gms | German Medical Science

Objective: Individuals with type 2 diabetes have changes in the utilization of energy substrates [1]. These changes in resting metabolism as well as exercise, favoring the use of fat for energy production and reduce the use of carbohydrate and muscle glycogen synthesis, increasing hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Studies have shown that exercise is effective in the control and treatment of this phenomenon, but the effect of different exercise intensities on the ratio of the contribution of carbohydrates and fats during the recovery has not yet been elucidated.

Material/Methods: 20 individuals (males and female) sedentary participate voluntarily in this study. The subjects were divided, 1) Diabetes (DB, n=9) and 2) without diabetes (ND, n=11). Both groups performed three experimental sessions (interval of 72 hours between them). Participants performed an incremental test session (TI), also used for calculating the Lactate Threshold (LT), one session of exercise at 90% of lactate threshold (90% LL), which represents a moderate activity intensity and Session Control (Cont), without performing exercise. The 90% LL and Cont were underwent in random order. In all exercise sessions, subjects remained rest for two (2) hours and fifteen (15) minutes, and at 45 minutes recovery was ingested a solution of carbohydrate (CHO) (Figure 1 [Fig. 1]).

Results: Both groups showed high carbohydrate oxidation during intense exercise sessions and low-moderate when compared to resting values (p<0.05) in both groups. The oxidation of fat was increase during the recovery of IT in both groups (p<0.05), but in the DB group, the change has lasted for a longer time. In the recovery period to only 90% LL, ND group had higher fat oxidation in a single moment, 60 minutes. Type 2 diabetics have carbohydrate oxidation increase during intense and low-moderate exercise. And recovery from intense exercise in the DB group had high fat oxidation for a prolonged time. So intense exercise can increase fat oxidation during recovery from exercise in type 2 diabetics, resulting in positive effects on health such as increased insulin sensitivity and energy balance. Agreement, Braun et al. [2] reports that increase in lipid oxidation on the exercise have a positive effect, favoring the balance between content and lipid oxidation, helping to restore insulin sensitivity.

Conclusion: Type 2 diabetics showed higher carbohydrate oxidation during moderate-intensity exercise as intense low-moderate. In addition, the type 2 diabetics had higher fat oxidation and a longer time than their peers without diabetes in the recovery period of high intensity exercise, even with ingestion of CHO solution after exercise.