Researchers from Rutgers University suggest that a commonly prescribed diabetes medication may diminish some of the key benefits of exercise.
The new study found that adults who took metformin, a medication often used to help treat Type 2 diabetes, while exercising, experienced reduced improvements in blood sugar control, blood vessel function, and aerobic fitness compared to those who exercised without the medication.
The findings are the latest to show that, despite both metformin and exercise being considered beneficial for improving blood sugar control and heart health, the benefits netted from exercise may be suppressed when the two are combined.
“[I]t is not clear that taking both of these treatments together is best,” Steven Malin, lead study author and a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Rutgers’ School of Arts and Sciences, said to Fox News Digital. “If they are not, people could notice that energy levels may be low and/or their health is not getting better. This could lead to ‘psychological defeat,’ so to speak, and impact overall wellness and quality of life.”
Nearly 35 million Americans live with Type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with Texas having some of the highest rates of diabetes-related amputations in the country.
The researchers of the latest study conducted a double-blind trial that followed 72 adults at risk for metabolic syndrome. Participants were divided into four groups, with two performing high- or low-intensity exercise with a placebo, and the other two engaging in the same workouts while taking 2,000 milligrams of metformin daily over the 16-week trial.
The people who exercised with the drug exhibited clear improvements in vascular insulin sensitivity. However, when metformin was included, those gains diminished. These participants also experienced less reduction in inflammation and fasting glucose levels.
The researchers theorise that the drug may interfere with the body’s ability to adapt to exercise on a cellular level. However, experts caution that the study remains small, and further research is warranted.
While Type 1 diabetes is typically inherited, Type 2, which accounts for 90% of all diabetes diagnoses, usually results from an unhealthy lifestyle.