Prediabetes
Prediabetes is a condition within the metabolic health category. Research involving people with prediabetes has examined measures including fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, HOMA-β, and lipid profiles.
Prediabetes is a condition within the metabolic health category. Explore the topic in a concise, accessible format.
This list shows research findings, not treatments. Nothing here replaces medical care. If you have this condition, talk to a doctor.
What may help
What studies found for each option, best evidence first.
11 options:2 some evidence6 not enough evidence3 not tested in people
FastingpracticeSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 6 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
Pooled analyses of randomized trials that included people with prediabetes found that glycaemic and weight outcomes favoured intermittent fasting, though subgroup results were not given. A separate pooled comparison of randomized trials found that time-restricted eating reduced fasting blood glucose versus usual diets in a population that partly included people with prediabetes.
Open the Fasting pageHigh-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)practiceSome evidence it helpsSize of effect: Not known
Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.
All 3 studies with a clear result found a benefit.
Pooled randomized trials that included people with prediabetes found that LV-HIIT improved glucose control overall. A separate review restricted to adults with prediabetes reported outcome-specific effects compared with MICT.
Open the High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) pageAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)practiceNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
In an RCT of 298 participants at high risk for Type
Open the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) pageCardiopracticeNot enough evidence
Strength TrainingpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
Pooled analyses whose designs were not recorded reported improved or maintained β-cell function and glycemic outcomes in adults with prediabetes; studies involving prediabetic people often showed stronger recovery than studies in people with established diabetes.
Open the Strength Training pageTai ChipracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A pooled analysis of randomized trials found that Taiji reduced 2hPG compared with LI in a pooled set of 3 studies; other Taiji outcomes were not significant.
Open the Tai Chi pageYogapracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A subgroup analysis reported changes in total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL.
Open the Yoga pagePilatespracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A 2026 trial in 49 women with prediabetes found improvements in glycemic and lipid outcomes.
Open the Pilates page
The expert view shows every study, dose protocol and source.
What may help
Interventions recorded as helping with this condition11 listedMost likely to help, from the evidence we have
- →PracticesFastingCertaintyMediumSourceMeta-analysis
Pooled analyses of randomized trials that included people with prediabetes found that glycaemic and weight outcomes favoured intermittent fasting, though subgroup results were not given. A separate pooled comparison of randomized trials found that time-restricted eating reduced fasting blood glucose versus usual diets in a population that partly included people with prediabetes.
Who was studied
- Healthy people and patients
- Diabetes Type2
- Fatty Liver Nafld
- Hypertension
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Obesity
- Overweight
- +1 more
Open FastingStudy result
Pooled RCTs included prediabetes patients; the pooled effect on glycaemic and weight outcomes favoured IF, though subgroup results are not given in the abstract.
- →PracticesHigh-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)CertaintyMediumSourceRCT
Pooled randomized trials that included people with prediabetes found that LV-HIIT improved glucose control overall. A separate review restricted to adults with prediabetes reported outcome-specific effects compared with MICT.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Diabetes Type2
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Obesity
- Prediabetes
Open High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)Study result
Participants with prediabetes were included in the review and LV-HIIT was effective for improving glucose control overall.
Low probability(9)
- →PracticesAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)CertaintyLowSourceRCT
In an RCT of 298 participants at high risk for Type
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Prediabetes
Open Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Study result
In participants at high risk for T2D, the ACT-informed program significantly reduced the primary outcome, body shame. Abstract-level evidence only.
- →PracticesCardioCertaintyLowSourceRCT
A pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded found reductions in FBG (MD −1.33), 2hPG (MD −1.00), and HbA1c (MD −1.05) in people with prediabetes.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
Open CardioStudy result
Meta-analysis of 14 RCTs showing significant reductions in FBG (MD −1.33), 2hPG (MD −1.00), and HbA1c (MD −1.05) with aerobic exercise vs control in patients with prediabetes.
- →PracticesStrength TrainingCertaintyLowSourceRCT
Pooled analyses whose designs were not recorded reported improved or maintained β-cell function and glycemic outcomes in adults with prediabetes; studies involving prediabetic people often showed stronger recovery than studies in people with established diabetes.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
Open Strength TrainingStudy result
Included trials in prediabetic adults (Yan et al., Yuan et al., Eikenberg et al.) showed improved/maintained β-cell function and glycemic outcomes; studies involving prediabetic individuals often show stronger recovery than established diabetes.
- →PracticesTai ChiCertaintyLowSourceRCT
A pooled analysis of randomized trials found that Taiji reduced 2hPG compared with LI (MD -0.95, 95% CI -1.87 to -0.04) in a pooled set of 3 studies; other Taiji outcomes were not significant.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Prediabetes
Open Tai ChiStudy result
Taiji significantly reduced 2hPG versus LI (MD -0.95, 95% CI -1.87 to -0.04) in a pooled set of 3 studies; other Taiji outcomes were not significant.
- →PracticesYogaCertaintyLowSourceRCT
A subgroup analysis reported changes in total cholesterol (MD -18.11, p<0.001), triglycerides (MD -28.20, p<0.001), LDL (MD -18.54, p<0.001), and HDL (MD +3.56, p<0.001).
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Diabetes Type2
- Dyslipidemia
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Prediabetes
Open YogaStudy result
Subgroup analysis: TC MD -18.11 (p<0.001), TG MD -28.20 (p<0.001), LDL MD -18.54 (p<0.001), HDL MD +3.56 (p<0.001).
- →PracticesPilatesCertaintyLowSourceClinical
A 2026 trial in 49 women with prediabetes found improvements in glycemic and lipid outcomes.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
Open PilatesStudy result
Study population was women with prediabetes; Pilates improved glycemic and lipid outcomes in this population.
- →PracticesBrisk WalkingCertaintyLowSourceTheoretical
Regular brisk walking is described as reducing progression risk from Prediabetes to Diabetes Type 2 by improving insulin sensitivity and aiding weight loss.
Open Brisk WalkingStudy result
Regular brisk walking reduces the risk of progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity and aiding weight loss.
- →PracticesCyclingCertaintyLowSourceTheoretical
Regular moderate aerobic activity, including cycling, is described as improving insulin sensitivity and lowering progression to type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes.
Open CyclingStudy result
Regular moderate aerobic activity such as cycling improves insulin sensitivity and lowers progression to type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes.
- →PracticesSwimmingCertaintyLowSourceTheoretical
Regular moderate aerobic exercise, which can include swimming, improves insulin sensitivity and glycemic control in people with impaired glucose tolerance.
What to avoid
Interventions recorded as making it worseNothing in this library is currently recorded as making Prediabetes worse. Coverage is partial, and absence here is not evidence of safety.
How to read the evidence
Evidence tier — overall strength of the evidence for the whole compound
- StrongWell established — backed by strong, consistent human research.
- ModerateSome genuine support, but mostly from small or lower-quality studies. Promising, not proven.
- PreliminaryEarly-stage evidence — a promising hypothesis, not an established effect yet.
- LimitedVery limited evidence — treat this as a hypothesis, not proof.
- InsufficientNot enough good evidence to draw conclusions yet.
Certainty — how sure we can be that the effect is real
- Very highVery sure — strong, consistent evidence
- HighFairly sure — consistent evidence from good studies
- MediumModerately sure — new studies could change this
- LowNot sure — little or mixed evidence
- Very lowVery unsure — almost no usable evidence
Source — where the data comes from
- Meta-analysisPooled analysis of many trials — the strongest evidence
- RCTRandomized controlled trial — a strong human study design
- ClinicalA human clinical study
- Reference knowledgeFrom general health-science or pharmacology references, not a study of this exact claim
- Animal researchStudied in animals, not humans
- Community reportsAggregated user reports — anecdotal signal, not evidence
- TheoreticalMechanism-based reasoning, not yet tested
Study grade — quality of each underlying study (A best, D weakest)
- AHigh-quality — strong, consistent human trials
- BGood — solid evidence with some limitations
- CModerate — limited, small, or mixed-quality studies
- DWeak — preliminary, indirect, or animal-only
Confidence — how strongly the sources back a finding
A 0–100 score from study quality and agreement
Most supplement evidence is graded C–D. Read it as preliminary signal, not proof.
Full write-up
What is it
Prediabetes is a condition within the metabolic health category. Research involving people with prediabetes has examined measures including fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, HOMA-β, and lipid profiles. Interventions studied in this context include Aloe Vera, Saffron Extract, Astaxanthin, and Beta-Alanine, with some research also including people with type 2 diabetes.
Evidence-backed options
The options associated with prediabetes do not all rest on the same type or strength of evidence. The summaries include clinical, rct, review, and pharmacology reference evidence, so findings from one option should not be treated as interchangeable with findings from another. Several results concern glycemic measures, while others involve lipid profiles, body composition, metabolic flexibility, or insulin sensitivity rather than prediabetes itself as a single outcome.
Timing is reported for Aloe Vera: fasting blood glucose was described as changing within four weeks, while lipid-profile changes were described within eight weeks. For the other options, the available summaries do not provide enough detail about the dose, treatment duration, or how quickly effects appeared to draw reliable comparisons. Some findings also involve people with impaired glucose tolerance, overweight patients, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes, meaning the populations studied are not uniform.
The evidence is particularly limited for options supported mainly by pharmacology references, and a low or very low probability indicates that these findings should be interpreted cautiously. Flaxseed Oil is also notable because its cited clinical finding did not show improvement in inflammation or body composition in overweight people with prediabetes, despite its inclusion among the associated options. Overall, these findings do not establish that every option will have the same relevance or effect for every person with prediabetes. A clinician can help interpret the evidence in the context of an individual’s health condition.