Benefits of resistance exercise for diabetes control.
Resistance exercise for the management of diabetes and other chronic diseases is just as important as cardiovascular exercise. Despite this some people don’t see the benefits of resistance exercise and associate resistance exercise with only people who want to “bulk up”
Research has found that performing the combination of both cardiovascular and resistance exercise gives the best long term outcomes for diabetes management. Resistance exercise gives benefits and physiological changes in areas that aerobic exercise alone doesn’t.
Insulin sensitivity
The way that resistance exercise helps to manage diabetes is by allowing the body to better use the insulin produced by the pancreas. This allows the body to better and more effectively bring glucose into the muscles where it is stored. This stored glucose can later be used as energy and allows for better regulation of your blood glucose levels. This process is knows as insulin sensitivity and comes on with an increase in strength and lean muscle mass.
Increasing you base metabolic rate
Another way that resistance exercise helps to manage diabetes is by increasing you base metabolic rate or BMR. Your BRM is the minimum amount of energy your body needs to stay alive. With resistance exercise you will see an increase in lean muscle mass, this increase in lean muscle mass is what increases your BMR. This means that by performing resistance exercise and increasing your lean muscle mass you will be burning more energy at rest. By burning more energy at rest you are able to better control your glucose levels, allows for better diabetes management and the greater ability to lose weight.
If you have diabetes and are only performing cardiovascular exercise or aren’t completing any exercise at all, come in as speak to one of our Exercise Physiologist. We sit down with you and help you put a plan in place for you to maximise the benefits of exercise and improve your results and overall health.
Reviewed by Kieran Doyle
APA Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist APAM MACP,
MMuscPhysio, GradCertMuscPhysio,
MPhty, BAppSc(Ex&SpSc)
Head of Clincal Development (Physical Rehabilitation)
With over 18 years of experience across Australia and the United Kingdom, Kieran is an APA Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, a qualification held by fewer than 1 in 10 physios, with a background spanning elite sport, disability, and general musculoskeletal rehabilitation..
