A study published in May of this year questioned whether loss of skeletal muscle and strength had an effect on insulin resistance and high glucose levels.
I say, of course it does! I've tried every diet imaginable - fad diets, doctor-prescribed diets, self-made diets - and while I may have lost weight a few times, my general health, sense of well-being and Type 2 diabetes control did not improve unless I also did a form of exercise that hardened my muscles.
UCLA researchers studied data on 14,528 people from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to see if sarcopenia or loss of skeletal muscle and strength was associated with diabetes.
They concluded, "Dieting to be thin is on its own not enough to stave off diabetes."
Isn't it nice to have research to confirm you've been right all along?
According to the study, sarcopenia is associated with insulin resistance in both obese and non-obese people. Sarcopenia is also associated with higher average glucose levels in obese people, but not in non-obese people.
This finding might be confusing. The non-obese people with sarcopenia showed higher insulin resistance but not higher glucose levels. Can a person with insulin resistance have normal glucose levels? The answer is yes.
When insulin resistance starts, the pancreas works overtime to produce extra insulin to remove glucose from the bloodstream resulting in normal glucose levels. It isn't until the pancreas stops working as hard that high glucose levels become clinically apparent.
I think it's safe to conclude loss of muscle and strength is associated with an increased risk for diabetes regardless of weight. I feel my personal experience has shown it can improve control in those of us who already have it.
Why not add muscle mass and increase strength just to be on the safe side? If you are new to strength exercises, check out Weight Training 101 and Strength Training for Beginners.
Photo Elizabeth Woolley