Stair stepping helps improve blood sugar, insulin levels

Moderate-intensity stair walking, even bouts as short as 3 minutes, can lower postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels, as shown in a study. However, longer bouts are needed to be beneficial for insulin sensitivity.

The study included 30 individuals (mean age 26.2 years, 12 women) who completed four oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) during rest or stair walking bouts of 1, 3, and 10 minutes in a randomized order. Researchers collected blood samples at baseline and 30 minutes during the OGTTs for assessment of glucose, insulin, antioxidant capacity, and lactate.

Reductions in glucose concentrations occurred following the 10- (−22.69 mg/dL; p<0.002) and 3-minute (−15.37 mg/dL; p<0.004) bouts but not the 1-minute bout (−6.18 mg/dL; p=0.352). Likewise, insulin levels decreased after the 10- (−6.11 μIU/dL; p<0.001) and 3-minute (−2.589 μIU/dL; p<0.012) bouts but not the 1-minute bout (−0.37 μIU/dL; p=0.616).

Meanwhile, insulin sensitivity index values showed a significant improvement only after the 10-minute trial (1.81; p<0.048). No such effect was noted with the 3- (0.65; p=0.317) or 1-minute trial (0.13; p=0.878).

Antioxidant capacity showed no marked changes after any of the stair walking conditions (p=0.132). Moreover, there was no interaction between trial and time for blood lactate (p=0.621).

The findings indicate that stair stepping, a low-cost mode of exercise for most people and perceived as lower intensity than objective measures indicate, is suitable as a physical activity recommendation, since most people are more likely to accept physical activity that is convenient and with lower perceived effort. These aspects of stair stepping may help overcome the poor compliance seen with other exercise interventions.