Exercise may lower blood pressure in people with diabetes
Key takeaway:
Exercise may help lower blood pressure in type 2 diabetes, but results vary between people.
Study at a glance
What was studied
Review of 6 studies with 1,112 adults with diabetes testing exercise over 3-12 months
Study type
Systematic Review
duration
Medium-Term (3–12 mo)
Intervention
Exercise therapy
Outcomes
Systolic blood pressure, Diastolic blood pressure
Funding
Non-industry sponsored
Main effects
Blood pressure (bottom number) → ↓ (moderate improvement)
Blood pressure (top number) → ↓ (small improvement)
Evidence Summary
| Intervention | Outcome | Measured Change | Study Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
 Exercise therapy (Physical Activity) |  Diastolic blood pressure (Metabolic Health) | Decrease | Mixed |
Exercise therapy (Physical Activity) | Systolic blood pressure (Metabolic Health) | Decrease | Mixed |
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Evidence Suggest
- Exercise appears to help lower blood pressure in adults with diabetes, with the bottom number showing more improvement than the top number.
- The benefit was seen across multiple studies, though the size of improvement varied widely.
- Results are not consistent, suggesting benefits may depend on exercise type, intensity, and individual factors.
Who this applies to
Adults with type 2 diabetes who have high blood pressure, especially those aged 40 and older who can participate in structured exercise programs.
Keep in Mind
Only six studies were analyzed, limiting confidence that these findings apply broadly to all people with diabetes.
Between the Lines
- Only six studies included in review
- Results varied widely across different studies
- Possible bias from unpublished negative results
- Mostly studied people with type 2 diabetes
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Journal Reference
Adekunle H, Balogun O. Exercise Intervention for Blood Pressure Reduction in Diabetic Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cureus. 2026;18(2):e104244. doi:10.7759/cureus.104244
Connected Evidence
Discover how this study fits into the broader diabetes evidence landscape.
This study contributes to evidence on Exercise therapy and Systolic blood pressure, Exercise therapy and Diastolic blood pressure.
Related evidence relationships
Explore in Evidence ArchiveThis study contributes to the evidence on the following intervention–outcome relationships.
Included in these evidence collections
Curated evidence collections and hubs this study is part of.
Diastolic blood pressure Evidence Hub
All studies measuring Diastolic blood pressure
Measures Diastolic blood pressure as a key outcome.
Exercise therapy Evidence Hub
All studies on Exercise therapy
Contributes to Exercise therapy evidence base.
Systolic blood pressure Evidence Hub
All studies measuring Systolic blood pressure
Measures Systolic blood pressure as a key outcome.
Explore more in the evidence archive
Jump to pre-filtered views in the evidence archive.
All studies on Exercise therapy and Systolic blood pressure
2 results
All studies on Exercise therapy and Diastolic blood pressure
2 results
All studies on Exercise therapy
2 results
All studies measuring Systolic blood pressure
2 results
All studies measuring Diastolic blood pressure
2 results
Questions this evidence helps answer
Key clinical and research questions this study contributes to.
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