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Exercise Boosts Insulin Production
For sedentary seniors with a risk of developing diabetes, just one week of exercise significantly increases the output of beta cells which make insulin.
In the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Drs. Cathie J. Bloem and Annette M. Chang say that beta cell output is known to decline with age. The reasons, however, are unclear. Sensitivity to insulin also decreases.
It is known that exercise boosts insulin sensitivity. Bloem and Chang wanted to know how it might affect the function of beta cells. They studied the effect of exercise on 12 sedentary individuals aged 60 and older.
Hour-long daily exercise sessions brought the heart rate 60 to 70 percent of normal using a treadmill, cross-training machine and exercise bike. After or a week, participants had increased their insulin sensitivity by 53 percent and beta cell function had increased 28 percent. There was no change in body fat or blood fat levels to explain changes in beta cells.
The results are promising. "Longer-term exercise training studies are required and are currently in progress to evaluate further exercise training effects on beta cell function in age-related glucose intolerance," say the researchers.