**5.3 Exercise-induced mechanisms for combatting diabetes mellitus**

Habitual physical activity and structured exercise reduces the hyperglycaemic state of diabetic patients during and after an exercise session by increasing glucose absorption, which reduces glucose blood concentration.

• Regular exercise increases insulin sensitivity, which necessitates a reduction in exogenous insulin intake [22]. Insulin changes glucose to glycogen, decreasing the diabetic patient's hyperglycaemic state. The enhanced insulin sensitivity allows reduced amounts of insulin to more readily facilitate this function, inhibiting excessive insulin release from the pancreas. This exercise-induced endocrine mechanism limits pancreatic hyperactivity. When a diabetic patient exercises, there is a reduction in insulin secretion, which upregulates the sensitivity of the insulin receptors, enabling them to better recognise the presence of blood glucose, which increases glucose absorption into the exercising muscle [21]. Habitual muscle strength training increases the resting metabolic rate of the patient, increasing blood glucose uptake without augmenting insulin secretion [21].
