How lifting weights helps older men with and without diabetes
Resistance training attenuates circulating FGF-21 and myostatin and improves insulin resistance in elderly men with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomised controlled clinical trial
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Older men with or without diabetes did weight training for 12 weeks. The training lowered two body chemicals linked to fat and muscle problems and made muscles stronger. It also helped the body use insulin better—but only in men without diabetes.
Surprising Findings
Resistance training improved insulin resistance only in non-diabetic elderly men, despite similar strength gains in both groups.
Many assume exercise improves insulin sensitivity universally, but this shows metabolic benefits may be limited once T2D is present.
Practical Takeaways
Elderly men should do resistance training 3 times per week at moderate intensity to improve muscle strength and metabolic hormone profiles.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Older men with or without diabetes did weight training for 12 weeks. The training lowered two body chemicals linked to fat and muscle problems and made muscles stronger. It also helped the body use insulin better—but only in men without diabetes.
Surprising Findings
Resistance training improved insulin resistance only in non-diabetic elderly men, despite similar strength gains in both groups.
Many assume exercise improves insulin sensitivity universally, but this shows metabolic benefits may be limited once T2D is present.
Practical Takeaways
Elderly men should do resistance training 3 times per week at moderate intensity to improve muscle strength and metabolic hormone profiles.
Publication
Journal
European Journal of Sport Science
Year
2020
Authors
F. Shabkhiz, M. Khalafi, S. Rosenkranz, Pouran Karimi, Kamilia Moghadami
Related Content
Claims (5)
Your body makes a hormone called FGF-21 when under stress, and it helps control how sensitive you are to insulin and how much belly fat you store — but how and how long it’s turned on really matters.
Older guys can get stronger by lifting weights three times a week for three months, even if they have type 2 diabetes.
Doing strength training for 12 weeks—three times a week, not too heavy—might help lower certain hormones linked to aging and muscle loss in older men, even if they have type 2 diabetes.
Older guys with type 2 diabetes tend to have more of two specific hormones in their blood—FGF-21 and myostatin—than older guys without diabetes, which might mean these hormones are involved in how metabolism goes off track as we age.
Lifting weights for three months might help older men who don’t have type 2 diabetes become more sensitive to insulin, but it probably doesn’t help those who already have the disease.