Short, Intense Exercise Can Reduce Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, New Research Finds

New medical research has found that when it comes to reducing the risk of developing Type 2 (adult onset) diabetes, just a few minutes of vigorous exercise a couple times a week can go a long way and may even be better than longer periods of exercise.

A new study by Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland concluded that it is possible to reduce many health risks, including Type 2 diabetes, by doing just 7.5 minutes of weekly intense exercise, such sprinting, running up stairs, or pedaling hard on an exercise bicycle.

Type 2 diabetes affects nearly 20 million people in the United States and most commonly occurs after age 45. Many people with Type 2 diabetes are unaware that they have the disease.

The new medical study about the benefits of shorter, more intense workouts contradicts long-held conventional wisdom, which recommends that healthy individuals do at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week.

Improving Insulin Sensitivity

Researchers focused on young, sedentary men who did 15 minutes of sprinting on an exercise bike spread out over two weeks – just a few minutes a day – substantially improved their ability to metabolize glucose, which helps reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. The shorter, more intense workouts also helped boost the body’s sensitivity to insulin, the hormone which regulates blood-sugar levels.

The study found that the higher-intensity exercise might in fact be better at improving insulin sensitivity than more traditional, longer and more frequent workouts.

Reduce Glucose Faster

In the study, 16 men in their early 20s were did six sessions of exercise, with four to six sprints 30-seconds long and broken up by four-minute rest periods. Each entire exercise session took from 17 to 26 minutes to complete.

The researchers found that after two weeks of the shorter but more intense exercise sessions, the time it took for the men’s blood sugar and blood insulin levels to return to normal after drinking a solution containing 75 grams of glucose was reduced by between 12 and 37 percent.

Generally speaking, physically fit people are also better at quickly reducing blood sugar levels which rise after they eat. People who are less active suffer from prolonged periods of high blood-sugar levels, which over time can damage the body and lead to cardiovascular disease.

Shorter More Intense Workouts May Be Best

Based on the results of the study, the researchers said people should try to do four to six 30-second bouts of intense exercise twice a week. Sprinting on a bicycle and running up stairs were among the recommended physical activities. However, people with diabetes or heart disease should not embark on such a physical regimen and should only gradually increase their activity while under a doctor’s supervision.

Researchers said one day, high intensity, short duration exercise could become the norm and replace other physical activity guidelines. However, more research and larger study groups are needed to confirm the benefits.

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