Scientists found a surprising way to make exercise work better

"Exercise normally boosts the body's ability to use oxygen, a key marker of health and longevity - but high blood sugar can block that benefit. Researchers found that a ketogenic diet helped mice normalize blood sugar and dramatically improved how their muscles responded to exercise. Their muscles became better at using oxygen and built more endurance fibers."

"People with high blood sugar frequently miss out on some of these benefits from exercise, particularly improvements in how efficiently their bodies use oxygen. Elevated blood sugar raises the risk of heart and kidney disease. It can also interfere with the ability of muscles to increase oxygen uptake during physical activity."

Exercise normally enhances the body's ability to use oxygen, a critical health indicator linked to longevity. However, high blood sugar impairs this benefit by interfering with muscle oxygen uptake during physical activity. Research led by Sarah Lessard examined how diet affects exercise response in mice with elevated blood sugar. A ketogenic diet, which increases fat intake rather than reducing it, normalized blood sugar levels and produced dramatic improvements in muscle function. The mice's muscles became significantly better at using oxygen and developed more endurance fibers. These findings suggest diet and exercise interact in unexpected ways to optimize metabolic health, particularly for individuals with blood sugar regulation challenges.

Read at ScienceDaily