This paper was presented at the
National Seminar on
Indian Psychology: Theories and Models
SVYASA, Bangalore,
December 26 - 28, 2007
Effects of various exercises (yogic / walking) on fresh cases of type-2 diabetes mellitus and their relation to serum insulin level
Tarun Kumar Saxena, Sanjeev Maheshwari & R. K. Goyal — Mittal Hospital & Research Centre, Ajmer
Objectives: This is a study of yogic exercises and simple exercise like walking on physical parameters and metabolic control in freshly diagnosed patients of type-2 diabetes mellitus and to see whether response to exercise is affected by serum insulin levels (hyperinsulinemia / normal-low serum insulin).
Method: 110 freshly diagnosed patients of type-2 diabetes mellitus were studied for three months. The blood glucose, serum triglyceride, HbA1C and serum insulin were determined. Patients had higher / normal-low absolute serum insulin values at fasting, and accordingly patients were distributed into two groups; group one (serum-insulin i.e. ≤ 30 µU/ml) and group two (serum insulin i.e. ≥ 30 µU/ml). Each group was subdivided into two groups A and B. A was treated with yogic exercises and B with brisk walking.
Results: After 3 months group one had significant change in blood glucose, triglyceride & HbA1C values when treated with yogic exercise (subgroup A) as compared to (subgroup B). On the contrary group two showed no significant changes in blood glucose, triglyceride, HbA1C when treated with yogic exercise (subgroup A) while in the same group walking effectively produced euglycemia with decrease in triglyceride, HbA1C level (Subgroup B). In both groups subgroup B showed significant decrease in BMI and W:H ratio.
Conclusions: Different exercises have different action, walking mainly affects peripheral muscles reduces BMI, W:H ratio and possibly insulin resistance; where as yogic exercises mainly affects abdominal muscles and probably insulin release. Thus assessment of absolute serum insulin and decision of exercise may be helpful in fresh cases of type 2 diabetes.
Email the author, Dr. Tarun Kumar Saxena, at ajmer@mittalhospital.com