Volunteers required for short exercise sprints research

14 January 2013

Scientists from the University of Bath are looking for volunteers to help them continue research into how short exercise sprints can help to reduce the risk of diabetes.

Last year Dr Niels Vollaard showed that performing a couple of short intense cycle sprints three times a week could be enough to prevent and possibly treat the illness.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when blood sugar levels build up to dangerously high levels due to reduced insulin function, often caused by a sedentary lifestyle.

Regular exercise can help keep blood sugar levels low but busy lifestyles and lack of motivation mean 66 per cent of the population is not getting the recommended five 30-minute sessions of moderate exercise a week.

The short cycle sprints could offer a solution as the research has shown that the exercise is enough to break down muscle sugar stores in a very short amount of time, which may help improve insulin function.

Now the team wants to investigate the method further and is seeking volunteers to take part in tests that will allow them to collect more data.

They are looking for men and women between the ages of 18 and 50 who currently do not perform any regular exercise.

PhD researcher Richard Metcalfe, who is leading the new study, said: "In previous tests we saw that there was a 28 per cent improvement in insulin function after six weeks. We want to collect more data on whether this type of exercise is effective against the risk factors of diabetes and whether we can determine why some people benefit while others do not".

Volunteers will be asked to take part in three 10-minute exercise sessions a week at the University. They will be tested for insulin sensitivity before and after the six weeks of exercise training. There is no payment for taking part but volunteers will be given a full health analysis.

Further information

For more information contact Richard Metcalfe.
email: r.s.metcalfe@bath.ac.uk | Tel: 07508 420149