Exercise, pregnancy, and insulin sensitivity – what is new?

Pregnancy is characterized by a marked physiological insulin resistance. Overweight and obesity or lack of physical activity can aggravate this reduced insulin sensitivity further. Increased insulin resistance has been associated with serious pregnancy complications, such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and pre-eclampsia. Recent studies clearly indicate that physical activity before and during pregnancy can reduce the risk of GDM and pre-eclampsia.

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Effects of Astaxanthin on Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in a Mouse Model of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Dose-Response ◽

10.1177/1559325820926765 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 155932582092676

Author(s):

Weihong Feng ◽

Yanxia Wang ◽

Na Guo ◽

Pu Huang ◽

Yang Mi

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Insulin Resistance ◽

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Insulin Sensitivity ◽

Gestational Diabetes ◽

Glucose Tolerance ◽

Mouse Model ◽

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus ◽

The Body ◽

Ros Generation

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a condition in which a hormone made by the placenta prevents the body from using insulin effectively. It is important to find an effective treatment. A mouse model of GDM was used to testify the effects of astaxanthin on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Production of inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) translocation and insulin-related signaling were measured in the presence of astaxanthin both in vivo and in vitro. It was found that astaxanthin improved insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, and litter size of offspring and reduced birth weight of offspring and inflammation in GDM mouse. Moreover, astaxanthin increased GLUT4 translocating to membrane without altering its secretion/expression and glucose uptake and consumption in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Furthermore, ROS generation and insulin-related signaling inhibited by tumor necrosis factor α was restored by astaxanthin. It is concluded that astaxanthin has the potential to attenuate GDM symptoms by regulating inflammation and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle of pregnant mice. Our findings suggest that astaxanthin could be a promising and effective molecule to treat GDM.

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Relationship between the adoption of preventive practices and the metabolic profile of women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus

Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1139/h2012-114 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 37 (6) ◽

pp. 1232-1238 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Véronique Gingras ◽

Ann-Marie Paradis ◽

André Tchernof ◽

S. John Weisnagel ◽

Julie Robitaille

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Insulin Sensitivity ◽

Waist Circumference ◽

Gestational Diabetes ◽

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Metabolic Profile ◽

Healthy Eating Index ◽

Preventive Practices ◽

Matsuda Index

Women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviours to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. The objective was to examine the association between the adoption of preventive practices and the metabolic profile of women with prior GDM. Analyses included 181 women who had GDM between 2003 and 2010. The preventive practices examined included (i) regular physical activity (≥150 min·week–1) assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire; (ii) a healthy diet (score derived from the Alternate Healthy Eating Index and associated with a lower metabolic risk) evaluated from a food frequency questionnaire; and (iii) exclusive breastfeeding (≥6 months). Women were classified according to the number of preventive practices adopted. Waist circumference, weight, and height were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Fasting insulinemia and glycemia were obtained and Matsuda index for insulin sensitivity was calculated. Nearly one-third of women adopted none of the listed preventive practices. For each increase of 1 preventive practice adopted, women were 30% less likely to have a BMI ≥ 25 kg·m–2 (odds ratio (OR): 0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.50–0.98)), they were 34% less likely to have a waist circumference ≥ 88 cm (OR: 0.66, 95%CI (0.47–0.92)) and they were 33% less likely to have a Matsuda index for insulin sensitivity < 9.69 (OR: 0.67, 95%CI (0.48–0.94)). These results suggest that women with prior GDM who adopt the recommended preventive practices in the years following delivery are less likely to have lower insulin sensitivity, less likely to be overweight–obese, and less likely to be characterized by abdominal obesity.

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Insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in normal pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus

Gynecological Endocrinology ◽

10.1080/gye.17.2.137.142 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 137-142 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

E. Akbay ◽

M. B. Tıras ◽

I. Yetkin ◽

F. Törüner ◽

R. Ersoy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Insulin Secretion ◽

Insulin Sensitivity ◽

Gestational Diabetes ◽

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Normal Pregnancy

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Plasma retinol-binding protein 4 in the first and second trimester and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in Chinese women: a nested case-control study

Nutrition & Metabolism ◽

10.1186/s12986-019-0425-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chuyao Jin ◽

Lizi Lin ◽

Na Han ◽

Zhiling Zhao ◽

Zheng Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Insulin Resistance ◽

Gestational Diabetes ◽

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Binding Protein ◽

First Trimester ◽

Retinol Binding Protein ◽

Second Trimester ◽

Retinol Binding Protein 4 ◽

Plasma Retinol

Abstract Background To assess the association between plasma retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) levels both in the first trimester and second trimester and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods Plasma RBP4 levels and insulin were measured among 135 GDM cases and 135 controls nested within the Peking University Birth Cohort in Tongzhou. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to assess the influence of RBP4 levels on insulin resistance. Conditional logistic regression models were used to compute the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) between RBP4 levels and risk of GDM. Results The GDM cases had significantly higher levels of RBP4 in the first trimester than controls (medians: 18.0 μg/L vs 14.4 μg/L; P < 0.05). Plasma RBP4 concentrations in the first and second trimester were associated with fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) in the second trimester (all P < 0.001). With adjustment for diet, physical activity, and other risk factors for GDM, the risk of GDM increased with every 1-log μg/L increment of RBP4 levels, and the OR (95% CI) was 3.12 (1.08–9.04) for RBP4 in the first trimester and 3.38 (1.03–11.08) for RBP4 in the second trimester. Conclusions Plasma RBP4 levels both in the first trimester and second trimester were dose-dependently associated with increased risk of GDM.

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