Physical activity done in the evening provides the most benefit for sedentary adults who are overweight or obese, according to a new study published in Obesity. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in the evenings was associated with the greatest reductions in blood sugar. The results were particularly significant in those with metabolic impairments who have difficulty regulating their blood sugar levels.
While the research team didn’t impose an exercise routine on the participants, they measured any physical activity participants engaged in, classifying it by the time of day completed. All exercises helped participants lower their glucose levels. The group reduced its 24-hour average glucose by 1 milligram per deciliter (mg/dL) during somewhat active days and up to 1.
5 mg/dL on very active days. However, the researchers found that average glucose levels were lower when most of the moderate-to-vigorous exercise was done during the evening, amounting to a 2.16 mg/dL reduction.
“This association was stronger in those participants with impaired glucose regulation. The pattern of these associations was similar in both men and women,” the authors wrote. The authors said it is still unclear why the drop in blood sugar levels differed based on the time of the physical activity but suggested that the body’s circadian rhythms could be a reason.
The skeletal muscles, which are responsible for physical movement and help reduce blood sugar levels by burning sugar, become less c.
