Managing Diabetes with Exercise
As you may or may not know, diabetes diagnoses have been steadily on the rise in recent decades. Given our devotion to fitness here at physipod, we took to researching how what we offer can help those struggling to manage their diabetes and we were floored by the evidence in favour of strength training. Strength training can not only help to manage diabetes, but even reverse its affects in some cases (Shepherd & Yakovenko, 2021). This blog will examine how diabetes affects us and how strength training and exercise can keep individuals with diabetes living happier and healthier lives.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition in which the body is unable to produce insulin or unable to utilize the insulin that it does produce properly (Canadian Diabetes Association, 2023). Type 1 diabetes- often termed ‘insulin-dependent’- is an autoimmune condition in which the body cannot produce insulin, so it must be injected into the body to manage blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body either cannot properly use the insulin that it has or cannot make enough insulin to support the needs of the body. Roughly 90% of people living with diabetes are living with Type 2, which can often be managed in part with exercise and healthy eating (Canadian Diabetes Association, 2023).
The pancreas produces insulin in order to regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels. Glucose must be regulated diligently in order to allow the body to function properly: too much can cause damage to the organs, blood vessels, and nerves while too little can lead to blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, slurred speech and, at worst, seizures, coma, and even death (American Diabetes Association, 2023).
How can Strengthening Help?
As we age, our body’s muscle mass begins to decline at a rate of roughly 3-8% each decade after age 30 (Strasser & Pesta, 2013). Furthermore, we often notice an increase in fatty tissue that replaces that muscle mass. This fatty tissue increase not only interferes with insulin signalling making glucose regulation more difficult, but places us at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Type 2 diabetes (Strasser & Pesta, 2013).
Our body’s main storage site for excess glucose is in our skeletal muscles, so lower muscle mass means less storage space for glucose (Shepherd & Yakovenko, 2021). In their book Deep Fitness, Phil Shepherd and Andrei Yakovenko explore this relationship between strengthening and diabetes. They make reference to a randomized control trial in which older adults that were classed as prediabetic were supervised for two strengthening sessions a week for three months. At the end of this trial, a whopping 34% of participants actually achieved normal glucose tolerance (Davy et al, 2017). Pretty incredible, right?
The immense benefits of strength training on glucose levels are further complemented by lower-intensity exercise. According to an evidence-based blog published by the metabolic health company, Levels, “our muscles are glucose-processing workhorses: exercise can boost glucose uptake by up to 50 times compared to when sedentary.” For this reason, it is recommended that we engage in 30 minutes to 2 hours of low-intensity exercise (e.g. brisk walking) after eating to promote blood-sugar regulation.
The Take-Home Message?
A diabetes diagnosis can feel frightening, but exercise can be a really helpful tool in its management (American Diabetes Association, 2023). While loads of factors are out of our control as we age, our muscle mass is one of the few which evidence says we can positively impact by strength-training consistently (Shepherd & Yakovenko, 2021). If you are unsure how to get started on your strengthening journey, give us a call or drop us an email today!
Sources:
Shepherd & Yakovenko (2021) Deep Fitness: The Mindful, Science-Based Strength-Training Method to Transform your Well-Being in Just 30 Minutes a Week
Davy et al (2017):
Levels Blog (2021):
Canadian Diabetes Association:
American Diabetes Association:
https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/fitness
Strasser & Pesta (2013):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3881442/pdf/BMRI2013-805217.pdf
