Investigating how a burst of hard exercise can reset the health of diabetes sufferers

Jeanette Forbes details research being carried out in Scotland

Most of us take the ability togo for a run, kick a football or play a game of tennis for granted. But for people with type 1 diabetes, exercise can cause unpredictable fluctuations in blood glucose levels that can cause illness.

There is no link between developing type 1 diabetes and a lack of exercise. Yet, just as it is for the wider population, physical activity for people with type 1 diabetes has been shown to have tremendous health benefits.

JDRF, the type 1 diabetes research charity, runs a T1D Performance in Exercise and Knowledge ( PEAK) initiative to help those living with the condition to exercise safely.

It is the result of two years of JDRF-funded observation al studies and clinical trials, which identified how different types of exercise can reduce or increase blood glucose levels.

But it is not the only way in which exercise is proving to be good for people with type 1 diabetes.

JDRF is funding research in Scotland that could provide answers and new treatment therapies for those with impaired ‘ hypo’ awareness.

Hypoglycaemia, known as having a ‘ hypo’, is when people with type 1 diabetes have blood glucose that is too low. Hypos can be deadly, and are a major concern for those living with type 1 diabetes, or caring for young children with the condition.

More than one third of adults living with type 1 diabetes experience some level of impaired hypoglycaemic awareness, where the body fails to give adequate warning of a drop in blood glucose. The consequence is more frequent and more severe hypo attacks, causing loss of consciousness, and ultimately damage to vital organs.

New research, which will be undertaken at the University of Dundee, will look at the effect of introducing high-intensity exercise to shock the body out of its non- responsive - ness. The ambition is to improve the quality of life of those with type 1 diabetes without using drugs.

This latest funding brings the amount committed to research projects in Scotland by J DR F to £ 4million.

Professor Rory Mccrimmon, who has been working in type 1 diabetes research with JDRF for 20 years, is heading up the three year project, which is also receiving funding from Diabetes UK.

The first stage of the study will investigate whether a single burst of high-intensity exercise( where the person is working at over 90 per cent of their maximum hear t rate) can improve the body’ s hormonal response to hypoglycaemia in participants living with type 1 diabetes and who have hypo unawareness.

They will then take par tina sixweek high-intensity exercise programme and Professor Mccrimmon and his team will study the body’ s hormonal response to see if an exercise plan can improve or restore a person’ s hypo awareness over the long term. It is not known why some people

with type 1 diabetes develop an impaired awareness of hypos, other than the fact that the body learns certain habits when subjected to repeated stress, which in this case can be very harmful.

In the lab it has been shown that it is possible to break the cycle of suppressed response with intense exercise and this is what will be tested with a group of 12 people living with type 1 diabetes.

Scotland has the third highest incidence of type 1 diabetes in the world. More than 30,000 people in Scotland live with the condition and numbers are increasing at a rate of about 4 per cent each year, particularly in children under five.

It is a chronic, life-threatening condition that has a life- long impact on those diagnosed and their families. It cannot be prevented and JDRF exists to improve lives until it finds the cure.

Scotland has some of the world’ s very best researchers and clinicians working in type 1 diabetes studies and JDRF- funded research in Scotland is making an impact.

Our Glasgow- based research has discovered that the drug metformin could reduce the risk of heart disease among some with type 1 diabetes, our researchers in Edinburgh are investigating how to keep the kidneys of people with type 1 diabetes healthy, while Prof Mccrimmon’s work at Dundee offers hope and drug- free strategies to overcome the impact of hypoglycaemic episodes and let people live less restricted lives.

We need support to boost more great research like this. Worth thinking about the next time you are out running and need to choose a great charity for which to raise funds.

Jeanette Forbes is the chairperson of the JDRF Scottish Development Group.