Exercise Fails to Improve Postprandial Glycemic Excursion in Women with Gestational Diabetes

• Published in: The Journal of maternal-fetal medicine 1996, Vol.5 (4), p.211-217
• Main Authors: Lesser, Karen B., Gruppuso, Philip A., Terry, Richard B., Carpenter, Marshall W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Exercise during pregnancy; Gestational diabetes; Glycemic response
• ISSN: 1476-7058; 1057-0802; 1476-4954; 1520-6661
• DOI: 10.3109/14767059609025426

The effect of an acute period of moderate intensity exercise on maternal glycemic excursion following a mixed nutrient meal was studied. Five normal (NL) and six gestational diabetic (GDM) subjects were enrolled. A randomized crossover design was used to compare fasting glucose and insulin levels, peak glucose and insulin levels and incremental area of the glycemic and insulin curves following a mixed nutrient meal with or without an exercise stress that took place 14 h earlier. Exercise consisted of upright stationary cycling for 30 min at a heart rate consistent with 60% O2 max. The clinical characteristics of normal and gestational diabetic subjects were comparable. Mean values (±SM) with, versus without, exercise for fasting glucose (NL: 78.9 ± 2.6 vs. 80.0 ± 2.6 mg/dl; GDM: 86.4 ± 2.0 vs. 82.1 ± 3.5 mg/ dl), peak glucose (NL: 132.3 ± 10.4 vs. 139.1 ± 15.6 mg/dl; GDM: 165.8 ± 5.5 vs. 160.3 ± 7.8 mg/dl), the area under the glycemic curve (NL: 5758 ± 1038 vs. 6393 ± 1281 mg/dl ± min; GDM: 8,178 ± 890 vs. 8,331 ± 563 mg/dl ± min) did not differ. Similarly, plasma insulin levels did not differ between protocols for either group of subjects. Exercise has been proposed as a treatment to reduce glycemia in gestational diabetes. Results from this study indicate a single bout of exercise did not blunt the glycemic response observed following a mixed nutrient meal.