Interactions between insulin and exercise

Abstract

The interaction between insulin and exercise is an example of balancing and modifying the effects of two opposing metabolic regulatory forces under varying conditions. While insulin is secreted after food intake and is the primary hormone increasing glucose storage as glycogen and fatty acid storage as triglycerides, exercise is a condition where fuel stores need to be mobilized and oxidized. Thus, during physical activity the fuel storage effects of insulin need to be suppressed. This is done primarily by inhibiting insulin secretion during exercise as well as activating local and systemic fuel mobilizing processes. In contrast, following exercise there is a need for refilling the fuel depots mobilized during exercise, particularly the glycogen stores in muscle. This process is facilitated by an increase in insulin sensitivity of the muscles previously engaged in physical activity which directs glucose to glycogen resynthesis. In physically trained individuals, insulin sensitivity is also higher than in untrained individuals due to adaptations in the vasculature, skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. In this paper, we review the interactions between insulin and exercise during and after exercise, as well as the effects of regular exercise training on insulin action.

Effect of sera from elite athletes on cytokine secretion and insulin signaling in preadipocytes and skeletal muscle cells

“…Like the LE/LP athlete serum, HP athlete serum appeared to increase insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle cells presented by the significant increase in GSK3-β, IRS1, Akt, mTOR, and TSC2 phosphorylation. The effect of LE/LP and HP athlete serum on insulin signaling of preadipocytes and skeletal muscles were in agreement with the former investigations of exercise-associated insulin signaling ( Kwak, 2013 ; Richter et al, 2021 ). During exercise, skeletal muscles are the main consumers of energy, while the adipocytes (major sites of fat storage) work to hydrolyze triglycerides to produce energy ( Kwak, 2013 ).…”

The Effects of 24 Weeks of Non-Face-to-Face Home Exercise on Body Composition, Physical Fitness, Cardiovascular Function, and Blood Profiles in Pre-Metabolic Syndrome Korean Adults: A Pilot Study

“…Of course, some studies show that exercise does not significantly affect the improvement of lipid profiles and glucose [ 44 , 45 , 46 ]. Nevertheless, much research indicates that exercise has positive effects, such as lower cardiovascular disease prevalence, lipid improvement, and insulin sensitivity [ 8 , 37 , 38 , 47 ]. In addition, exercise has been shown to partially reverse the age-related physiological decline and improve individual work performance [ 48 ].…”

The Influence of Family History of Type 2 Diabetes on Metabolism during Submaximal Aerobic Exercise and in the Recovery Period in Postmenopausal Women

“…These are all contexts of energy surplus, where the action of insulin is primordial. In contrast, our study focused on exercise metabolism, a context of energy demand during which the role of insulin is minimal [ 37 ]. Our results therefore suggest that the metabolic defects previously observed in family history of T2D might be limited to contexts where the action of insulin is preponderant, and that exercise metabolism is spared in a healthy population of FDR.…”