Research
Hormonal
Exercise improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity through mechanisms independent of the insulin receptor, bypassing insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes.
If you have type 2 diabetes or are at risk, exercise helps your muscles take up glucose without relying on insulin. This bypasses the resistance that makes medication less effective. Combine exercise with other lifestyle changes for the best results.
GoodSupportsMEDIUM confidence
A single exercise bout increases glucose uptake by skeletal muscle, sidestepping the insulin receptor and thus insulin resistance in T2D patients
Why this rating
Based on mechanistic studies and clinical trials showing improved glucose tolerance.
Source
Health Benefits of Exercise
Gregory N. Ruegsegger et al. · Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine · 2017
DOI 10.1101/cshperspect.a029694
narrative_reviewCited 669×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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