A new study finds that common diabetes medications may counteract some of the important benefits of exercise.
Researchers at Rutgers University found that adults taking metformin, a widely used generic drug. type 2 diabetes, While exercising, there were modest improvements in blood sugar control, vascular function, and aerobic fitness compared to those who exercised without drugs.
The findings, published last month in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, add to the evidence that both metformin and exercise improve blood sugar control and heart health, but that combining them may blunt some of the benefits of exercise.
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“Metformin is the most widely used hypoglycemic drug worldwide,” said study lead author Stephen Mullin, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Rutgers University School of Arts and Sciences.
“However, it is not clear whether it is best to use these treatments in combination,” he told FOX News Digital. “If this is not the case, people may find that their energy levels may be low or that their health is not improving. This can lead to a ‘psychological defeat’, so to speak, and affect their overall health and quality of life.”
About 35 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and experts say millions more around the world take metformin for blood sugar control and experimental anti-aging purposes.
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The 16-week, double-blind study followed 72 adults at risk for metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and excess body fat that increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Participants were divided into four groups: two groups performed high- or low-intensity exercise using a placebo, and two groups performed the same training using 2,000 milligrams of metformin daily.
At the end of the study, people who exercised Those who did not receive the drug showed a clear improvement in vascular insulin sensitivity. This means your blood vessels respond better to insulin and more oxygen and nutrients can reach your muscles. However, those increases were reduced when metformin was added. Participants also saw less inflammation and lower fasting blood sugar levels.
Researchers aren’t sure why, but they think metformin may interfere with the body’s ability to adapt to exercise at a cellular level.
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Marin said it may be related to blood vessel health. “Improving vascular function is key to delivering nutrients such as sugar to tissues,” he explained. “If sugar cannot be delivered to the tissues, this may explain why muscles cannot respond to insulin and use sugar for energy.”
The researchers noted that because the study was small and focused on adults at risk for metabolic syndrome, the results may not apply to everyone with diabetes.
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The researchers stressed that people should not stop taking metformin or exercise, but should instead discuss their results with their doctors to ensure they get the best combination of treatment and activity.
The researchers said: future research How to preserve the benefits of both treatments needs to be considered, and the team at Rutgers University is currently testing whether metformin interacts differently with resistance or strength training, and whether adjusting the dose or timing might reduce its effects.
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Dr. David Cutler, a board-certified family medicine physician at Providence St. John’s Health Center in California, said: told today’s medical news The results seem discouraging, but they need to be placed in context.
“The small reduction in vascular insulin sensitivity has to be weighed against the large benefit of lowering blood sugar levels achieved with metformin,” said Cutler, who was not involved in the study. “Lowering blood sugar levels lowers your risk of all diabetes complications, including: heart attack, Stroke, kidney failure, blindness, amputation. ”
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Professor Cutler added that the results should not affect diabetic patients who are dependent on metformin, but may be more relevant for people using metformin for other reasons, such as anti-aging, polycystic ovary syndrome or cancer prevention.
“For now, metformin should remain the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes,” he said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the metformin manufacturer and the American Diabetes Association for comment.
