By Dr. Nicola Sacchi - Author of the book: Drugs and doping in sport -
According to recent studies [1], to prevent the onset of cardiovascular diseases and insulin resistance, thus reducing the risks of developing diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome, aerobic activity is not the best strategy.
This is what Dr. Timmons and colleagues, who conducted various experiments on the effects of physical activity on glucose control. These scientists claim that aerobic activity does not prevent the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance, while according to their studies, three minutes per day of high intensity training are most effective to achieve this. " The efficacy of a high-intensity exercise protocol, involving only ~ 250 kcal of work per week, to improve insulin action in young sedentary subjects is remarkable. This novel time-efficient training paradigm can be used as a strategy to reduce metabolic risk factors. "
The dott. Timmons supports this thesis because through a study he conducted on the effectiveness of some glycemic control sprints, he was able to verify how this type of activity allows for surprising results. In this study the participants perform 4-6 sprints of 30 seconds at the maximum possible speed, interspersed with 4 minutes of recovery, performing this training for two weeks every two days. Before starting the training protocol and at the end of the two weeks, an exam is performed to determine how the blood sugar, insulin and NEFA (free fatty acids in the blood) vary over time after taking 70 g of glucose . These analyzes allow to evaluate how the body responds to changes in circulating glucose levels, considering that a good regulation of these is fundamental to understand if the glucose metabolism is working properly.
Well, the subjects who underwent this training after the scheduled two weeks show a remarkable lowering of the blood sugar, of the release of insulin and of NEFA compared to the values measured before the training protocol.
The reduction of these blood parameters is fundamental to promote health conditions, which are closely related to the body's ability to use carbohydrates and fats introduced with food, preventing it from accumulating.
This study shows for the first time how a few minutes of high intensity physical activity, for only two weeks, can considerably improve the body's sensitivity to the action of insulin, thus allowing better management of glucose and fatty acids. These benefits are the basis for reducing the risks of the onset of metabolic disorders related to the body's inability to manage glucose, which can then lead to the development of numerous cardiovascular diseases related to insulin resistance and obesity.
[1] Extremely short duration high intensity interval training substantially improper insulin action in young healthy males.
John A Babraj, Niels BJ Vollaard, Cameron Keast, Fergus M Guppy, Greg Cottrell, and James A Timmons.
BMC Endocrine Disorders 2009, jan 28, 9: 3.
