Objectives: Exercise and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal tea may improve glucose metabolism through quite different mechanisms while sharing some common effects. The purpose of this study was to discover whether the intervention of exercise combined with TCM herbal tea intervention could produce advanced improvement in glucose metabolism than exercise alone in community patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials and Methods: This was a 12-week, randomized controlled trial in which 75 community patients with T2DM were randomly assigned to the single group (n = 39) receiving intervention of aerobic and resistance exercise three times per week and the combined group (n = 36) receiving intervention of TCM herbal tea (consisted of six substances) taken once daily besides the exercise. The change of glycated hemoglobin A1 (HbA1c), tested before and after intervention, served as the primary outcome. Other measurements include fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated serum protein (GSP), lipid profile, and physical fitness profile. Results: HbA1c and FPG levels and their changes showed no group difference. The level of GSP was lower, and its decrease was also larger after exercise combined with TCM herbal tea than after single exercise intervention (p < 0.05). Lipid profile and physical fitness parameters were similar in the two groups except the larger six-minute walk test (6MWT) power after the combined intervention (p < 0.05). Patients showed good compliance with the intervention and had similar exercise days or amount in the two groups. No patient reported serious adverse events or significant changes in other lifestyles. Conclusions: A 12-week of exercise combined with TCM herbal tea could not enhance the hypoglycemic effects by exercise alone in community patients with type 2 diabetes. However, the lower GSP level and larger 6MWT work brought by combined intervention suggest its potential benefits, and further studies are needed to explore the effects of longer period and larger dosage of intervention. Clinical Trial Registration Number: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR1800018721.
Keywords: HbA1c; Traditional Chinese Medicine; exercise; type 2 diabetes mellitus.