Exercise Training Improves Glycemic Control in Long-Standing Insulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetic Patients
- Henk M. De Feyter, PHD1,
- Stephan F. Praet, MD2,
- Nicole M. van den Broek, MSC1,
- Harm Kuipers, MD, PHD2,
- Coen D. Stehouwer, MD, PHD3,
- Klaas Nicolay, PHD1,
- Jeanine J. Prompers, PHD1 and
- Luc J.C. van Loon, PHD2
- 1Department of Biomedical NMR, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
- 2Department of Movement Sciences, NUTRIM, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- 3Department of Internal Medicine, Academic Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to L.J.C. van Loon, Department of Movement Sciences, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, Netherlands. E-mail: l.vanloon{at}hb.unimaas.nl
- 1RM, 1 repetition max
- HIT, high-intensity interval training
- MR, magnetic resonance
- MRS, MR spectroscopy
- PCr, phosphocreatine
- PRT, progressive resistance training
Regular exercise represents an effective strategy to prevent and/or treat type 2 diabetes (1,2). However, the clinical benefits of exercise intervention in a vastly expanding group of long-standing insulin-treated type 2 diabetic patients with comorbidities are less evident. As these patients generally experience muscle weakness (3–6), cardiovascular comorbidities (7–10), and/or exercise intolerance (3,11–13), it has proven difficult or even impossible for them to adhere to an intense endurance exercise training regimen (14,15). In the present study, we investigated the feasibility and benefits of a low-impact exercise intervention program, combining both endurance and resistance-type exercise, in long-standing insulin-treated type 2 diabetic patients with a high cardiovascular risk profile. We assessed the impact of 5 months of exercise training on glycemic control, body composition, workload capacity, and whole-body as well as skeletal muscle oxidative capacity.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—
A total of 11 male type 2 diabetic patients volunteered to participate in this study. Participants (aged 59 ± 3 years, BMI 32 ± 1 kg/m2) had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for 12 ± 2 years and had been on exogenous insulin treatment for 7 ± 2 years (insulin requirements 93 ± 11 units/day). All participants were sedentary and showed a …
