Pumping iron could reduce risk of Type 2 diabetes

According to UBC assistant professor Jonathan Little, completing a series of weighted leg exercises has the capacity to help blood vessel function among those with or without diabetes.

As part of the study, 35 age-matched participants were assigned into one of three groups: people with Type 2 diabetes, non-exercisers, and regular exercisers without diabetes

“Individuals with Type 2 diabetes are up to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those without,” said Little, who led the research.

“After completion of just one bout of exercise, we saw an improvement in blood vessel function, an indicator of heart health and heart attack risk.”

Diabetes is a chronic and sometimes fatal disease, in which the body cannot produce insulin or cannot properly use the insulin it produces, which controls the amount of sugar in the blood.

Little suggested that with further study, the research could provide a safe and cost-effective tool to help people manage the disease.

“This study shows that resistance-based interval training exercise is a time-efficient and effective method with immediate effects,” he said.

A full account of the research has been published in the American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology.