Intense exercise and diet can help obese people with diabetes not only lose weight, but they can also teach their fat cells how to make a hormone that, according to scientists, increases the production of “good” cholesterol.
This so-called "good" cholesterol, or HDL cholesterol, is good because it has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.
Scientists from the Methodist Hospital in Houston conducted multi-purpose clinical trials to study how reducing calorie intake and increasing physical activity in people suffering from obesity and type 2 diabetes will affect the development of heart and blood vessel diseases.
The participants were divided into two groups, and each group was offered a specific program: an intensive training and diet program (lifestyle intervention group) and a program that offered only diabetes support and training, but not lifestyle changes (control group).
A year later, the first group achieved significant improvements in physical fitness, weight, blood sugar and fat levels.
Although the level of "bad" LDL cholesterol has not changed, adiponectin adipose tissue hormone and HDL cholesterol levels have increased: adiponectin levels are about 12%, and HDL cholesterol levels are 10%.
Adiponectin is known to burn fat and eliminate high sugar. This study shows that the hormone also stimulates the liver to produce HDL cholesterol.
"When you exercise and follow a diet, you improve the function of your adipose tissue, heart, and vascular system, and even your muscle," says lead researcher Dr. Christy Ballantin. “Even sick, overweight people benefit from lifestyle changes.”
