316. Sugar and sedentary lifestyle more harmful for men
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
Consuming sugar and leading a sedentary lifestyle has harmful effects on men. In a new study published in the journal Endocrinology, researchers at the University of Missouri examined the insulin resistance of blood vessels in 36 young, healthy men and women. Vascular insulin resistance is a hallmark of obesity and type 2 diabetes that contributes to cardiovascular disease. The researchers had the participants cut their physical activity from 10,000 to 5,000 steps per day and increased their sugar intake by having them drink six cans of soda per day for 10 days. For men, but not for women, the more sedentary lifestyle and high sugar intake cause decreased blood flow in the legs stimulated by insulin, as well as a decrease in a protein that regulates insulin sensitivity and serves as a marker for cardiovascular disease.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
