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Type Two Diabetes: The Clear Picture



 Pathology:

Type 2 or noninsulin dependent diabetes is a chronic condition that results in hyperglycemia, or increased blood glucose. There are factors that lead to this condition over time but in general there are fewer beta cells to produce insulin and cells lose their sensitivity to insulin. How does this happen? Well, when beta cells are healthy, they produce normal amounts of insulin and adjust to changes in blood glucose to maintain a normal level. However, over time beta cells get stressed, with aging and taking high calorie foods that increase BMI (body mass index), which leads to increased beta cell mass in order to produce more insulin to compensate for ongoing increase in blood glucose. Without any steps taken to stop this process, beta cells become dysfunctional and lose the ability to do their function, i.e. producing insulin. With insufficient levels of insulin, there is no break in the brain so food intake will increase that leads to obesity. In the liver, without insulin not only glucose cannot be used to make glycogen but also glucose production goes up. Along with the inability of muscles to take up circulating glucose, these events lead to hyperglycemia and other associated conditions with diabetes. 

Type 2 accounts for most of the diabetic patients, and if left untreated, it can lead to dangerous conditions. Conditions such as heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, retinopathy (blindness), nephropathy (kidney problems), neuropathy (problems in nerves) etc. That is why interventions such as exercise and other personal care are of utmost importance. 

 

Research:

            The research investigating the effects of physical activity on type 2 diabetes is much clearer than what is available for type 1 diabetes. Regardless, if you are doing physical activity in combination with diet and drug therapy, exercise can help improve glycemic control in those with type 2 diabetes (Peirce, 1999). In addition, exercise has been seen to help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes for those who are at risk (Peirce, 1999). However, multiple forms of physical activity hold benefits for those with type 2 diabetes. It has been seen that regular training helps to reduce insulin resistance, thus allowing the body to better react to insulin (Pivovarov et al, 2015). High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, also enhances insulin sensitive and glycemic control in adults who suffer from type 2 diabetes (Pivovarov et al, 2015). On the other hand, resistance training has been seen to similarly improve glycemic control, insulin resistance, fat mass, blood pressure, and lean body mass for those with type 2 diabetes (Pivovarov et al, 2015).

            Therefore, those with type 2 diabetes can benefit from a wide variety of physical activities.

Exercise:

Now that we have seen that the current scientific literature shows the benefits of physical activity in those who suffer from type 2 diabetes, what exercise is best? The answer is many, and it depends. Firstly, as seen in the research there is a wide variety of exercises like resistance and HIIT, that hold potential benefits. Therefore, pick what you want to do and what you will enjoy doing so that you can continually be active. However, those who have type 2 diabetes often also suffer from other comorbidities like obesity and cardiovascular disease (Blackburn & Byron-Daniel, 2021). Therefore, it is important to have a healthcare professional evaluate the risk factors an individual has before designing an exercise program.

            Therefore, pick a physical activity you enjoy and that is safe for you.          



**If you believe that exercise will help you or someone you know, please contact a registered healthcare professional for more information.

**For more detail on this topic or to recommend future content, please email us.

Articles referenced:

Blackburn, R., & Byron-Daniel, J. (2021). A qualitative exploration of attitudes towards physical activity, exercise and sport participation in people living with type one diabetes (T1D).

Peirce, N. S. (1999). Diabetes and exercise. British journal of sports medicine, 33(3), 161-172

Pivovarov, J. A., Taplin, C. E., & Riddell, M. C. (2015). Current perspectives on physical activity and exercise for youth with diabetes. Pediatric diabetes, 16(4), 242-255.

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