Doctors classify type 1 diabetes as an autoimmune disease that causes the body to destroy its insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in people under age 20. In contrast, obesity and inactivity may hasten the development of type 2 or adult onset diabetes, which compromises the body's ability to utilize glucose for energy. Doctors prescribe dietary modifications and aerobic endurance exercise as a means of controlling diabetes, but the results of some studies indicate that sprint training is also effective.
Significance
Type 1 diabetes is not preventable, and type 1 diabetics are not necessarily obese.
When Dr. Alison R. Harmer of the University of Sydney in New South Wales began studying muscle metabolism in people with type 1 diabetes, there was limited research on the subject. Her research team found that type 1 diabetics lacked the ability to burn energy in their muscle tissue, had increased fluctuations in glucose metabolism and had a greater acidity in their bloodstream.
Theories/Speculation
When people without diabetes perform high-intensity exercise such as sprint training, they enhance their ability to break down glucose and store it as energy. Dr. Harmer and her team speculated that high-intensity sprint training may have the same effect on type 1 diabetics.
Time Frame
Dr. Harmer's research team recruited eight patients with type 1 diabetes and seven healthy individuals for a seven-week training program. The participants performed four to 10 full-effort sprints on an exercise bike, three times a week. At the end of the study, the diabetic participants increased their ability to burn energy in their muscle tissue and increased their fat-burning capacity.
Type 2 Considerations
Incorporating high-intensity sprints into longer aerobic workouts may also hasten fat burning in type 2 diabetics, says lead author Jamie F. Burr, in an article published in the April 2010 edition of "Physician and Sports Medicine," but excessive sprint training may suppress the immune system and cause illness and burnout. Limit sprinting to two weekly sessions.
Warning
Diabetics who also have heart conditions should be supervised when performing sprint training. Severely obese people will have trouble with weight-bearing sprints and should perform high-intensity sprint intervals on a stationary bicycle. Those with back problems can use recumbent bikes, which offer back support.
References
- Diabetes Forecast: Sprint Workouts Boost Fat Burning in Diabetics
- ABC News: What Is the Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes?
- "Diabetes Care": Sprint Training Increases Muscle Oxidative Metabolism During High-Intensity Exercise in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes
- "Physician and Sports Medicine": The Role of Physical Activity in Type 2 Diabetes Prevention
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