What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on peripheral insulin sensitivity in a small cohort of non-obese individuals without diabetes and obese patients with Type 2 diabetes.
What They Found
Peripheral insulin sensitivity significantly increased in the overall cohort (P=0.04), showing a 37.3% increase by treatment 3 (P=0.02) and a 40.6% increase by treatment 30 (P=0.009). HbA1c levels were also significantly reduced, but only in the non-diabetic participants (P<0.05).
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada nor involved Canadian researchers or participants.
Study Limitations
The study's primary limitations include its very small sample size and the need for further research to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of hyperbaric oxygen therapy's effect on insulin sensitivity.