No time for sports? Already 15 minutes HIIT training protect against diabetes

How does HIIT affect insulin sensitivity??

Many people do not exercise enough, which leads to overweight, obesity and various diseases. A common reason or an often-used excuse for lack of exercise is that sufferers just do not have enough time for a longer workout. However, physicians have now found that training with high-intensity intervals (HIIT) three times a 15 minutes a week is enough to greatly improve insulin sensitivity, leading to improved protection against diabetes.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found in their current research that three times 15 minutes of HIIT training per week improves insulin sensitivity and protects against diabetes. The researchers published the results of their study in the English language journal "Experimental Physiology".

In order to protect against type 2 diabetes, people should pay attention to sufficient exercise and do enough exercise. In addition to endurance, strength training is also important. (Image: contrastwerkstatt / fotolia.com)

Obesity promotes the development of diabetes

The number of overweight and obese people continues to increase. Type 2 diabetes is associated with excessive weight. So-called insulin sensitivity is a marker of type 2 diabetes. The results of the study indicate that short periods of intense activity can improve insulin sensitivity and prevent the onset of diabetes, say the experts.

Subjects performed various exercises with weights

To determine the impact of HIIT on insulin sensitivity, the researchers looked at young overweight men, some of whom had to undergo a rigorous 15-minute training routine for the study. At each training session, nine different resistance exercises were performed with weights, such as leg presses and bicep curls.

Insulin sensitivity improved by 16 percent

The men repeated these exercises within 15 minutes, until they were so exhausted that they could no longer do any more exercise and muscle failure. After six weeks, the results showed that the 15-minute training resulted in a 16 percent improvement in insulin sensitivity.

What is insulin sensitivity??

Insulin sensitivity determines how a person reacts to the hormone insulin, which is responsible for the uptake of glucose from our blood in order to use it as energy or to store it in tissues. Type 2 diabetes occurs when insulin sensitivity decreases, causing blood sugar levels to rise. Left untreated, this increases a person's risk for heart disease and stroke.

Further research is needed

All participants also found that their muscles became stronger and stronger after just two weeks. Additional investigations with men of various sizes and health should be performed in the future to verify the results, say the experts. It is well known that training in the gym does not really appeal to some people. Therefore, it must be examined whether people without special fitness equipment can do exercises at home to achieve similar beneficial effects, the authors of the study explain. (As)