Feasibility of Improving Glycemic Control via Heat Therapy in individuals at risk for Alzheimer’s Disease (FIGHT-AD): a pilot study

Abstract

Impaired glycemic control increases the risk for type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Mechanisms such as impaired energy metabolism, cellular bioenergetic function, reduced intracellular protein homeostasis, and inflammation are all potential contributors to AD pathology. Heat therapy, via hot water immersion, has been shown to improve blood glucose regulation, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Given the potential contribution of these factors to brain health, heat therapy could offer immense clinical benefit to individuals at risk for AD. We performed a pilot study to test the feasibility of utilizing heat therapy in older individuals at risk for AD due to metabolic risk. The study intervention involved two pre-visits which included a cognitive function screen, sleep, diet, and physical activity questionnaires, as well as a glucose tolerance test and MRI scan. The intervention consisted of four weeks of heat therapy (3 visits/wk) for a total of 12 visits, followed by two post-intervention study visits identical to the pre-study visits. A total of 18 individuals (9 male, 9 female), average age 71.1 ± 3.9 y completed the intervention. Participants demonstrated metabolic risk based on average HbA1c values of 6.6 ± 0.67, Body Mass Index (BMI) of 29.1 ± 5.4, and 15 of the 18 participants were on hypertensive medications. Our cohort was highly diverse, with 33% underrepresented minority group representation. We had 96% participant adherence for the study (8 missed visits out of 216 total visits), and 1 study related Adverse Event (mild dizziness/nausea) that was mild. Overall, the research participants responded to a post-intervention survey saying they enjoyed participating in the study and it was not a burden on their schedules. In addition, we obtained preliminary data demonstrating a significant effect of the heat therapy intervention on body mass index, mean arterial pressure, and cerebral perfusion (p<0.05), and a trend for improved self-reported sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; p=0.06). Future studies of longer duration are needed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of heat therapy on glucose homeostasis and brain health. NIH P30 AG035982 (KU ADRC), pilot funds to PCG. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.