Acute high-intensity interval exercise reduces the postprandial glucose response and prevalence of hyperglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes

High-volume endurance exercise (END) improves glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes (T2D) but many individuals cite lack of time as a barrier to regular participation. High-intensity interval training (HIT) is a time-efficient method to induce physiological adaptations similar to END, but little is known regarding the effect of HIT in T2D. Using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), we examined the 24-h blood glucose response to one session of HIT consisting of 10 X 60 s cycling efforts at similar to 90% maximal heart rate, interspersed with 60 s rest. Seven adults with T2D underwent CGM for 24-h on two occasions under standard dietary conditions: following acute HIT and on a non-exercise control day (CTL). HIT reduced hyperglycaemia measured as proportion of time spent above 10 mmol/l (HIT: 4.5 +/- 4.4 vs. CTL: 15.2 +/- 12.3%, p = 0.04). Postprandial hyperglycaemia, measured as the sum of post-meal areas under the glucose curve, was also lower after HIT vs. CTL (728 +/- 331 vs. 1142 +/- 556 mmol/l.9 h, p = 0.01). These findings highlight the potential for HIT to improve glycaemic control in T2D.