How can I exercise to lower my blood sugar levels?

Men in a small study who added short, intense bursts of activity to mini workouts seemed better able to metabolize sugars. Each man worked out on a stationary bike three times a week for a minimum of 17 minutes per session. Sounds pretty doable. Then, during the sessions, they threw in a handful of 30-second bursts of high-intensity cycling. Again, not too taxing. After the bursts, they rested or cycled slowly for 4 minutes. Even better! The result? When the men were given the equivalent of a meal's worth of glucose at the end of the study, their bodies metabolized it better than before the study.

Researchers suspect that bursts of intensity during workouts elicit stronger contractions and therefore more glucose uptake in the large muscles attached to bones. But high-intensity cardio isn't the only type of exercise that can impact blood sugar.

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