Beat Diabetes with Exercise: How Resistance and Endurance Training Can Help
"Discover the surprising benefits of resistance and endurance training for women managing Type 2 Diabetes, including improved insulin sensitivity and body composition."
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, and a relative insulin deficiency. Insulin resistance, where the body's cells don't respond effectively to insulin, is a major factor in the development of type 2 diabetes and its long-term complications.
Adipose tissue, or body fat, isn't just a storage depot for energy; it's an active endocrine organ, producing various cytokines known as adipokines. Nesfatin-1, one of these adipokines, plays a vital role in regulating appetite, energy balance, and metabolism.
Emerging research suggests that physical activity can be a powerful tool in managing insulin resistance and improving overall health for individuals with diabetes. While factors like physical exercise affect the secretion of adipokines and heat shock proteins (HSPs), the specific impacts of exercise on nesfatin-1 and HSP70 are still being explored. This article delves into a study investigating the effects of resistance and endurance training on these key markers in women with type 2 diabetes.
Resistance Training and Diabetes Risk
Type 2 diabetes mellitus accounts for approximately 90% of diabetes cases globally. Regular physical activity is regarded as a key component of type 2 diabetes management, while research is increasingly examining resistance training's independent effects on glycemic control. Current guidelines recommend resistance training to help prevent diabetes, although questions remain about the best amount, frequency, and relationship to aerobic exercise and sedentary time.
How Do Resistance and Endurance Training Impact Key Health Markers in Women with Type 2 Diabetes?
A recent study investigated the effects of resistance and endurance training on women with type 2 diabetes. The study involved 26 women with type 2 diabetes, divided into three groups: a resistance training group, an endurance training group, and a control group. The training groups participated in a 10-week exercise program, while the control group maintained their usual sedentary lifestyle.
- Resistance Training: Participants engaged in three sessions per week, utilizing eight different fitness machines and free weights. The intensity gradually increased from 30-50% of one repetition maximum (1RM) to 70-80% of 1RM in the final sessions. Each workout included a warm-up, 40 minutes of resistance training, and a cool-down.
- Endurance Training: Participants exercised three times per week on a cycle ergometer. The intensity started at 40-50% of maximum heart rate (HR max) for 20-25 minutes, progressing to 70-80% of HR max for 40-45 minutes. Each session included warm-up, cycling, and cool-down.
What Recent Reviews Examine
A systematic review and meta-analysis examined how different resistance-training intensities affect people with type 2 diabetes. Its outcomes included glycemia, lipids, blood pressure, physical adaptations, and body measurements. Other cited research reports that resistance training can reduce body mass, body-mass index, percentage body fat, and waist-to-hip ratio.
Comparing Exercise Modalities
Research has compared aerobic, resistance, and combined exercise training using the same endpoints, with no exercise serving as the reference for indirect comparisons. A separate systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates aerobic exercise versus resistance training for cardiometabolic outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes and concurrent obesity. Direct comparisons between combined aerobic-resistance training and high-intensity interval training remain limited across clinical and patient-reported outcomes.
The Takeaway: Exercise as a Complementary Therapy for Diabetes
The study's findings suggest that both resistance and endurance training can be valuable tools in managing type 2 diabetes in women. Resistance training appears to have a unique impact on nesfatin-1 and HSP70 levels, while both forms of exercise contribute to improved glucose control, insulin resistance, and body composition. Incorporating these exercise modalities, alongside diet and medical interventions, may empower individuals to take control of their health and well-being.
Interpreting the Evidence
An umbrella review describes resistance training as recommended for type 2 diabetes while noting that the existing secondary evidence is voluminous and heterogeneous. The review maps, appraises, and grades the certainty of resistance training's effects on glycemic and cardiometabolic outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes. This emphasis on evidence certainty is important when interpreting findings across differing reviews and study designs.
Exercise Within Diabetes Care
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing, creating an urgent need for effective prevention and management strategies. Resistance training may promote health benefits through increases in skeletal muscle mass and qualitative changes in skeletal muscle. Structured aerobic or resistance training alone also appears beneficial for glucose homeostasis, chronic systemic inflammation, resting cardiovascular function, and mental health in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Training That Fits Real Life
Progressively increasing the duration and intensity of aerobic exercise can lead to further improvements in A1c. The Italian Diabetes and Exercise Study compared glucose control in 300 participants with type 2 diabetes who completed a twice-weekly mixed aerobic and resistance-training program. The program included either low- or high-intensity training, highlighting how both training frequency and intensity can be examined in real-world diabetes care.