A new study reveals that a high-fat ketogenic diet will enhance the exercise benefits, particularly when blood sugar levels are elevated.
This new finding offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between diet and physical activity in promoting metabolic health.
The research, led by exercise medicine scientist Sarah Lessard at Virginia Tech, found that a ketogenic diet helped normalize blood sugar levels in mice and significantly improved how their muscles responded to exercise. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.
Exercise is widely known to improve the body’s ability to absorb and use oxygen, a key indicator linked to long-term health and longevity. Regular physical activity also helps control weight, strengthen the heart and build muscle.
However, individuals with elevated blood sugar often fail to experience some of these benefits, particularly improvements in oxygen uptake during exercise.
High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, is associated with increased risks of heart and kidney disease and can disrupt the body’s metabolic response to physical activity. The new study suggests that dietary changes may help restore these benefits.
How the Ketogenic Diet Normalized Blood Sugar: A Study in Mice
In the research, mice with high blood sugar were placed on a ketogenic diet, which is high in fat and very low in carbohydrates. Within one week, their blood sugar levels returned to normal.
“After one week on the ketogenic diet, their blood sugar was completely normal, as though they didn’t have diabetes at all,” Lessard said.
Over time, the diet also altered the structure of the animals’ muscles. Researchers observed that the muscles developed more oxidative properties and responded better to aerobic exercise.
Mice that followed the diet and exercised regularly on running wheels also showed an increase in slow-twitch muscle fibers, which are linked to improved endurance.
According to Lessard, the results show that the body used oxygen more efficiently, indicating higher aerobic capacity.
Diet and Exercise as Complementary Strategies for Better Health
The ketogenic diet works by pushing the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where fat rather than sugar becomes the primary source of energy. This approach contrasts with the low-fat diets traditionally recommended in many health guidelines.
While the diet remains debated, it has been linked to benefits for certain medical conditions such as epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. Historically, doctors also used similar dietary approaches to manage diabetes before insulin became widely available in the 1920s.
Lessard said the findings highlight how diet and exercise may interact rather than function as separate strategies.
According to the reports, the researchers plan to expand the study to human participants to determine whether the same metabolic improvements occur outside laboratory conditions.
