Isoenergetic High Intensity Interval Training and Moderate Intensity Training in Adults With Type I Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with increased risk of poor cardiometabolic health. Regular exercise is recommended for optimal management of comorbidities in T1D. Unique barriers to exercise exist for T1D, including fear of hypoglycemia, unpredictable glycemic excursions with exercise, and inadequate knowledge about exercise. Unlike traditional moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) which requires extended periods of time, high intensity interval training (HIIT) requires minimal time (\~10 minutes of exercise per session), with the potential to rapidly stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism. The extent to which these exercise strategies alter metabolomic signatures of carbohydrate, fat, and amino acid metabolism in T1D is unknown. The overall goal of the proposed project is to identify the acute metabolic effects and physiological modifiers of HIIT compared to MICT and control (CON) using metabolomic profiling and cardiometabolic assessments in 14 adults with T1D. Using a randomized cross-over approach, the primary aim is to compare the metabolomics response immediately post, 1 hr post, and glycemic control through 48 hrs after HIIT, compared to MICT matched for total energy expenditure, versus a no exercise CON. An additional aim will be to characterize the influence of biological sex and physiological outcomes (i.e. body composition, lean mass, visceral fat) on the metabolomics profile of these subjects. Outcomes from the present study, with existing data from our team, will lay the foundation for a larger diet and exercise lifestyle intervention that will ultimately lead to changes in clinical practice to co-manage glycemia and cardiometabolic comorbidities.