Regular aerobic training improves insulin resistance but not pancreatic β-cells function in female patients with type 2 diabetes

Pancreatic β-cells function and insulin sensitivity resistance were impaired in type 2 diabetes. Exercise training may improves these impairs, however, this is not well known. The aim of present study was to examine the effect of 8 weeks aerobic training on pancreatic β-cells function and insulin resistance in female patients with type 2 diabetes.

Twenty middle-aged women (age, 40 -50 years) with type 2 diabetes participated as the subject. The subjects were randomly assign to control group (n=10) or the training group (n=10). The subjects in the training group performed 30 to 45 min aerobic training on the treadmill with 60-75% of their maximum heart rate, 3 days a week for 8 weeks. The subjects in the control group were instructed to maintain their normal physical activity throughout the study.

The results indicated that fasting blood sugar, fasting insulin and insulin resistance index decrease in the training group compare to the control group (P<0.05); however, pancreatic β-cells function has no significant change after the intervention.

In summary, it seems that aerobic training utilized in this study improves glucose entry into cells but it had not effective on pancreatic β-cells function.