Acute Blood Glucose Responses to Resistance Versus Aerobic Exercise in Physically Active Students
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigated the acute effects of aerobic and resistance exercises on blood glucose levels in physically active students, with an additional focus on the transient impact of chewing sugar-free gum. A total of 30 male participants aged 20–26 years from Pondicherry University were divided into three groups: Experimental Group 1 (aerobic exercise via the Cooper 12-minute run/walk test), Experimental Group 2 (resistance training via a muscular fitness test), and a Control Group (no exercise). Blood glucose levels were measured under three conditions: before warm-up (baseline), after 10 minutes of chewing sugar-free gum (pre-test), and 15 minutes post-exercise (post-test). Data were analysed using a one-way ANOVA and Scheffe post-hoc test, with significance at p < 0.05. Results revealed significant reductions in blood glucose levels after chewing gum in all groups (p < 0.05), suggesting a transient glucose-lowering effect. Post-exercise, Group 1 (aerobic) showed a significant decrease in blood glucose (p = 0.005), while Group 2 (resistance) exhibited a transient increase (p = 0.000), likely due to anaerobic metabolic demands. The Control Group demonstrated no significant change between pre-and post-test conditions (p = 0.309), highlighting the role of physical activity in glucose regulation. The findings indicate that aerobic and resistance exercises effectively regulate blood glucose levels, albeit through different mechanisms. Aerobic exercise demonstrated a more consistent glucose-lowering effect, while resistance training showed greater variability. Chewing sugar-free gum emerged as a potential adjunct to exercise for transient glucose management. These results underscore the importance of tailored exercise prescriptions for metabolic health and suggest further exploring non-invasive interventions like chewing gum in glucose regulation strategies. KEYWORDS: Blood glucose, aerobic exercise, resistance training, chewing gum, metabolic health, physical activity
DOI: 10.36713/epra20359
Authors: Bikash Kalita, Aakash M Tom, Husaif Karimpanattayil Abdulkader, Mathew Issac, Bindhu. S
Language: English
Topic: Physical Activity and Health
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4407959839