Working Out for Better Gut and Heart Health
By
Connections between the risk of diabetes and blood flow show the benefits of early exercise.
April 8, 2025
From The Staff Biology Medicine Genetics Physiology
Studies have shown that if people have a family history of Type 2 diabetes, they often show impairment in other physiological processes much earlier than they show signs of insulin resistance. For instance, they may have less metabolic flexibility—the ability of the body to switch the types of fuels it uses under stress—and they may have reduced blood flow in their extremities and capillaries. These impairments are exacerbated by high cholesterol, and are associated with low diversity in gut microbiota, which can also affect the permeability of the intestinal wall. Ryan Russell of North Carolina A&T University discusses research results that look into how exercise can improve cardiovascular health, but consequently aid in gut microbiota composition, intestinal permeability, blood flow, and other metabolic factors that can reduce the cascade that leads to the development of Type 2 diabetes.
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