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Exercise Therapy in Type One Diabetes (Extod)

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust is leading a national, multi-centre project called Exercise Therapy in Type One Diabetes (Extod) to look at the effect of increased physical activity on beta-cell function (and a preservation of insulin production) in patients with type one diabetes.

Each patient is asked to meet the Department of Health’s minimum recommended levels of exercise each day. Regular measurements of the patient’s condition are taken to check on insulin and blood glucose levels.

Dr Parth Narendran, the lead researcher for the programme, says: “We’re hopeful this research will eventually show that increasing levels of exercise bring measurable long-term benefits to patients with type one diabetes.”

“Type one diabetes can have serious long-term complications which seem to be delayed by continued insulin production after diagnosis. If we can establish a link between exercise and prolonged insulin production, it could improve the quality of life for our patients and help to make considerable cost savings for the health service.

“We are still working on the research and we want more type one diabetes patients to sign up for the trial, because that will improve the overall depth and quality of the research,” said Dr Narendran, who is based at UHB’s Diabetes Centre at Selly Oak.

Type one diabetes affects more than 200,000 Britons, and can lead to serious health problems such as kidney failure and heart disease.

The biochemistry of type one diabetes is well understood, and a person’s genes play a role in the likelihood that they will develop it, but researchers believe many patients would benefit dramatically from increased physical activity and improved diet.

The study involves collaboration with the University of Birmingham, as well as the University of Bristol and University of Bath.

What is type 1 diabetes?

Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is a metabolic disorder, which means it affects how the body uses and digests food for growth and energy.

Most of the food we consume is broken down into glucose. The cells in our body use the glucose for growth and energy, but without the help of insulin, the glucose cannot enter our cells. Insulin is a hormone which is produced in the pancreas.

After consuming food the pancreas automatically releases an appropriate amount of insulin to transport the blood glucose into the cells, thus lowering blood sugar levels.

If a patient has type one diabetes their body is not producing insulin, so patients need to take insulin injections. It usually develops in people before they are 40 years old.

For more information, please emailthe Research Team:

Email: Researchinfo@uhb.nhs.uk