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Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Bill.D.Katt. on 03/02/2011 02:40:50

Title: Insulin increase in diabetics due to exercise?
Post by: Bill.D.Katt. on 03/02/2011 02:40:50
Does exercise have any effect on the insulin production in type one diabetics?
Title: Insulin increase in diabetics due to exercise?
Post by: RD on 03/02/2011 04:40:54
Type-1 diabetics produce little or no insulin, hence their need for (artificial) insulin injections.

Unusual exertion can cause low blood sugar, (hypoglycaemia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoglycemia)), in in a Type-1 diabetic,
 but it is due to glucose being used up by the exertion, not exercise somehow causing them to produce insulin.

Unusual exertion means their normal (artificial) dose of insulin will then be too much …

Quote
exercise reduces the need for insulin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin_therapy
Title: Insulin increase in diabetics due to exercise?
Post by: Bill.D.Katt. on 04/02/2011 02:58:38
I asked because someone who I regularly go running with is a type one diabetic. As we have increased the distance of the run from 6 miles to 10 miles, he has reduced the amount of nighttime slow release insulin he uses from 20 units to 3 units (regular is 40 units). We were both wondering how this is possible. "Honeymoon" period, which is the time when the islet cells make a small comeback before being destroyed completely, usually lasts for 6-12 months after diagnosis. He is going on 23 months.
Title: Insulin increase in diabetics due to exercise?
Post by: RD on 04/02/2011 04:26:36
... We were both wondering how this is possible. "Honeymoon" period, which is the time when the islet cells make a small comeback before being destroyed completely, usually lasts for 6-12 months after diagnosis. He is going on 23 months.

If the destruction of most of the islet cells was due to micro-vascular disease, (e.g. small-vessel vasculopathy due to vasculitis), then some recovery would be possible by natural re-vascularization (angiogenesis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angiogenesis)) which would occur over many months / a few years.

This would not be the same as growing new islet cells,  just improving the blood supply to the remaining ones.

Long runs may be helping grow new blood vessels ...

Quote
Angiogenesis is generally associated with aerobic exercise and endurance exercise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angiogenesis#Exercise


 [I’ve motioned previously (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=27777.msg293374#msg293374) that IMO the vascular disease strongly associated with type-1 diabetes is the cause of diabetes, rather than a consequence of diabetes. ]
Title: Insulin increase in diabetics due to exercise?
Post by: Bill.D.Katt. on 04/02/2011 16:15:39
Thank you RD. We both found that to be quite interesting as it fits circumstances fairly well. He's going to ask his doctor about it in the near future.
Title: Insulin increase in diabetics due to exercise?
Post by: chris on 05/02/2011 10:15:20
Interesting question; I suspect it actually relates to the metabolic effects of training, which alters muscle physiology and biochemistry; this is probably leading to more efficient peripheral glucose utilisation, so the insulin demand is lower.

Chris