Volume 13, Issue 2 pp. 4559-4585

Exercise in the Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

John P. Kirwan

Corresponding Author

John P. Kirwan

Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Correspondence to [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author
Elizabeth C. Heintz

Elizabeth C. Heintz

Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Search for more papers by this author
Candida J. Rebello

Candida J. Rebello

Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Search for more papers by this author
Christopher L. Axelrod

Christopher L. Axelrod

Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Search for more papers by this author
First published: 23 February 2023
Citations: 3

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is a systemic, multifactorial disease that is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Despite a rise in the number of available medications and treatments available for management, exercise remains a first-line prevention and intervention strategy due to established safety, efficacy, and tolerability in the general population. Herein we review the predisposing risk factors for, prevention, pathophysiology, and treatment of type 2 diabetes. We emphasize key cellular and molecular adaptive processes that provide insight into our evolving understanding of how, when, and what types of exercise may improve glycemic control. © 2023 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 13:4559-4585, 2023.

Synopsis

Didactic Synopsis

Major Teaching Points

  • Physical activity is a safe and practical lifestyle intervention for the treatment, prevention, and management of type 2 diabetes across the lifespan.
  • Exercise improves whole-body glucose uptake primarily by enhancing multi-organ insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal.
  • Both aerobic and resistance exercise improves biochemical markers of type 2 diabetes and multi-modal training approaches result in synergistic and additive benefit.
  • Exercise training decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease, excessive adiposity, and systemic inflammation in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  • Combined pharmacological, surgical, and lifestyle approaches yield maximal biochemical remission of type 2 diabetes. However, additional research on the effects of exercise in combination with medication is required to determine safety and population-level efficacy.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.