It’s the old debate: What time of day is best to exercise?
But now an intriguing new study appears to have answered this question.
Researchers in Spain found that those who exercised at 6 p.m. (running, cycling, or other activity) had lower blood sugar levels than those who exercised in the morning.
The scientists argued that this suggested that late exercisers had a more active metabolism and were better able to resist hunger pangs.
This meant they would both burn more calories throughout the day and consume less energy, they suggested.
Researchers in Spain found that those who exercised at 6 p.m. (running, cycling, or other activity) had lower blood sugar levels than sedentary people.
Normally, muscle cells become less able to absorb blood sugar at night, research suggests, because insulin drops at that time.
But evening exercise increases insulin levels, making it easier for cells to absorb sugar from the bloodstream and burn it for energy.
For the study, researchers tracked 186 Spanish adults in their 40s for two weeks, most of whom were obese.
Each participant wore an accelerometer to track exercise and a continuous blood glucose monitor to track blood sugar.
Exercise times were divided into morning (6 am to 12 pm), afternoon (12 pm to 6 pm), or evening (6 pm to 12 am).
The researchers then compared blood sugar levels between sedentary participants, who did not exercise for a day, with those who had exercised at different times.
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The obesity rate in the United States has taken off compared to a decade ago, when no state had an obesity rate higher than 35 percent. CDC says it’s an “urgent priority” to address the country’s growing waistline
Dr. Antonio Clavero-Jimeno, a sports scientist at the University of Granada in Spain, and others wrote in the study: “(Exercise) during the night appears to have a beneficial effect on (blood sugar) in sedentary adults.” with obesity”.
The study was only carried out on overweight and obese people, meaning it is unclear whether the results apply to people of a healthy weight.
But it follows on the heels of other studies that have suggested that evening exercise is better for weight loss.
A study from the University of Sydney, Australia, found that obese people who exercised after 6 p.m. had about a 36 percent lower risk of heart disease.
Among those who exercised before then, the benefit was only half as much, or 17 percent less likely to develop the condition.
Another study from Germany in 2022 involving 5,000 overweight or obese people also found that those who exercised at night had up to a 25 percent reduction in insulin resistance.
Several weight loss studies have suggested that exercising in the morning is best for weight loss.
These have been based on data showing that those who exercise at this time tend to be leaner than those who exercise at night.
But this doesn’t take into account other factors, such as that people who are more health-conscious are more likely to start their day by exercising.
Any amount of exercise at any time of day can lead to weight loss in obese people, as long as they don’t consume excess calories, doctors say.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says everyone should exercise for at least 150 minutes each week.
