Knowing how to regulate your blood sugar is important to prevent the risk of type 2 diabetes, but also obesity. Diabetes is caused by insulin resistance, which prevents the body from using glucose as an energy source. The latter accumulates in the blood and causes chronic hyperglycemia. Insulin releases sugar from the foods we eat from our bloodstream into our cells to be stored or used for energy. However, diabetes can cause excessive accumulation of sugar in the blood.
In a study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolismauthors Alexa Govette and Jenna Gillen from the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto, found that the increase in blood sugar after meals was lower when participants waited until breakfast to exercise. It also resulted in reduced appetite after exercise in these participants, compared to those who exercised before eating.
The first study to determine how timing of exercise and meals influences blood sugar response
In this study it was shown that the timing of eating around exercise influences blood glucose concentrations and the perception of appetite. “To our knowledge, this is the first study to determine the extent to which the timing of exercise and meals influences the glycemic response to high-intensity interval exercise in women”explains Alexa Govette. According to the expert, in fact, very few studies have examined the effects of the timing of physical exercise in relation to meal intake on a female population.
Interesting results for people who prefer to exercise at home
It is important to specify that the study was carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic, a period subject to numerous restrictions. “This allowed us to study how the timing of exercise around meals influences blood sugar control in a home setting, which has not been done before. Given the growing popularity of at-home and virtual workouts, our findings may be of interest to people who prefer to exercise at home or those who do not have access to exercise equipment”underlines Jenna Gillen.
Subsequently, the authors hope to extend this research to women with type 2 diabetes or who are more at risk of being impacted by spikes in blood sugar.
Source : At-home bodyweight interval exercise in the fed versus fasted state lowers postprandial glycemia and appetite perceptions in females, Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.
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