Strength training combined with aerobic exercise best way to lower blood sugar

We've all heard this one before: Get more exercise. Considering the health benefits of exercise, it's no wonder that this advice is so common.

But, many of my patients ask for more information. They often ask: How much exercise is enough? Is one type of exercise better than another?

Giving people a precise answer is difficult—the research we have is getting better all the time, but exercise science is not exact. Studies of different types, duration and intensity of exercise are not easy to do. Also, even if a study does reveal a specific finding, then a doctor has to extrapolate that finding to a particular patient and his or her situation. Thus, there is quite a bit of “art” in medicine as well as science.

I strongly encourage people to do a mix of exercises, including ones for aerobic conditioning, strengthening and balance. It’s important to aim for at least 30 minutes of daily exercise for at least five days of each week. Recent research suggests that it's best to exercise at a moderate intensity (enough to raise the heart rate substantially) for 45 to 60 minutes most days of the week. But I've also seen good studies showing the health benefits of walking and other lower-intensity activities.

If you aren’t sure how to begin, ask your doctor for guidance.  One thing you can do at home is to get a pedometer and track the number of steps a day that you take.  The goal for active, healthy adults is 10,000 steps per day.  See how close you are to that number and then gradually increase the number of steps a day that you take until you reach this goal.  Most people can safely do this, but it’s a good idea to check in with your doctor just to be sure.   

A study recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine offers some of the best evidence to date about the benefits of different types of exercise. This was a study of people with type 2 diabetes. But it's possible that the results apply to others as well.

The study enrolled 251 people with diabetes. They were 39 to 70 years old. Researchers found that those who exercised had better blood sugar control than those who did not. Those who did both aerobic training and resistance training (each for 45 minutes at a time, three days a week) had better blood sugar results than those who did one type of exercise alone.

The aerobic training group used bicycles or treadmills. At first, they exercised 15 to 20 minutes at 60% of their maximum heart rate (MHR). Later on, they did 45 minutes at a time, rising to 75% of MHR. Resistance training included 45 minutes of exercise on seven different weight machines. Study subjects gradually increased the maximum weight they could lift for seven to nine repetitions.

The blood sugar results were impressive. In fact, the combined exercise group reduced blood sugar enough to decrease heart attack or stroke risk by 15% to 20%. Their results should lower the risk of eye and kidney problems even more.

This study won't be the last word on the subject. Still, we now have better answers to questions about exercise, at least for people with diabetes.

What kinds of exercise to you do? How do you find the time and motivation to get them in regularly?

Hundreds of studies conducted over the past 50 years show that exercise helps you feel better and live longer. Exercise: A program you can live with answers many important questions about physical activity, from how your body changes through exercise to what diseases it helps prevent. It will also help guide you through starting and maintaining an exercise program that suits your abilities and lifestyle. Throughout, you'll find advice on being a savvy consumer when it comes to fitness products, as well as useful tools and tips designed to help make exercise work for you.

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