Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. In research with 52 elderly women those taking vitamin D and exercise had a 12.5 % decrease in total cholesterol and other benefits.
The past 10 years have seen a doubling in the worldwide prevalence of diabetes, with an estimated 531 million people expected to be affected by 2035 (1). Regarding ways to help patients successfully manage diabetes, exercise has been shown to help diabetics increase physical strength and maintain a healthier blood sugar level (2). The American Diabetes Association now recommends 150 minutes of walking or 75 minutes of high intensity aerobic exercise per week for patients with type 2 diabetes (3).
Unfortunately, only 28% of diabetic patients perform regular physical activity (4). This is thought to be due to the difficulty of type 2 diabetics to perform even low intensity exercise such as light walking of about 20-30 minutes a day. Now a new study (5) suggests that vitamin D may help increase the ability of type 2 diabetics to perform physical activity and help them better manage their disease.
The study involved 52 women between the ages of 68 and 75 with type 2 diabetes. They were assigned to 1 of 4 groups for 12 weeks:
- Vitamin D supplementation (1,200 IU per day) plus circuit training (15 women)
- Circuit training group (no vitamin D) (13 women)
- Vitamin D group (no circuit training) (11 women)
- Control group (13 women)
Those in the circuit training group exercised 3 to 4 times per week for 25 to 40 minutes per session. The exercise consisted of aerobic exercises that were alternated with weight-bearing exercises used in previous research (6). Blood samples were obtained and body composition measured before and after the study.
After 12 weeks, significant benefits were seen in both the circuit training/vitamin D group and circuit training only group:
| What was Measured | Circuit Training/Vitamin D | Circuit Training |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat (cm2) | 9.1% decrease (274.3 to 249.37, p < 0.01) | 10% decrease (295.20 to 265.87, p < 0.01) |
| Total Cholesterol (mg/dL) | 12.5% decrease (191.73 to 167.80, p < 0.01) | 7.4% decrease (180.77 to 167.46, p < 0.05) |
| LDL Cholesterol (mg/dL) | 9.8% decrease (104.80 to 94.60, p< 0.01) | 8.7% decrease (98.77 to 90.23, p < 0.05) |
| Body weight (kilograms) | 2.1% decrease (58.59 to 57.38, p< 0.001) | 2% decrease (59.55 to 58.40, p< 0.01) |
| Fat mass (kg) | 5% decrease (19.69 to 18.71, p< 0.01) | 4.9% decrease (20.35 to 19.37, p< 0.01) |
No statistically significant changes were seen in the vitamin D and control groups.
For the researchers, “12 weeks of vitamin D supplementation and circuit training would have positive effects on abdominal fat and blood lipid profiles in T2D and vitamin D deficient elderly women” and that “Vitamin D supplementation was especially effective when it was complemented with exercise training.”
Source: Kim, Hyoung-Jun, et al. “Effects of vitamin D supplementation and circuit training on indices of obesity and insulin resistance in T2D and vitamin D deficient elderly women.” Journal of Exercise Nutrition and Biochemistry 18.3 (2014): 249-257.
© 2014 The Korean Society for Exercise Nutrition
Posted February 16, 2015.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com
References:
- Ramachandran A, Snehalatha C, Ma RC. Diabetes in South-East Asia: An update for 2013 for the IDF Diabetes Atlas. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 2014;103(2):231-237
- Sigal RJ, Kenny GP, Boulé NG, Wells GA, Prud’homme D, Fortier M, Reid RD, Tulloch H, Coyle D, Phillips P, Jennings A, Jaffey, J. Effects of aerobic training, resistance training, or both on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2007;147(6):357-369.
- American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes-2013. Diabetes Care, 2013;36(1):11-66
- Plotnikoff RC, Taylor LM, Wilson PM, Courneya KS, Sigal RJ, Birkett N, Raine K, Svenson, LW. Factors associated with physical activity in Canadian adults with diabetes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2006;38(8):1526-1534
- Effects of vitamin D supplementation and circuit training on indices of obesity and insulin resistance in T2D and vitamin D deficient elderly women. J Exerc Nutrition Biochem 2014 Sep;18(3):249-57. doi: 10.5717/jenb.2014.18.3.249. Epub 2014 Aug 26
- Rasmussen CR, Kreider C, Kerksick B, Campbell B, Slonaker M, Greenwood J, Baer E, Pfau M, Grimstvedt C, Wilborn A, Thomas L, Autrey T, Magrans B, Marcello C, Mulligan D, Rohle L, Taylor A, Vacanti S, Ounpraseuth P, Casey R. Effects of the Curves? Fitness and Weight Loss Program on Markers of Health. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2004;36(5):106-112.
