Researchers wanted to see if aerobic exercise—like brisk walking or jogging—could help older adults keep their blood sugar levels healthy. They studied 34 people around age 71, with half doing 8 weeks of aerobic exercise and half doing no exercise. The results showed that aerobic exercise helped improve how the body handles blood sugar, especially for people whose blood sugar control wasn’t as good to begin with. This suggests that staying active through aerobic exercise may be a simple way for older adults to maintain better blood sugar health as they age.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Does doing aerobic exercise for 8 weeks help older adults control their blood sugar better?
  • Who participated: 34 healthy people with an average age of 71 years old. Half were randomly assigned to do aerobic exercise (like walking or jogging) for 8 weeks, and half did no exercise.
  • Key finding: Aerobic exercise helped improve blood sugar control, especially in people whose blood sugar regulation wasn’t working as well at the start. People in the exercise group showed meaningful improvements in how their bodies handle blood sugar.
  • What it means for you: If you’re an older adult, doing regular aerobic exercise may help your body manage blood sugar better. This is especially helpful if you already have some difficulty controlling your blood sugar. However, talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise program.

The Research Details

This was a randomized controlled trial, which is one of the strongest types of research studies. Researchers took 34 healthy older adults and randomly divided them into two groups. One group did aerobic exercise training (activities that get your heart pumping, like brisk walking or jogging) for 8 weeks, while the other group continued their normal routine without exercise. Before and after the 8 weeks, all participants had a special test where they drank a sugary drink and doctors measured how their blood sugar and insulin levels changed over time. This test shows how well the body is controlling blood sugar.

The researchers measured several different ways that the body controls blood sugar. They looked at how well the liver handles blood sugar, how well muscles respond to insulin, and overall insulin resistance (how easily the body uses insulin to control blood sugar). They used mathematical formulas to calculate these measurements from the blood test results.

They analyzed the results two ways: first looking at everyone together, and then looking separately at people who started with worse blood sugar control. This helped them see if exercise helped everyone equally or if it helped some people more than others.

This research approach is important because it shows cause and effect—we can be more confident that the exercise actually caused the improvements, not just that people who exercise happen to have better blood sugar control. By looking at people with different starting levels of blood sugar control, the researchers could see that exercise might be especially helpful for people who need it most. This kind of detailed measurement of blood sugar control gives us a clear picture of how exercise affects the body’s ability to manage blood sugar.

This study has several strengths: it randomly assigned people to groups (which reduces bias), it had a control group that didn’t exercise (so we can compare), and it used objective blood tests rather than just asking people how they feel. However, the study was relatively small with only 34 people, and it only lasted 8 weeks, so we don’t know if the benefits last longer. All participants were healthy older adults, so results might be different for younger people or those with existing health conditions.

What the Results Show

When looking at all 34 participants together, the exercise group showed better control of liver blood sugar handling compared to the no-exercise group. Specifically, the no-exercise group’s liver blood sugar control got worse over the 8 weeks, while the exercise group’s stayed about the same.

When the researchers looked specifically at people who started with worse blood sugar control (19 people total), the results were even clearer. In this group, people who did aerobic exercise improved their blood sugar control, while people who didn’t exercise got worse. The exercise group showed a meaningful increase in their Matsuda index (a measure of how well the body uses insulin), going from 3.2 to 4.8. The no-exercise group’s score stayed about the same.

The improvements in the exercise group suggest that aerobic exercise helped their bodies become more sensitive to insulin and better at controlling blood sugar. This is important because better insulin sensitivity means the body can manage blood sugar more easily and with less effort from the pancreas.

The study also looked at how well muscles respond to insulin. In people with worse starting blood sugar control, those who exercised showed a trend toward better muscle insulin sensitivity, though this wasn’t quite statistically significant. This suggests that exercise may help muscles become better at taking up and using glucose from the blood. The no-exercise group showed a slight decline in muscle insulin sensitivity over the 8 weeks.

This research supports what scientists have known for a while: exercise is good for blood sugar control. However, this study adds new information by showing that the benefits may be especially strong for older adults whose blood sugar control isn’t working as well to begin with. It also shows that even just 8 weeks of aerobic exercise can produce measurable improvements in how the body handles blood sugar.

The study was relatively small with only 34 people, so the results might not apply to all older adults. All participants were healthy, so we don’t know if these results would be the same for people with diabetes or other health conditions. The study only lasted 8 weeks, so we don’t know if the improvements continue longer or if people need to keep exercising to maintain the benefits. The study didn’t measure how much exercise was needed or what type of aerobic exercise worked best. Also, the researchers didn’t track whether people stuck with the exercise program or how hard they exercised.

The Bottom Line

If you’re a healthy older adult, doing regular aerobic exercise (like brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming) appears to help your body control blood sugar better. This is especially important if you’ve noticed your blood sugar control isn’t as good as it used to be. Aim for at least 8 weeks of consistent aerobic exercise to see benefits. However, start slowly and talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise program, especially if you have any health conditions. (Confidence level: Moderate—this is based on a small study, but it aligns with other research on exercise and blood sugar.)

This research is most relevant for healthy older adults, particularly those who are noticing changes in their blood sugar control or have a family history of diabetes. It’s also useful information for anyone over 65 who wants to maintain good health as they age. People who already have diabetes should talk to their doctor about how this research applies to them, as they may need different exercise recommendations. Younger people may also benefit from aerobic exercise for blood sugar control, but this study specifically looked at older adults.

Based on this study, you might expect to see measurable improvements in blood sugar control after about 8 weeks of regular aerobic exercise. However, you may feel benefits like more energy and better mood sooner. To maintain these improvements, you’ll likely need to keep exercising regularly. It’s not a one-time fix—it’s an ongoing habit that keeps your body working better.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly aerobic exercise minutes (aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity like brisk walking). Log the type of exercise, duration, and how you felt during and after. If possible, track fasting blood sugar readings if you have access to a glucose monitor, noting measurements weekly at the same time of day.
  • Set a specific aerobic exercise goal: commit to 30 minutes of brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming at least 5 days per week. Use the app to set daily reminders, log completed sessions, and celebrate weekly milestones. Connect with a friend or family member for accountability.
  • Check in every 2 weeks to review exercise consistency and any changes you notice in energy levels or how you feel. After 8 weeks, if you have access to blood sugar testing, compare your results to baseline. Continue logging exercise indefinitely, as the benefits require ongoing activity. Set monthly goals to maintain motivation and prevent exercise from becoming sporadic.

This research describes what happened in a study of 34 healthy older adults and should not be considered medical advice. Blood sugar control is complex and varies from person to person. Before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have diabetes, prediabetes, heart disease, or other health conditions, consult with your doctor or healthcare provider. This study does not replace professional medical guidance, and individual results may vary. If you’re taking medications that affect blood sugar, your doctor may need to adjust them as your fitness improves.