Shortcuts to better health

If you'd rather race for 30 seconds than trudge for an hour, seems you might have your wish and get something out of it, too. Ultra-short — but ultra-intense — bouts of exercise may boost your health in two important ways.

They may increase your muscle fitness, and they can keep your blood sugar levels healthy.

In one study, men who worked out really hard on a stationary bike for just a few minutes each week (30-second intervals four to six times a day, every other day) saw the same gains in muscle fitness as guys who cycled at a moderate pace for 90 to 120 minutes daily.

Another study revealed that four to six of those 30-second sprints also improved the guys' glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. In other words, it took down their likelihood of having off-kilter blood sugar and, eventually, diabetes.

The caveats (you knew there were some!): Intense exercise is not for the faint of heart — or body — so check with your doctor before you do it. And if you're counting on exercise to burn calories, well, you can't bank on this: The total calorie torch is about 250 a week. That's less than what's in a half-cup of Cherry Garcia (and we think we saw you eat more than a half-cup last night).

This preliminary research isn't a reason to kick your 30-minutes-a-day workout to the curb. But if you think you don't have time to make a difference in your health today, guess again. Take three minutes (three minutes! You have that!) to hop on your stationary bike (plus 30 seconds to remove the clothes that have piled up on it) before you shower, and you're more than a step closer to good health.

The YOU Docs, Mike Roizen and Mehmet Oz, are authors of the "YOU: Being Beautiful — The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty." To submit questions, go to RealAge.com. Distributed by King Features Syndicate.