Insulin, the hormone that helps cells take glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream for energy, is used differently by the body in people with type 2 diabetes. Hyperglycemia, or elevated blood sugar, is a complication of type 2 diabetes, which is caused by either insufficient insulin production or ineffective insulin response. Due to rising obesity rates and a lack of physical activity, type 2 diabetes is increasingly being diagnosed in adolescents and teenagers, even though it typically occurs in adults over 40.
Exercise has many health benefits, as we all know, but a recent study in Aging Cell reveals another important benefit: regular exercise can improve brain function by altering how brain cells react to insulin. Under the direction of Steven Malin from Rutgers University, the study looked at how exercise affected brain insulin sensitivity, which is essential for memory and cognitive function.
According to PsyPost, Malin stated, "We think this work is important because it suggests exercise may improve cognition and memory by enhancing insulin's ability to act on the brain."
The study primarily looked at neuronal extracellular vesicles, small sacs generated by neurons in the brain that let cells communicate with one another. These vesicles influence the brain's insulin response by moving proteins and other chemicals to various locations, much like delivery trucks.
All 21 participants in the trial, who were mostly women over 60, had been diagnosed with prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to be considered diabetes. These individuals were deemed sedentary since they did not smoke and exercised for fewer than 60 minutes per week. They used stationary bikes to complete moderate-to-intense exercises for 12 hours throughout two weeks of supervised exercise sessions.
To initiate their body's insulin response, participants drank a glucose drink both before and after each workout. Before and after the two-week training, blood samples were taken by researchers to examine alterations in insulin-related proteins found in the extracellular vesicles of neurons.
The outcomes were noteworthy. Following the exercise regimen, there was a discernible rise in the quantity of neuronal extracellular vesicles containing the protein Akt, which is essential for cells' reaction to insulin. This increase was especially noticeable after participants drank the glucose drink, demonstrating that exercise improved the brain's insulin response to blood sugar spikes.
To put it simply, the study discovered that exercise improved brain cells' sensitivity to insulin, thereby enabling them to better regulate blood sugar. Additionally, participants' overall blood sugar management improved.
"We demonstrated for the first time that exercise influences insulin signalling from neuronal extracellular vesicles, resulting in clinical benefits in blood sugar. "We use these neuronal extracellular vesicles as an indicator of brain insulin sensitivity," Malin explained.
The basic line is that regular exercise improves the brain and body's ability to manage blood sugar. For diabetics or those at risk, this can make a significant impact in controlling blood sugar levels and boosting general health.
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