In adults with prediabetes, a single session of moderate-intensity or high-intensity exercise significantly reduces the second-phase insulin response during an oral glucose tolerance test, with reductions of 22% and 26% respectively compared to a resting condition.

When you exercise, your muscles use up their stored sugar, called glycogen. This exercise also causes changes in your body that help your muscles refill their glycogen stores. After exercise, your muscles become more sensitive to insulin, which means they take sugar out of the blood more easily. So when you drink a sugary drink, your body doesn't need to make as much insulin to keep your blood sugar normal, especially in the second phase. This is why exercise can lower the amount of insulin your body needs after a meal.