Individuals with elevated blood sugar levels may find it more difficult to improve their fitness through physical activity.
In particular, the body’s maximal oxygen uptake, a measure of cardiovascular fitness and overall health, may be affected.
In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers investigated whether a ketogenic diet could alter this relationship.
The experiment was conducted on male mice with artificially induced elevated blood sugar levels.
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The importance of diet
According to the study, mice with elevated blood sugar achieved more normal blood glucose levels when fed a ketogenic diet rather than a regular, carbohydrate-rich diet.
They also developed higher levels of ketones, indicating that their bodies were using fat as an energy source.
All exercising mice improved their lean body mass and reduced their blood sugar levels.
However, only the mice with elevated blood sugar on a ketogenic diet showed a clear improvement in maximal oxygen uptake.
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The same improvement was not observed in mice on a regular diet.
The researchers also identified changes in the mice’s muscles suggesting increased fat oxidation. According to the study, this may be part of the explanation.
Does it have the same effect in humans?
The study was conducted in animals, and the results therefore cannot be directly applied to humans. Moreover, elevated blood sugar was artificially induced in the mice.
The researchers point out that clinical studies are needed to determine whether a ketogenic diet combined with exercise may have the same effect in humans with diabetes or insulin resistance.
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Sources: Medical News Today, and Nature Communications.
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