A preliminary study: Effects of football training on glucose control, body composition, and performance in men with type 2 diabetes

The effects of regular football training on glycemic control, body composition, and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) were investigated in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Twenty-one middle-aged men (49.8 +/- 1.7 years +/- SEM) with T2DM were divided into a football training group (FG; n=12) and an inactive control group (CG; n=9) during a 24-week intervention period (IP). During a 1-h football training session, the distance covered was 4.7 +/- 0.2km, mean heart rate (HR) was 83 +/- 2% of HRmax, and blood lactate levels increased (P<0.001) from 2.1 +/- 0.3 to 8.2 +/- 1.3mmol/L. In FG, VO2peak was 11% higher (P<0.01), and total fat mass and android fat mass were 1.7kg and 12.8% lower (P<0.001), respectively, after IP. After IP, the reduction in plasma glucose was greater (P=0.02) in FG than the increase in CG, and in FG, GLUT-4 tended to be higher (P=0.072) after IP. For glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1), an overall time effect (P<0.01) was detected after 24 weeks. After IP, the number of capillaries around type I fibers was 7% higher (P<0.05) in FG and 5% lower (P<0.05) in CG. Thus, in men with T2DM, regular football training improves VO2peak, reduces fat mass, and may positively influence glycemic control.