University diabetes experts share innovative research into elite cycling team

Sport and exercise science experts from Swansea University have shared their world-leading research into how elite cyclists contend with diabetes at an international conference.

The researchers presented their findings at the prestigious American Diabetes Association’s Scientific Sessions held in San Francisco and attended by the most eminent academics and health professionals.

The team, led by Associate Professor Richard Bracken, spent 10 days earlier this year studying riders from Team Novo Nordisk during a gruelling Spanish training camp.

Olivia McCarthy discussing the team’s findings at the American Diabetes Association conference.

The cycling team, the only professional one made up of riders with type 1 diabetes, were carefully monitored to learn more about how their bodies coped with spending up to six hours a day in the saddle.

Dr Bracken, Dr Othmar Moser, Max Eckstein and Olivia McCarthy, from the College of Engineering, were part of a global team made up of experts from UK, US, Canada, Austria, Italy and Switzerland who presented research based on their studies at the American conference.

Their topics were:

• Sweet Performance: Associations of maximum physiological performance and diabetes in agroup of world-class road cyclists with type 1 diabetes, (Max Eckstein)

• Time spent in glycaemic ranges and carbohydrate intake during cycling in professional cyclists with type 1 diabetes (Olivia McCarthy)

• Greater time spent in hypoglycemia during nocturnal than daytime period during intensified training in professional cyclists with type 1 diabetes–a prospective observational study (Othmar Moser)

Dr Bracken said: “Being able to study the cyclists during their training presented us with a great opportunity.

“We were able to find out more about the bespoke physiology of these elite athletes and better understand their responses to extreme exercise and the strategies they use – factors  like food intake, sleep and medication adjustments.

“This provided us with important information that we could share to an international audience at the conference as well as in scientific journals.”

Swansea University is at the forefront investigation into diabetes and is home of the renowned Diabetes Research Unit Cymru . Now the researchers’ ongoing relationship with Team Novo Nordisk looks set to continue to provide greater understanding of the condition.

Team Novo Nordisk CEO and co-founder Phil Southerland said: “We are honoured to be a part of such ground-breaking research. The mission behind our team is to inspire, educate and empower everyone affected by diabetes.

“We are committed to demonstrating how our athletes race at the top level, day after day, with diabetes and are pleased that these techniques can be shared with healthcare professionals from all over the world and help empower and educate people with diabetes on how to approach exercise.”

Dr Othmar Moser, Dr Richard Bracken, Olivia McCarthy and Max Eckstein in Slovenia.

Dr Bracken, his team and research colleagues from Austria have just returned from the Tour of Solvenia where they followed the riders over five days of the gruelling UCI-accredited race.

The researchers were able to measure the cyclists’ glucose levels continuously throughout the race as well as trial a novel device for automatic recording of injected insulins, meals composition and in-ride nutrition.

Team Novo Nordisk riders in action during the Tour of Slovenia.

He added: “This research is really helping us to provide the kind of information healthcare professionals need to encourage the wider type 1 diabetes community to do physical activity.”

Arbenigwyr diabetes yn y Brifysgol yn rhannu ymchwil arloesol ynglŷn â thîm beicio elît

 Mewn cynhadledd ryngwladol, mae arbenigwyr Gwyddor Chwaraeon ac Ymarfer Corff o Brifysgol Abertawe wedi rhannu eu hymchwil flaenllaw i sut mae beicwyr elît yn ymgodymu â diabetes.

Cyflwynodd yr ymchwilwyr eu canfyddiadau yn Sesiynau Gwyddonol Cymdeithas Diabetes America, a gynhaliwyd yn San Francisco. Dyma sesiynau o fri y mae’r academyddion a gweithwyr iechyd mwyaf blaenllaw yn mynd iddynt.

Treuliodd y tîm, dan arweiniad yr Athro Cyswllt Richard Bracken, 10 niwrnod ar ddechrau’r flwyddyn yn astudio beicwyr o Dîm NovoNordisk yn ystod gwersyll hyfforddiant dwys yn Sbaen.

Olivia McCarthy yn trafod canfyddiadau’r tîm yng nghynhadledd Cymdeithas Diabetes America.

 Cafodd y tîm beicio, sef yr unig dîm beicio proffesiynol o feicwyr â diabetes math 1, ei fonitro’n ofalus i ddysgu mwy am sut roedd eu cyrff yn ymdopi â threulio hyd at chwe awr ar gefn beic.

Roedd Dr Bracken, Dr OthmarMoser, Max Eckstein ac Olivia McCarthy, o’r Coleg Peirianneg, yn rhan o dîm byd-eang o arbenigwyr o’r DU, UD, Canada, Awstria, yr Eidal a’r Swistir a gyflwynodd ymchwil yn seiliedig ar eu hastudiaethau yn y gynhadledd yn America.

Dyma’u pynciau:

• Perfformiad melys: Cysylltiadau rhwng perfformiad ffisiolegol uchaf â diabetes mewn grŵp o feicwyr ffordd o’r radd flaenaf sydd â diabetes math 1 (Max Eckstein)

• Amser a dreuliwyd mewn amrediadau glycaemic a chymeriant carbohydradau wrth feicio mewn beicwyr proffesiynol â diabetes math 1 (Olivia McCarthy)

• Treulio mwy o amser mewn hypoglycemia yn ystod y nos nag yn ystod y dydd yn ystod hyfforddiant dwys mewn beicwyr proffesiynol â diabetes math 1 – darpar astudiaeth arsylwadol (OthmarMoser)

Dywedodd Dr Bracken: “Roedd gallu astudio’r beicwyr yn ystod eu hyfforddiant yn gyfle gwych i ni.

 “Roeddem eisiau cael rhagor o wybodaeth am ffisioleg unigryw’r athletwyr elît hyn, er mwyn deall yn well eu hymatebion i ymarfer corff eithafol a’r strategaethau y maen nhw’n eu defnyddio – pethau megis eu cymeriant bwyd, eu cwsg ac addasiadau i’w meddyginiaeth.

 “Yn sgil hyn, cawsom wybodaeth bwysig yr oedd modd i ni ei rhannu â chynulleidfa ryngwladol mewn cynhadledd yn ogystal ag mewn cyfnodolion gwyddonol.”

 Mae Prifysgol Abertawe ar flaen y gad o ran ymchwilio i ddiabetes, ac mae’n gartref i’r Uned Ymchwil Diabetes Cymru enwog .  Erbyn hyn mae disgwyl i berthynas barhaus yr ymchwilwyr â Thîm NovoNordisk barhau er mwyn cael dealltwriaeth well o’r cyflwr.

Dywedodd Prif Swyddog Gweithredol a chyd-sylfaenydd Tîm NovoNordisk, Phil Southerland:“Mae’n bleser gennym fod yn rhan o ymchwil mor arloesol. Cenhadaeth ein tîm yw ysbrydoli, addysgu a grymuso pawb y mae diabetes yn effeithio arnynt.

 ”Rydym yn ymrwymedig i ddangos sut mae ein hathletwyr â diabetes yn rasio ar y lefel uchaf bob dydd, ac rydym yn falch y gellir rhannu’r technegau hyn gyda gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol o bedwar ban byd a helpu i rymuso ac addysgu pobl sydd â diabetes ar sut i drin ymarfer corff.”

 Dr Othmar Moser, Dr Richard Bracken, Olivia McCarthy a Max Eckstein yn Slofenia

Mae Dr Bracken, ei dîm a chydweithwyr ymchwil o Awstria wedi dychwelyd o Daith Slofenia’n ddiweddar, lle roeddent yn dilyn y beicwyr dros bum niwrnod o’r ras sydd ag achrediad UCI.

Roedd modd i’r ymchwilwyr fesur lefelau glwcos y beicwyr yn barhaus drwy gydol y ras yn ogystal â rhoi dyfais newydd ar brawf i recordio inswlinau wedi’u chwistrellu, cyfansoddiad prydau bwyd a maeth yn ystod y ras yn awtomatig.

Beicwyr Tîm NovoNordisk yn rasio yn ystod Taith Slofenia.

 Ychwanegodd: ”Mae’r ymchwil hon wir yn ein helpu i roi’r math o wybodaeth y mae ei hangen ar weithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol i annog y gymdeithas â diabetes math 1 ehangach i ymgymryd â gweithgarwch corfforol.