Building Muscles Benefits Diabetes Patients

In a recent article in ScienceDaily, research findings reinforce that you can get the same results by weight training at a lower intensity but with more repetitions than lifting strictly high intensity weights.

Photo Credit: World Health

Why is this important?

Nicholas Burd, lead author in the study, states that, "these findings have important implications from a public health standpoint because skeletal muscle mass is a large contributor to daily energy expenditure and it assists in weight management. Additionally, skeletal muscle mass, because of its overall size, is the primary site of blood sugar disposal and thus will likely play a role in reducing the risk for development of type II diabetes." A UCLA study suggests that having more muscle mass decreases one’s risk for Type 2 Diabetes and other physical limitations. It decreases one’s risk by increasing metabolism and controlling insulin.

Individuals with compromised skeletal muscle mass, like the aged, patients with cancer and even someone who has had a stroke can benefit from these findings. It's motivating knowing that you can lift lighter weights and still have similar muscle mass as those who lift heavy weights.

Recommendations 

The American Diabetes Association and the American College of Sports and Medicine recommend weight training at least twice a week, doing 12 repetitions per set of eight to 10 exercises targeting major muscle groups.

According to an article in Everyday Health, strength training protects against various problems of diabetes by:

·         Reducing your risk of heart disease

·         Helping control blood pressure

·         Increasing your levels of good cholesterol while reducing bad cholesterol levels

·         Improving bone density

·         Preventing atrophy and loss of muscle mass due to age

Resources

For more info on Exercise and Diabetes

For Exercise programs visit LiveStrong