Muhammed Ali had one of the best one-two punches in boxing history, forcing opponents back on their heels time after time. And it’s that powerful combo that you want to use to simultaneously defeat your rising glucose levels as you work to increase your aerobic fitness. Otherwise, says a new study from Joslin Diabetes Center published in Nature Metabolism, all your efforts to get into shape may not add up to the victory you’re hoping for.
It seems that elevated glucose (even in the prediabetes range) dampens down the benefits of aerobic exercise -- improved cardiovascular health, stress reduction, lower levels of inflammation and reduced risk of some cancers and gastrointestinal problems. This happens, the researchers suggest, because elevated glucose keeps muscle fibers from becoming more efficient at using oxygen during exercise. In the lab, the researchers found that the muscles of animals with elevated glucose levels have bigger fibers and fewer blood vessels, and looking at young adult volunteers, they found that folks who had higher blood sugar levels also showed the lowest aerobic exercise capacity.
If you’re battling elevated glucose and trying to become more fit, your best bet is to work to keep your blood sugar in the normal range through diet and, if needed, medication while gradually increasing your aerobic capacity through interval training with walking, biking, swimming or jogging. Remember Ali’s technique of rope-a-dope? Don’t overspend energy on aerobics if you aren’t controlling your blood glucose levels. Tacking both together is how to win your fight to get fit and healthy!
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare.com. (c)2020 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
