# Ameliorative Effects of Aerobic Exercise Combined With Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide‐Mediated Gut Microbiota Remodeling on Glycolipid Abnormalities in Type 2 Diabetic Rats

## TL;DR

Aerobic exercise and Lycium barbarum polysaccharide improve type 2 diabetes in rats by reshaping gut bacteria and enhancing metabolism.

## Contribution

The study reveals a combined effect of exercise and LBP on gut microbiota and T2DM via the AMPK/PGC-1α pathway.

## Key findings

- Aerobic exercise and LBP modulate gut microbiota to reduce harmful bacteria and promote beneficial ones.
- The combination of exercise and LBP improves insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism in T2DM rats.
- Isobutyric acid and gut microbiota are linked to the therapeutic effects of the interventions.

## Abstract

Exercise plays an important role in improving type 2 diabetes (T2DM) by regulating systemic metabolism and enhancing glycemic control.
Lycium barbarum
polysaccharide (LBP), a natural bioactive component, also exhibits potential for lowering blood glucose and alleviating diabetes‐related symptoms. However, the underlying mechanisms by which exercise, LBP, or their combination alleviate T2DM remain largely unclear from the perspective of gut microbiota. In this study, we used 16S rDNA sequencing to analyze gut microbiota, aiming to investigate the roles of aerobic exercise and LBP in T2DM and explore their molecular mechanisms. We found that both aerobic exercise and LBP could modulate gut microbiota—promoting the proliferation of beneficial bacteria, reducing harmful bacteria, and optimizing intestinal microecology—while regulating gut microbial composition and metabolism to inhibit inflammatory responses. Additionally, they improved gut microbiota homeostasis to enhance cellular insulin sensitivity, optimize glucose catabolism and metabolism, regulate lipid metabolism, and reduce abnormal blood lipid accumulation. Notably, aerobic exercise combined with LBP exerted a more significant effect on gut microbiota modulation, thereby yielding better therapeutic outcomes for T2DM. Mechanistically, the regulation of gut microbiota by aerobic exercise and LBP in T2DM rats both involved the AMPK/PGC‐1α pathway, suggesting this may be a key link between gut microbiota and T2DM. Furthermore, isobutyric acid and its associated gut microbiota may play a critical role in the T2DM‐improving effects of aerobic exercise and LBP, warranting focused investigation in future studies.

This schematic illustrates the protective effects of aerobic exercise and Lycium barbarum polysaccharide in a rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which was induced by high‐fat/high‐sugar feeding and streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Both interventions target the gut microbiota to promote short‐chain fatty acid production, thereby regulating energy metabolic pathways. This modulation ameliorates key T2DM‐related pathological processes—including inflammatory responses, dysregulated lipid/glucose metabolism, and insulin resistance—ultimately alleviating T2DM progression.