A 10‐second sprint does not blunt hormonal counter‐regulation to subsequent hypoglycaemia

• Published in: Diabetic medicine 2017-10, Vol.34 (10), p.1440-1446
• Main Authors: Paramalingam, N., Fournier, P. A., Davey, R. J., Roby, H. C., Smith, G. J., Shetty, V. B., Guelfi, K. J., Davis, E. A., Jones, T. W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Blood pressure; Cortisol; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - complications; Epinephrine; Epinephrine - blood; Female; Glucagon; Glucagon - blood; Glucose; Glucose Clamp Technique; Growth hormones; Heart rate; Humans; Hypoglycemia; Hypoglycemia - blood; Hypoglycemia - etiology; Hypoglycemia - metabolism; Insulin - blood; Male; Norepinephrine; Norepinephrine - blood; Regulation; Running - physiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0742-3071; 1464-5491
• DOI: 10.1111/dme.13396

Aim To investigate whether a 10‐second (s) sprint impairs the counter‐regulatory response to subsequent hypoglycaemia. Methods Nine people (five male, four female) with Type 1 diabetes, aged 21.1 ± 4.5 years, performed a 10‐s rest or a 10‐s maximum‐effort sprint in random order on different days, while subjected to an euinsulinaemic‐euglycaemic clamp. This was followed by a hyperinsulinaemic‐hypoglycaemic glucose clamp 2.5 h later to induce hypoglycaemia for 40 min. At timed intervals, the counter‐regulatory hormonal responses to hypoglycaemia were measured. Blood pressure, heart rate and hypoglycaemic symptoms were also assessed. Results During the hypoglycaemic clamp, epinephrine, norepinephrine, growth hormone and cortisol levels increased significantly from baseline, and their responses were similar after both rest and sprint conditions. In particular, plasma epinephrine rose eightfold, from 197 ± 103 pmol/l to 1582 ± 1118 pmol/l after the rest condition, and from 219 ± 119 pmol/l to 1900 ± 898 pmol/l after the sprint condition. Conclusion A 10‐s sprint is unlikely to blunt the subsequent hormonal counter‐regulation to hypoglycaemia in individuals with Type 1 diabetes. What's new? A 10‐second (s) sprint is unlikely to blunt the counter‐regulatory hormonal response to hypoglycaemia in individuals with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. In view of this, it is safe to trial the incorporation of the 10‐s sprint into sustained exercise to prevent hypoglycaemia. The glucagon response is elevated for several hours after a 10‐s sprint.