Ketogenic Diet May Enhance Exercise Benefits for Those with High Blood Sugar

Conventional wisdom often promotes exercise and limiting fat intake for optimal health. However, a new study suggests a different approach for individuals with high blood sugar: a high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet may improve the body’s response to exercise and lower blood sugar levels.

The Challenge with Exercise and High Blood Sugar

While exercise is beneficial for overall health, people with high blood sugar often don’t experience the same advantages, particularly in improving oxygen utilization. This can increase their risk of heart and kidney disease. High blood sugar can hinder muscles from effectively absorbing oxygen during physical activity.

Study Findings: Ketogenic Diet and Improved Metabolic Response

Research led by Sarah Lessard, associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech, published in Nature Communications, demonstrated that a ketogenic diet reduced hyperglycemia in mice and enhanced their responsiveness to exercise. The study found that after just one week on the diet, mice exhibited normal blood sugar levels. The diet led to muscle remodeling, increasing oxidative capacity and improving reaction to aerobic exercise.

Understanding the Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet induces ketosis, a metabolic state where the body primarily burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. Historically, this diet was used to manage diabetes in the 1920s, before the advent of insulin, due to its blood sugar-lowering effects. While sometimes controversial due to its high-fat content, the ketogenic diet has shown benefits for conditions like epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.

How the Study Was Conducted

In the Virginia Tech study, mice were fed a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet and allowed to exercise on running wheels. Researchers observed the development of more slow-twitch muscle fibers, which are associated with greater endurance. The mice also demonstrated more efficient oxygen utilization, indicating improved aerobic capacity.

The Synergistic Effect of Diet and Exercise

Lessard emphasizes that the benefits of exercise aren’t isolated. “What we’re really finding…is that diet and exercise aren’t simply working in isolation,” she stated. “There are a lot of combined effects, and so we can get the most benefits from exercise if we eat a healthy diet at the same time.”

Future Research and Alternative Approaches

Lessard plans to extend this research to human subjects to determine if similar benefits can be observed. She also acknowledges the challenges of adhering to a strict ketogenic diet and suggests that less restrictive approaches, such as the Mediterranean diet, might be more sustainable for some individuals. The Mediterranean diet can also help regulate blood sugar while incorporating carbohydrates from whole, unprocessed foods.

“Our previous studies have shown that any strategy you and your doctor have arrived at to reduce your blood sugar could work,” Lessard notes.