Following a ketogenic diet can be difficult or unsuitable for some people, so other diets—such as the Mediterranean diet—may be a more balanced and easier-to-implement option. Ultimately, researchers point out that the best health results are often achieved when healthy eating and regular physical activity are combined, especially in individuals who have blood sugar disorders. In cases of high blood sugar, dietary modifications may help the body to fully benefit from physical exercise. Although the results look promising, scientists confirm that the study is still in its early stages because it was conducted on animal models. Exercise is one of the most important means of maintaining health and improving physical fitness, but some people—especially those with high blood sugar—may not get the full expected benefits from workouts. However, a recent scientific study has revealed a surprising result: increasing fat in the diet may help the body to better utilize exercise in some cases. Studies indicate that physical exercise helps the body improve oxygen use for energy production, which is an important indicator of general health and lifespan, according to a report on the scientific website ScienceDaily. However, high blood sugar, medically known as hyperglycemia, can impair the muscles' ability to utilize oxygen during physical activity, which reduces the positive effect of exercise. High blood sugar is also linked to an increased risk of heart and kidney diseases, as well as metabolic disorders. Researchers from the University of Virginia led a study to understand the relationship between diet and the body's response to physical exercise. The study was based on a high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet, a system that relies on shifting the body's energy source from sugar to fat. In this case, a process known as ketosis occurs, where the body begins to burn fat instead of glucose to generate energy. Experiments on rats showed that following the ketogenic diet led to a rapid decrease in blood sugar levels in just one week. It was also observed that the animals' muscles became better able to benefit from exercise, with changes in muscle fiber composition, including an increase in slow-twitch fibers, which are associated with greater endurance. Furthermore, the muscles' ability to use oxygen more efficiently improved, which reflects an improvement in aerobic fitness. The researchers believe that the results suggest that nutrition and exercise do not work in isolation but can enhance each other.
