Patients with T1D are typically challenged by glycemic fluctuations during exercise. We recently applied HD-tDCS - a neuromodulation enhancer - both in healthy and T1D elite cyclists to improve endurance performance. Here, in a double-blind, counterbalanced, randomized order, nine elite cyclists (28 ± 3.5 years; BMI: 20.8 ± 1.3 kg/m2; VO2peak: 65.3 ± 1.7 mL/min/kg) with T1D (no complications) underwent either HD-tDCS (F3, F4) or control (SHAM) and completed a constant-load trial (CLT) at 75% of the 2nd ventilatory threshold plus a 15-km cycling time-trial (TT). Comparing the two conditions by real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), subjects showed similar glycemic variability in any part of the session (Figure: bold line = mean; dotted lines = min & max), with a significant effect of time (F=26.32; P<0.0001), but no interaction stimulation x time (F=0.08; P>0.99) nor effect of stimulation (F=0.077; P=0.79). Further, CGM data were stable for the 3 days preceding and following the tests. Given that glycemic control becomes of critical interest not only for health but also for performance goals, these findings suggest that HD-tDCS can be safely used as a performance improvement device in athletes with T1D, and possibly in a wider population of active T1D-subjects.

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Disclosure

R.Codella: None. G.Gallo: None. A.Meloni: None. L.Luzi: Advisory Panel; Eli Lilly and Company, Medtronic, Research Support; Gelesis, Speaker's Bureau; A. Menarini Diagnostics, Amgen Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly Alliance, Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, Novartis. L.Filipas: None.

© 2023 by the American Diabetes Association
2023
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