The team conducted a randomized crossover study that explored whether sex-based cardiovascular responses and glycemic levels may vary after moderate-intensity exercise sessions that lasted 30 minutes and how those variables stacked up against continuous aerobic exercise (CAE) compared with interval aerobic exercise (IAE).
The study cohort comprised of 19 volunteers (10 women, nine men), and the subjects were randomized and placed in crossover sessions. Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, double product, and blood glucose levels were measured before (PRE), immediately after (POST-0), and 20 minutes after (POST-20) each session. Men were observed to have a greater magnitude of decrease in CBG in both POST-0 and POST-20 for CAE, but only POST-0 after IAE, whereas women saw the decrease after only after CAE, but for both POST-0 and POST-20.
Pooya Soltani, one of the study authors and who is affiliated with Staffordshire University, said, “This study is important because diabetic patients often lack motivation to exercise as a means of managing their condition.” He commented further, “One reason for this is that physical activity can lead to blood sugar drops, causing discomfort and demotivation. We investigated whether the type of physical activity could mitigate these blood sugar drops. For female patients, both interval and continuous aerobic exercise appear to be effective starting points. We hope these findings show that gender-specific recommendations should be considered for aerobic exercise prescription, especially for men with irregular physical activity levels.”
The authors wrote that “Aerobic exercise, in particular, is crucial because a single session could change glycemic levels,” and their study explored the impact of aerobic exercise in patients with T1D and varying intensities (with efforts ranging, for example, from moderate to vigorous) and durations as short as 14 minutes and as long as 90 minutes.
Other differences considered were the age of patients, continuous versus intermittent, and whether or not they were routinely physically active. The team highlights that their study is unique in that it captures the potential impact of sex-based differences of male and female metabolism that could be influenced by sex-related factors such as hormones, physical activity level, and type of exercise.
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