The Effect of a Short Sprint on Postexercise Whole-Body Glucose Production and Utilization Rates in Individuals with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Context: Recently we showed that a 10-sec maximal sprint effort performed before or after moderate intensity exercise can prevent early hypoglycemia during recovery in individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, the mechanisms underlying this protective effect of sprinting are still unknown. Objective: The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that short duration sprinting increases blood glucose levels via a disproportionate increase in glucose rate of appearance (Ra) relative to glucose rate of disappearance (Rd). Subjects and Experimental Design: Eight T1DM participants were subjected to a euglycemic-euinsulinemic clamp and, together with nondiabetic participants, were infused with [6,6-2H]glucose before sprinting for 10 sec and allowed to recover for 2 h. Results: In response to sprinting, blood glucose levels increased by 1.2 ± 0.2 mmol/liter (P < 0.05) within 30 min of recovery in T1DM participants and remained stable afterward, whereas glycemia rose by only 0.40 ± 0.05 mmol/liter in the nondiabetic group. During recovery, glucose Ra did not change in both groups (P > 0.05), but glucose Rd in the nondiabetic and diabetic participants fell rapidly after exercise before returning within 30 min to preexercise levels. After sprinting, the levels of plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, and GH rose transiently in both experimental groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: A sprint as short as 10 sec can increase plasma glucose levels in nondiabetic and T1DM individuals, with this rise resulting from a transient decline in glucose Rd rather than from a disproportionate rise in glucose Ra relative to glucose Rd as reported with intense aerobic exercise.