Time of Day Dependant Effects of High Intensity Interval Training on Blood Glucose Levels in Participants With Type 2 Diabetes

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a promising intervention for treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes. In spite of the interplay between circadian rhythms and exercise, the time of day in which the most robust adaption to HIIT can be achieved is unknown. The main goal of the study is to compare the efficacy of morning and afternoon HIIT in lowering blood glucose values in participants with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, we aim to to elucidate the underlying hormonal changes and fuel utilization preference responsible for the differing blood glucose response.

A randomized cross-over trial with 40 participants with type 2 diabetes will be performed. The participants will be examined on three occasions on an in-patient basis (36-hour hospital visits). On visit 1 baseline (no exercise) measurements will be established. On visit 2 the participants will perform a single bout of HIIT either in the morning (08:30) or afternoon (19:30). After a 1-week washout period, the participants will return for visit 3 and an opposing exercise time. Primarily, the efficacy of the morning and afternoon HIIT will be judged by the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) -based glycaemia measurements. Additionally, during the visits the investigators will collect repeated blood samples to assess the effect of exercise timing on the diurnal hormonal rhythms. Fuel utilization preference will be measured by respiratory exchange ratio (RER)during exercise.

The hypothesis is that afternoon HIIT will be more efficacious in controlling blood glucose values, based on the preliminary data gathered from the 'free living' pilot study. The current study will aim to compare the morning and afternoon exercise in controlled conditions, eliminating the effects of dietary intake, medication and sleep cycle disruption. Additionally, the specific factors responsible for the differing glycaemic response to morning and afternoon exercise will be elucidated.

Preliminary data from the pilot study

A randomised cross-over pilot study with 11 participants with type 2 diabetes in 'free living' conditions has been performed. Glycaemia measurements were collected by continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for 2 weeks pre-training and for the duration of the study. The participants were assigned to either morning (08:00) or afternoon (16:00) training regime consisting of 6 HIIT occasions over 2 weeks. Following a 2-week 'wash-out' period, the participants performed the opposing exercise training regime. The preliminary results show that HIIT is more efficacious in improving glycaemia when performed in the afternoon, rather than in the morning.