Sorry – I read the prompt wrong and thought it was supposed to be a recent journal article. So here is my news article response!
New research coming out of the University of Otago is suggesting that high-intensity exercise may restore heart function in people with type 2 diabetes. In the study, they found that 3 months of high-intensity interval training improved heart function in adults with type 2 diabetes. This makes sense based on what we learned in class, as exercise increases cardiovascular ability to pump more blood to the tissues that need it, and it reduces the presence of free radicals, which can be linked to heart attacks/heart damage following a heart attack. The consistent increase in cardiac output leads to athletes having a higher stroke volume at a higher VO2max, as well as a higher end-diastolic volume and more ventricular filling.
Usually, studies involving diabetics do not focus on how to improve their heart health, so this was an important study. Since increasing aerobic capacity through exercise is one of the best prevention techniques for heart disease, and exercise is a major treatment plan for diabetics, this study made a lot of sense. The goal was to have the subjects spend 10 minutes doing vigorous activity during a 25 minute exercise period. Originally, they were worried that the high-intensity exercise would be too much for the diabetic heart, but no one died in the study so I guess it was okay? They never clarified what parameters they used to ensure safety or how they made sure their hearts could handle it, which is a little concerning.
The overall results showed that type 2 diabetics are capable of comparable increases in aerobic capacity as their non-diabetic counterparts and that high-intensity exercise is capable of reversing some of the changes in heart function that precede diabetic heart disease.
Based on this study, and all studies related to type 2 diabetes, it seems like it is in the best interest of these individuals to find a personal trainer and make sure their body stays healthy. The article from Science Daily can be found below:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190524094318.htm
