Rowing and Cycling Reduce Inflammation in Early-Stage Type 2 Diabetes

Overview

This multicenter randomized controlled trial evaluates the short-term (7-day) effects of different rowing-cycling exercise regimens on postprandial glycemic excursions in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients (aged 18-60 years, diagnosis ≤12 months, drug-naïve). A total of 120 participants will be randomized into five groups: control, moderate-intensity continuous cycling, high-intensity interval rowing, and standard combined exercise (rowing + cycling, 50 min). The primary outcome is inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-1ra, IL-10, hs-CRP), body Composition and functional Indicators. Secondary outcomes include change in continuous glucose monitoring-derived glycemic variability (CONGA), and time-in-range. Mixed-effects models will quantify dose-response relationships and identify key effect modifiers (e.g., age). This study aims to establish an evidence-based precision exercise prescription for early-stage type 2 diabetes management.

Study Process 1. Screening \& enrolment - We recruit 128 adults (18-60 years) who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within the last 12 months and have never taken diabetes medication. 2. Baseline assessments - Before starting, all participants undergo blood tests (glucose, insulin, inflammatory markers), a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is placed on their arm, and they wear an activity tracker for 7 days. 3. Randomization - Participants are randomly assigned to one of four groups (32 people each): Control - usual care, no exercise Cycling - 40 min of moderate-intensity cycling per day Rowing (HIIT) - 24 min of high-intensity interval rowing per day Combined - 20 min rowing + 20 min cycling (50 min total) 4. Intervention - All exercise groups train once a day for 7 consecutive days at the research centre under supervision. Heart rate is monitored throughout. 5. Continuous monitoring - The CGM records glucose levels every 15 minutes during the whole 7-day period. Activity trackers record physical activity outside the exercise sessions. 6. Post-intervention assessments - On day 8, we repeat all blood tests, measure inflammatory markers again, and collect the CGM data. 9\. Data analysis - We compare changes in blood sugar fluctuations and inflammation between the groups, and use statistical models to find which exercise regimen works best and for whom (e.g., younger vs. older patients). The entire study takes about 9 days per participant (1 week of exercise + 2 days of testing).