Muscle Loss and Type 2 Diabetes

For people with diabetes, regular strength training can:

1. Helps you use insulin more effectively

Insulin is a hormone that allows blood sugar (glucose) to enter cells, where it can be used for energy or stored for later use. Pumping your muscles helps push glucose into your muscles. Regular strength training helps your body transport glucose from your bloodstream to your muscles more efficiently.

The more efficiently your muscles use glucose, the less insulin you need. “Resistance training increases insulin sensitivity in the muscles, so less insulin is needed to lower blood sugar levels,” explains endocrinologist Tamara Hannon, M.D., of the Indiana University School of Health in Indianapolis.

2. Lowers blood sugar levels

Strength training not only helps your body transport insulin to your muscles more efficiently, it also allows your muscles to absorb more glucose. That means your muscles continue to use glucose after exercise, Dr. Hannon says, and your blood sugar levels can drop for several hours.

3. Build muscles that lead to weight loss

“The more you continue to exercise your muscles, the more calories you burn,” says Hannon. Strength training can increase the rate of calorie burn even when you’re not exercising. That’s because strength training builds muscle, and muscle requires more calories than fat just to maintain it.

However, Hannon says, “Exercise alone usually doesn’t lead to weight loss. You also need to reduce your calorie intake.”

4. Lower your risk of heart disease

As you may know, heart disease is a common complication of type 2 diabetes. However, according to the American Heart Association, a regular exercise routine that includes strength training can help lower many risk factors associated with heart disease, including obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. A sedentary lifestyle only increases the risk of these conditions, so exercise can be an effective way to lower your risk of multiple health problems.

5. Helps strengthen bones

High blood sugar levels can cause more glucose to adhere to bone protein (collagen), weakening bone structure. “People with diabetes are at increased risk of fractures,” Hannon says. “They may also have other complications, such as nerve damage (numbness) in their legs and feet, which can make them more susceptible to falls.”

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Strength training helps improve bone strength, balance, and mobility, all of which reduce the likelihood of falls.