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| Short fast sprints 'cut' diabetes | Short fast sprints 'cut' diabetes |
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| Short bursts of intense exercise every few days could dramatically cut the risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to an expert. | Short bursts of intense exercise every few days could dramatically cut the risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to an expert. |
| Rather than slaving away for hours in the gym, people should focus their attention on quick "sprints" with each workout lasting just a few minutes. | Rather than slaving away for hours in the gym, people should focus their attention on quick "sprints" with each workout lasting just a few minutes. |
| James Timmons, Heriot-Watt University professor of exercise biology has studied the effects of quick exercise. | James Timmons, Heriot-Watt University professor of exercise biology has studied the effects of quick exercise. |
| He recommends 4 x 30 second sprints on an exercise bike three times a week. | He recommends 4 x 30 second sprints on an exercise bike three times a week. |
| He said people could reduce their risk of diabetes and heart disease substantially with short, intense workouts - with such "time-efficient" exercising appealing to busy workers. | He said people could reduce their risk of diabetes and heart disease substantially with short, intense workouts - with such "time-efficient" exercising appealing to busy workers. |
| An intense workout for a few minutes may keep heart disease and diabetes at bay | An intense workout for a few minutes may keep heart disease and diabetes at bay |
| In his study, published in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders, 16 men exercised for three sessions a week for two weeks. | In his study, published in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders, 16 men exercised for three sessions a week for two weeks. |
| Each session was made up of 4 x 30 second sprints on an exercise bike. | Each session was made up of 4 x 30 second sprints on an exercise bike. |
| This involved the men going as fast as they could for 30 seconds and then taking a few minutes of complete rest between each sprint. | This involved the men going as fast as they could for 30 seconds and then taking a few minutes of complete rest between each sprint. |
| After two weeks, Prof Timmons said the results were "substantial", with a 23% improvement in insulin function. | After two weeks, Prof Timmons said the results were "substantial", with a 23% improvement in insulin function. |
| While his research focused on young men, Prof Timmons said it would work for people of all ages and for both men and women. | While his research focused on young men, Prof Timmons said it would work for people of all ages and for both men and women. |
| He said: "This study looked at the way we break down stores of glycogen. | He said: "This study looked at the way we break down stores of glycogen. |
| "Think about diabetes as being glucose circulating in the blood rather than stored in the muscles where it should be. | "Think about diabetes as being glucose circulating in the blood rather than stored in the muscles where it should be. |
| "If we take out the glycogen from the muscles through exercise, then the muscles draw in that excess glucose from the blood." | "If we take out the glycogen from the muscles through exercise, then the muscles draw in that excess glucose from the blood." |
| Intense contractions | Intense contractions |
| He added: "If you go for a jog or a run you oxidise glycogen but you are not depleting the glycogen in your muscles. | He added: "If you go for a jog or a run you oxidise glycogen but you are not depleting the glycogen in your muscles. |
| "The only way to get to this glycogen is through very intense contractions of the muscles. | "The only way to get to this glycogen is through very intense contractions of the muscles. |
| "If we can get people in their 20s, 30s and 40s doing these exercises twice a week then it could have a very dramatic effect on the future prevalence of diabetes." | "If we can get people in their 20s, 30s and 40s doing these exercises twice a week then it could have a very dramatic effect on the future prevalence of diabetes." |
| He said the effects were bigger than the traditional "one hour of running per day". | He said the effects were bigger than the traditional "one hour of running per day". |
| The exercise routine is known as "high-intensity interval training" or HIT for short. | The exercise routine is known as "high-intensity interval training" or HIT for short. |
| Prof Timmons said current guidelines on how much exercise people should take may need revising. | Prof Timmons said current guidelines on how much exercise people should take may need revising. |
| Diabetes UK research manager Victoria King said short duration, high-intensity training improved insulin action in young healthy males but the research had only been undertaken in a small group of people without diabetes. | Diabetes UK research manager Victoria King said short duration, high-intensity training improved insulin action in young healthy males but the research had only been undertaken in a small group of people without diabetes. |
| She said: "Whilst the improvement in the control of insulin action in those who undertook the training is interesting, it's limited at this stage as to what we can learn." |