individuals do not engage in sufficient physical activity. Many of us have likely chosen to forgo exercise in favor of other daily temptations at least once or multiple times. According to the World Health Organization, 80 percent of adolescents and 27 percent of adults do not get enough exercise. Additionally, obesity is rapidly rising, affecting not only adults but also children and adolescents.

Focus on orexin

“Despite these statistics, many people are able to resist the constantly present temptations and get enough exercise,” says Denis Burdakov, Professor of Neuroscience at ETH Zurich. “We wanted to understand what it is in our brain that assists us in making these decisions.”

Sure, here is the revised text:In their experiments with mice, the researchers demonstrated that orexin plays a crucial role in this process. It is one of over a hundred messenger substances active in the brain. While chemical messengers like serotonin and dopamine have been known for a long time and their functions largely decoded, orexin was discovered relatively recently, around 25 years ago. Scientists are now gradually uncovering its functions, and Burdakov is one of the researchers dedicated to studying orexin.

Existing knowledge can’t explain the choice

“In neuroscience, dopamine is often cited as the reason for our choices in various activities,” explains Burdakov. This neurotransmitter plays a crucial role in our overall motivation. “However, our current understanding of dopamine does not provide a simple explanation for why we might choose to exercise over eating,” the scientist elaborates. “Dopamine is released in the brain both when we eat and when we exercise, which doesn’t clarify why we make one choice over the other.”

In order to determine what drives certain behavior, the researchers set up a complex experiment for mice. In this experiment, the mice were given the freedom to choose from eight different options during ten-minute trials. The options included a running wheel and a “milkshake bar” where they could enjoy a standard strawberry-flavored milkshake. According to Burdakov, mice enjoy milkshakes for the same reasons people do: they contain high levels of sugar and fat and taste good.

Less time at the milkshake bar

In their experiment, the scientists compared different groups of mice: one group consisted of normal mice, and the other group had their orexin systems blocked, either with a drug or through genetic modification of their cells.

The mice with an intact orexin system spent twice as much time on the running wheel and half as much time at the milkshake bar as the mice whose orexin system had been blocked. Interestingly, however, the behavior of the two groups didn’t differ in experiments in which the scientists only offered the mice either the running wheel or the milkshake. This means that the primary role of the orexin system is not to control how much the mice move or how much they eat. Rather, it seems central to making the decision between one and the other when both options are available. Without orexin, the decision was strongly in favor of the milkshake, and the mice gave up exercising in favor of eating.

Helping people who do little exercise

The researchers at ETH Zurich believe that orexin may be responsible for decision-making in humans, as the brain functions involved are practically the same in both species. Daria Peleg-Raibstein, a group leader at ETH Zurich, who conducted the study with Denis Burdakov, stated that further verification in humans is needed. This could involve studying patients with restricted orexin systems due to genetic reasons, which affects about one in two thousand people who suffer from narcolepsy. Another approach would be to observe individuals receiving a drug that blocks orexin, as such drugs are authorized for patients with insomnia.

“If we understand how the brain arbitrates between food consumption and physical activity, we can develop more effective strategies for addressing the global obesity epidemic and related metabolic disorders,” says Peleg-Raibstein. In particular, interventions could be developed to help overcome exercise barriers in healthy individuals and those whose physical activity is limited. However, Burdakov points out that these would be important questions for scientists involved in clinical research in humans. He and his group have dedicated themselves to basic neuroscientific research. Next, he wants to find out how the orexin neurons interact with the rest of the brain when making decisions like the one between exercise and snacking.””

Posted on Diabetes, Diet, Exercise

Type 2 diabetes can be prevented through diet and exercise, even in individuals with a high genetic risk.

Exercise more effective than medicines to manage mental health

The University of Eastern Finland conducted a groundbreaking study which demonstrates that maintaining a healthy diet and engaging in regular exercise can decrease the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, even in individuals with a high genetic risk. This means that lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, can benefit everyone, regardless of their genetic predisposition.

Type 2 diabetes is a major global issue. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) reports that one in eleven adults worldwide has diabetes, and 90 per cent of these cases are type 2 diabetes. Researchers have discovered over 500 genetic variants that can make individuals more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. However, lifestyle factors such as being overweight, consuming low dietary fibre, high intake of saturated fats, and lack of exercise also play a significant role in the risk of developing the disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that lifestyle changes can effectively prevent type 2 diabetes. However, it’s not yet known whether the disease can be prevented in individuals carrying multiple genetic variants that predispose them to type 2 diabetes.

The T2D-GENE Trial was a three-year lifestyle intervention that involved nearly 1,000 men aged 50 to 75 in eastern Finland. All participants had elevated fasting glucose at the beginning of the study. More than 600 men received guidance on health-promoting lifestyles and were part of the intervention group, while the rest served as a control group. The intervention group received support through group meetings and a dedicated web portal. Participants were divided into two groups based on their genetic risk of developing type 2 diabetes, determined by assessing 76 gene variants. Neither the participants nor the researchers knew to which genetic risk group the participants belonged. All participants in the intervention group received the same lifestyle guidance.

Men who took part in the lifestyle intervention showed significant improvement in their diet quality. They increased their intake of dietary fibre, improved the quality of fats they consumed, and ate more vegetables, fruits, and berries. Although the study was not specifically focused on weight loss, the participants did experience weight loss. At the beginning of the study, the participants were already very physically active and they were able to maintain their exercise habits. These changes led to a reduction in the decline of glucose metabolism. The lifestyle intervention group had a significantly lower prevalence of type 2 diabetes compared to the control group. Importantly, the positive effects of the lifestyle changes were observed across individuals, regardless of whether they had a low or high genetic risk.

“These findings encourage everyone to make lifestyle changes that promote health. Furthermore, they demonstrate the effectiveness of group- and internet-based lifestyle guidance, which saves healthcare resources,” says University Lecturer, Docent Maria Lankinen