Going to the gym in the late evening boosts your metabolism and lowers your blood sugar at night. The experts, led by scientists from the Australian Catholic University, studied the metabolism of 24 overweight men at risk of developing type 2 diabetes who were offered a high-fat diet. Morning and evening workouts improved cardiorespiratory health, while late evening workouts lowered glucose levels throughout the night, according to Diabetologia.
The subjects were divided into groups, depending on whether they played sports in the morning, in the evening, or did not exercise at all. Regardless of the time of day, exercise improved cardiorespiratory health, and those who exercised late in the evening had a marked decrease in glucose levels at night.
According to lead researcher Trine Moholdt, the study's findings are of particular importance for diabetics who have problems with glucose regulation. “We found that exercise in the morning or evening caused cardiorespiratory improvements, but night blood sugar only improved in the evening exercise group.”
According to Dr. Moholdt, people with type 2 diabetes often suffer from spikes in glucose at night. Research has shown that nocturnal hyperglycemia – an increase in blood sugar levels – can now be managed with exercise.
Previously, experts from the UK's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) found that a low-carb diet in just six months lowers blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes and the condition of overweight or obese patients. Scientists noted the observed weight loss, an improvement in the level of glycated hemoglobin HbA1c, fasting blood glucose and triacylglycerol in serum.
