Excercise and Diabetes
By Bendigo UFS
Exercise is an activity that many of us have a ‘love-hate’ relationship with. Whilst in midst of it, you might wish you remained in bed, cosy amongst the pillows and blankets, instead of dripping in sweat in spandex at 6 in the morning. However, once over, you might feel euphoric, having accomplished a challenge and knowing that your health is better for it. But how exactly does your health benefit and is it worth the literal sweat (and sometimes) tears? Exercise provides a multitude of benefits, both physical and mental. In fact, undergoing regular exercise can help to prevent certain conditions from developing, such as type 2 diabetes. It can also be used to help manage diabetes and prevent future complications.
What is diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic and complex condition that can affect the entire body. When a person has diabetes, the body is unable to maintain optimal levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood, our primary source of energy obtained from the food we eat (Diabetes Australia, 2021). When we eat carbohydrate foods such as bread, cereal, pasta, rice, milk and fruit, they are broken down into glucose during digestion. When glucose levels rise in the blood stream, this prompts the pancreas to release a hormone called insulin, which allows glucose to enter body cells such as the muscles for energy. This process means glucose in the blood stream is lowered as it leaves the blood to enter the cells of the body (Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, 2019). When a person has diabetes, either not enough insulin is being produced, or the cells of the body are not sensitive to the insulin to allow the uptake of glucose, which means the levels of glucose in the blood stream remain elevated as it is not converted into energy. Elevated glucose levels in the blood stream leads to a diagnosis of diabetes and can cause long term and short-term complications (Diabetes Australia, 2021). There are three main types of diabetes; type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys cells in the pancreas that produce insulin and gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy. Type 2 diabetes specifically is associated with modifiable risk factors and occurs when the cells of the body do not respond effectively to insulin. It is one of the major consequences of the obesity epidemic. Strong evidence demonstrates type 2 diabetes can be prevented in up to 58% of cases by maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and following a healthy eating plan (Diabetes Australia, 2021).
Type 2 diabetes is a condition prevalent in today’s society. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 85% of diabetes and is increasing at a fast rate. As diabetes is often silent in its early stages, it often goes undiagnosed for a long period of time before symptoms start, and this can be damaging to the body. We know diabetes is the leading cause of blindness and kidney failure in adults, significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, is a major cause of limb amputations and also affects mental health (Diabetes Australia, 2021). While diabetes cannot be cured, it can be well managed with lifestyle modifications as well as medication and as previously mentioned, can be prevented in some cases, exercise playing a role in this outcome. Although there are factors that cannot be modified that contribute to the development of diabetes, such as genes and age, exercise is a factor that can be controlled. When we exercise, glucose in the blood and glucose stored in the liver (this is called glycogen – think of this as rainy-day glucose for when our body needs energy) keeps our muscles fueled. Once exercise has been completed, muscles replenish their glycogen stores in the liver by taking available glucose from the blood, helping to lower blood glucose during this period and increasing the insulin sensitivity of cells. The duration, intensity and type of exercise affects the rate at which glycogen stores are depleted and the level of insulin sensitivity. Greater insulin sensitivity can persist for up to 30 hours. The greater the intensity and duration of the activity, the longer this sensitivity lasts. Therefore, the benefits of exercise persist well after the activity has been completed! It also helps to prevent heart disease, improves cholesterol and blood pressure levels, reduces abdominal obesity, improves muscle strength and bone mass, reduces stress and tension, and improves mental health. The benefits are practically endless and are all factors that impact diabetes management (Better Health Channel, 2021).
Now we know some of the why and how behind the importance of exercise, the next question is what? Australia’s Physical Activity and Exercise Guidelines (2021) tells us it is important to exercise regularly. The exact type and amount of exercise is dependent on factors such as age and other circumstances, such as pregnancy. The guidelines recommend that for children, 3 hours of various activities should be undertaken each day, including energetic play such as crawling, jumping, walking and dancing. If you are 17-64 years, 2.5-5 hours of moderate exercise per week is recommended, such as brisk walking or even mowing the lawn. This type of exercise shouldn’t leave you breathless and you should still be able to talk throughout the activity. In addition, 1.25-2.5 hours of vigorous physical activity is recommended such as jogging, aerobics or fast cycling (cue the sweat and sometimes tears). However, not all of these activities have to be done at once, and several shorter sessions can add up throughout the day, such as 3 x 10-minute sessions. Older adults aged 64 years and over should aim for 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise such as walking, gardening or shopping (online shopping not included) (Better Health Channel, 2021). If you have diabetes or any medical conditions, see your doctor for a full medical examination before commencing a regular exercise plan. If you are new to exercise, take it slow, increasing the intensity over time.
So to answer our previous question, is it worth getting up for that 6am class? It is an unequivocal yes, both for your health today and tomorrow.
References
Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. (2019). Understanding Diabetes. Retrieved from https://baker.edu.au/-/media/documents/fact-sheets/baker-institute-factsheet-understanding-diabetes.pdf
Diabetes Australia. (2021). What is Diabetes. Retrieved from Diabetes Australia: https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/about-diabetes/what-is-diabetes/
Diabetes Australia. (2021`). Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/about-diabetes/prevention/