Influence on Diabetes

Skeletal muscle is able to take in roughly 80% of insulin-mediated glucose after consumption, an impaired ability among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In other words, active muscles rapidly consume glucose to the point where insulin is required less. Aerobic endurance training has been well established to enhance insulin sensitivity through glucose uptake, and result in increased oxidative capacity and the density of mitochondria within the muscle. Resistance training also has been demonstrated to enhance glycemic control and muscle substrate metabolism in patients with T2DM (Pesta, Goncalves, Madiraju, Strasser, & Sparks, 2017). Implementing a concurrent training program, consisting of both aerobic and resistance exercises, may improve glycemic control and metabolism among patients with T2DM.

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References

Pesta, D., Goncalves, R., Madiraju, A., Strasser, B., & Sparks, L. (2017). Resistance training to improve
type 2 diabetes: working toward a prescription for the future. Nutrition & Metabolism, 14(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12986-017-0173-7