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HIIT Undid Heart Damage from Diabetes

Three months of high-intensity intermittent training (HIIT) was able to improve heart function in men with type 2 diabetes.

A small study from England shows that people with diabetes can reverse some of the heart complications of the disease with a special approach to exercise called HIIT.

HIIT (High-Intensity Intermittent Training):

The study randomly assigned middle-aged men with type 2 diabetes to usual care or to a three-month program of intermittent high-intensity exercise, in this case repeated 90 second bursts of cycling as fast as possible. This type of exercise is sometimes referred to as high-intensity intermittent training, or HIIT.

Those who had participated in the HIIT arm of the study had healthier hearts at the end of the study, with better function of the left ventricle. In addition, the exercisers had less fat in their liver and around their internal organs.

The Conclusion:

The investigators conclude that this form of exercise is “a potential therapy to moderate cardiac risk and reduce liver fat in type 2 diabetes.”

Diabetologia, Sept. 9, 2015

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About the Author
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist who has dedicated his career to making drug information understandable to consumers. His best-selling book, The People’s Pharmacy, was published in 1976 and led to a syndicated newspaper column, syndicated public radio show and web site. In 2006, Long Island University awarded him an honorary doctorate as “one of the country's leading drug experts for the consumer.”.
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