Preventing diabetes

If you're like most people, your job has become a triage staging area. Do you deal with the sales report that is two-weeks overdue or return the 300 unread emails? The recent economic collapse has forced companies to do more with less people. This means that the "lucky" folks who still have a job, are now working longer and harder for the same pay.



While there's nothing wrong with hard work and long hours, this does play havoc with that exercise program that you promised to follow on New Year's Day. Long days at work, a little time with the family and trying to deal with household chores leave almost no time for exercise. This can lead to obesity which can lead to diabetes and heart disease.

But wait! What if you could complete your daily workout in minutes? While not being as compelling as the heretofore noted "sliced bread," it would be pretty cool.



A recent study may provide an option for those who have little or no time to work out. This study from Dr. James Timmons of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland suggests that short bursts of intense physical activity may do more to help prevent the diseases associated with obesity such as diabetes and heart disease than all those hours spent in a gym. These short bursts can be just minutes each week!



The research about the benefits of maximum intensity workouts has been around for a while. However, this recent study kicks this earlier research up a notch.



For the first time, Mr. Timmons and his colleagues found that short bursts of intense physical activity have "dramatic effects on insulin function and the ability of the body to properly process glucose." This is welcome news to those who are trying to avoid Type 2 diabetes.



With Type 2 diabetes, the body gradually loses its ability to respond efficiently to insulin. Insulin is a hormone that moves glucose from the bloodstream to the body's tissues where it is used for energy.



For this study, the researchers found 16 young men who were employed in sedentary professions, but were otherwise healthy. They were then asked to pedal a stationary bike as fast as they could for 30 seconds. The participants then rested for four minutes. They repeated the exercise four times. This routine was performed two or three times per week.



Within two weeks of starting the program, the participants experienced, on average, a 23 percent improvement in how well they used insulin. These finding were published in the BMC journal, "Endocrine Disorders."



Timmons and his crew noted that the maximum effect workouts caused the carbohydrates (aka "complex sugars") in the muscles of the participants to be used up. When this happened these muscles are "extremely efficient at taking up dietary glucose and storing it." This resulted in the bloodstream being exposed to less high glucose.



Endocrinologists and Cardiologists know that high glucose levels can damage blood vessels and contribute to cardiovascular disease. Minimizing the glucose highs should (in theory) protect the heart and prevent diabetes.



While more, large scale research is needed, this study suggests that the current guidelines of several hours of moderate to vigorous aerobic and resistance exercise are not the only way to go. In the time-crunched chaos that most people currently find themselves, this maximum intensity exercise regime is a great alternative to an hour in the gym. How that extra hour is used will say a lot about the priorities of the user.