Can walking or short sprints fix prediabetes?
High-intensity interval training improves insulin sensitivity in individuals with prediabetes.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Walking alone improved whole-body insulin sensitivity by 42.3% but showed no significant change in skeletal muscle mitochondrial proteins.
It’s widely believed that improved insulin sensitivity comes from better mitochondrial function in muscle—but here, walking worked without it.
Practical Takeaways
If you have prediabetes, aim for 10,000 steps daily and add three 20-second sprints three times a week for maximum insulin sensitivity benefits.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Walking alone improved whole-body insulin sensitivity by 42.3% but showed no significant change in skeletal muscle mitochondrial proteins.
It’s widely believed that improved insulin sensitivity comes from better mitochondrial function in muscle—but here, walking worked without it.
Practical Takeaways
If you have prediabetes, aim for 10,000 steps daily and add three 20-second sprints three times a week for maximum insulin sensitivity benefits.
Publication
Journal
European journal of endocrinology
Year
2025
Authors
P. Mensberg, Clarissa Frandsen, Christian S. Carl, Emilie Espersen, Thomas Leineweber, E. L. Larsen, Heidi Storgaard, Kirstine Schlawitz, Torben H D Petersen, Jytte N Poulsen, Frederik Sørensen, Peter M Gørtz, J. Forman, Bente Kiens, Filip K Knop, T. Vilsbøll
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Claims (4)
Engaging in consistent physical activity is associated with better control of blood glucose levels in individuals who have a high risk of developing prediabetes.
In sedentary adults with prediabetes, walking more than 10,000 steps daily for 12 weeks leads to a 42.3% improvement in how effectively the body uses insulin to regulate blood sugar, without altering levels of mitochondrial proteins in skeletal muscle.
In people with prediabetes, combining short bursts of intense exercise with walking leads to higher levels of specific muscle proteins involved in energy production and sugar uptake compared to doing either type of exercise by itself.
In sedentary adults with prediabetes, a specific form of short, intense exercise performed three times per week for twelve weeks increases the body's ability to respond to insulin in muscle and fat tissue, improving glucose control.