Glucose is used by the body as a fuel to perform various functions. However, its high levels may lead to inflammation in the body, insulin insensitivity etc. In a new study, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, it was found that Whole Body Vibration (WBV) could help improve how well our body uses glucose as an energy source and adjust our microbiome and immune cells to reduce diabetic inflammation.
For the study, the researchers used a mouse model and showed that WBV alters the microbiome that helps protect us from invaders and also help digest our food. The study also reflected how regular use of WBV could create this healthier mix by yielding a greater percentage of macrophages that suppress inflammation rather than promoting it.
In the findings, several changes were observed like increased levels of a bacterium that makes short chain fatty acids, which can further help the body better utilise glucose.
"While there were other changes, the most dramatic they documented was the 17-fold increase in this bacterium called Alistipes, a gut bacterium not typically in high supply there but known to be proficient at making short chain fatty acids which, in turn, are "very good" at decreasing inflammation in the gut," said Jack Yu, chief of pediatric plastic surgery at Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University.
Alistipes helps ferment the food without producing alcohol and it generally improves the metabolic status of our gut, further making us more proficient at using the glucose we consume for energy. While no one is certain just how WBV works, the researchers reiterated that WBV appears to help address a key concern in diabetes and many common diseases: inflammation.
While acute inflammation helps us fight disease, chronic inflammation helps start and sustain a variety of diseases from cardiovascular problems to cancer as well as diabetes, the researchers said.