Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2026, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (5): 1225-1235.doi: 10.12307/2026.006

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Exercise improves microvascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes

Wen Fan1, Xiang Yang1, Zhu Huan1, Tuo Yanfang1, Li Feng2   

  1. 1School of Physical Education, Hubei University for Nationalities, Enshi 445000, Hubei Province, China; 2School of Physical Education, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
  • Received:2024-11-04 Accepted:2025-01-06 Online:2026-02-18 Published:2025-06-26
  • Contact: Li Feng, PhD, Associate professor, School of Physical Education, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545000, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
  • About author:Wen Fan, Master candidate, School of Physical Education, Hubei University for Nationalities, Enshi 445000, Hubei Province, China
  • Supported by:
    2024 Hubei University for Nationalities Graduate Student Research and Innovation Project, No. MYK2024016 (to WF); 2024 Hubei University for Nationalities Graduate Student Education Reform Project, No. MYG2024006 (to ZH); 2025 Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation for Sport Innovation and Development, No. JCZRLH202500954 (to ZH); Guangxi University of Science and Technology PhD Fund Project, No. 20S07 (to LF) 

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Exercise is an effective way to improve microvascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes. In recent years, exercise has been used as an intervention therapy for microvascular dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, few studies have systematically explored the influence of factors, such as "exercise type, exercise intensity and amount of exercise," on microvascular function in patients. To some extent, this limits the formulation of precise exercise prescriptions to improve microvascular dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes and the comparison of study results.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of exercise type, intensity, frequency and amount of exercise on microvascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and to make suggestions on exercise prescription.
METHODS: The first author used computer to search the studies on the improvement of microvascular function in type 2 diabetes patients involving exercise in CNKI, WanFang, PubMed and other databases. The search terms were “diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus, microcirculation, microvascular reactivity, microvessels, capillaries, vasodilation, blood perfusion volume, endothelial cells, shear stress, exercise, aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, high-intensity exercise” in Chinese and English. The articles were screened by a quick glance at the article titles and abstracts to exclude those that were not closely related to the topic, and finally 60 articles were included for review.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Exercise is an effective way to improve microvascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes. Aerobic exercise lasting 12-24 weeks, 3-5 times/week, exercise time > 30 minutes and intensity between 40% and 59% reserve oxygen intake can significantly improve microvascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes. On the basis of aerobic exercise, systemic resistance exercise 2-3 times a week (50%-85% 1RM, every other day) or pressure resistance exercise can obtain better intervention effects. (2) In addition, exercise can improve microvascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes in a “dose-effect” manner, and patients can get better results from the intervention by increasing the amount of exercise, while maintaining safety. (3) The mechanism of exercise improving microvascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes is mainly related to promoting the release of nitric oxide and vascular endothelial growth factor from endothelial cells and inhibiting the release of endothelin1.

Key words: exercise, type 2 diabetes, microvascular function, microvascular reactivity, endothelial cells, shear stress, engineered tissue construction

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