Exercise Snacks and Glutamine to Improve Glucose Control in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes

This project will assess the feasibility and efficacy of the use of exercise and dietary supplementation with a non essential amino acid - glutamine - a component of most protein supplements, on the regulation of plasma glucose homeostasis in a clinical setting of children with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The study specifically targets patients in puberty as this period is associated with a physiological decline in insulin sensitivity, the latter often associated with poor control. Although physical exercise has long been known to exert beneficial effects on metabolism, lack of time is the most common reason perceived as preventing the performance of exercise in both healthy and diabetic subjects. In earlier studies, the investigators showed that oral supplementation with glutamine, a non essential amino acid given prior to exercise decreases overnight post-exercise blood glucose in adolescents with T1D. Hence, the objective of the current study is to investigate if a novel way of exercising, such as performing 6 short bouts of just 1 min each of intense exercise ('exercise snacks') 30 min before meals, with or without glutamine, improves glycemic control in adolescents with T1D. Designing innovative ways to improve diabetes control in adolescents is highly desirable. The specific aim of the project is to determine whether the sustained use of the proposed exercise snacks with or without glutamine results in diminished glycemic variability and/or improved glucose control