Exercise is an effective "hypoglycemic drug". How can exercise be truly effective?

Exercise is an effective "hypoglycemic drug". How can exercise be truly effective?

"Exercise" is also a prescription for diabetes treatment, but many people do not take the doctor's "exercise prescription" seriously. Many people think that the weather is cold or the effect is minimal, so it is not worth doing. In fact, exercise to reduce blood sugar can not only save money, but also is a good way to lower blood sugar for people with diabetes. Exercise prescriptions should not be underestimated!

Effective exercise reduces risk of diabetes progression

First, let’s talk about the necessity of exercise for patients with diabetes. Effective exercise intervention can reduce the risk of progression to diabetes. The results of China's "Daqing Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Diabetes Study" show that for the exercise intervention group, the 6-year incidence of diabetes in patients with impaired glucose tolerance was 41.1%, while for the life intervention group, the incidence of diabetes could be reduced by 43% after 20 years of follow-up. And it delayed the onset of diabetes by 3.6 years; for the group without lifestyle intervention, the 6-year incidence of diabetes among people with impaired glucose tolerance was 67.7%, and 93% developed diabetes after 20 years of follow-up.

Regular exercise has many benefits, including improving insulin sensitivity and skeletal muscle function, improving fat and protein metabolism, preventing and treating diabetic complications, and improving mental state. Regular exercise for more than 8 weeks can reduce glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes by 0.66%; diabetic patients who adhere to regular exercise for 12 to 14 years have a significantly lower mortality rate. At the same time, reasonable exercise can improve the use of glucose by muscles.

Diabetes exercise treatment should follow basic principles

Regular exercise is so important for people with diabetes, so what principles should be followed? Experts pointed out that the principles of exercise therapy include attention to safety, effectiveness, individualization, professional guidance, all-round management, and attention to strengthening monitoring.

Safety: Strictly understand the indications and contraindications for exercise;

Effective: Be scientific and carry out aerobic exercise of reasonable intensity, time and frequency;

Individualization: Develop an exercise plan based on disease course, severity, complications, age, personal conditions, social and family status, exercise environment and other factors;


Professional guidance: Choose a rehabilitation physician, diabetes specialist, sports therapist, etc.;

Comprehensive management: together with diet, medication, education, monitoring and psychotherapy;

Monitoring: exercise intensity, specific conditions of exercise implementation, etc.

Not all people with diabetes are suitable for exercise

Indications for exercise treatment of diabetes: Absolute indications include patients with impaired glucose tolerance and patients with type 2 diabetes without significant hyperglycemia or complications. Relative indications include patients with mild comorbidities such as microalbuminuria, simple retinopathy without fundus hemorrhage, peripheral neuropathy without obvious autonomic nervous system disorder, and exercise therapy after dietary guidance and drug control of blood sugar; none Type 1 diabetic patients with ketoacidosis can effectively control blood sugar by exercising while adjusting their diet and insulin dosage.

Contraindications to exercise therapy for diabetes:

1. Fasting blood glucose >16.7mmol/L;

2. Acute metabolic complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis;

3. Combined with acute infection;

4. Proliferative retinopathy;

5. Severe kidney disease (serum creatinine Cr>1.768 mmol/L);

6. Serious cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases - such as unstable angina, severe arrhythmia, and transient cerebral ischemic attack.

In short, the occurrence and development of diabetes are closely related to exercise. Reasonable exercise treatment is of great significance in reducing the occurrence and progression of diabetes. Exercise treatment for diabetes patients needs to follow basic principles and be guided by medical professionals on the basis of determining safety. , personalize the goals and specific plans for exercise intensity, time, before, during and after exercise.