Effect of 12-week resistance exercise program on body composition, muscle strength, physical function, and glucose metabolism in healthy, insulin-resistant, and diabetic elderly Icelanders.

• Published in: The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
• Main Authors: Geirsdottir, O G, Arnarson, A, Briem, K, Ramel, A, Jonsson, P V, Thorsdottir, I
• Other Authors: Unit for Nutrition Research, Eiriksgata 29, Landspitali National University Hospital, IS-101 Reykjavik, Iceland.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Aged; 80 and over; Body Composition; Diabetes Mellitus; Type 2; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Glucose; Humans; Iceland; Insulin Resistance; Intervention Studies; Linear Models; Male; Muscle Strength; Physical Fitness; Prediabetic State; Program Evaluation; Reference Values; Resistance Training; Risk Assessment; Statistics; Nonparametric; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/298920; https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/gls096

Insulin is a stimulator of skeletal muscle protein anabolism and insulin resistance might therefore negatively affect muscle protein metabolism. We investigated muscle mass and physical function before and after a resistance exercise program in participants with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in comparison to healthy controls. This was a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled intervention designed to investigate resistance training among older adults. Glucose metabolism status was not a selection criteria for the trial, and group designation was done retrospectively. Participants (N = 237, 73.7 ± 5.7 y, 58.2% women) participated in a 12-week resistance exercise program (3 times/week; three sets, six to eight repetitions at 75%-80% of the one-repetition maximum), designed to increase strength and muscle mass of major muscle groups. Body composition, muscular strength, timed up and go test, 6-minute walk for distance, and blood chemical variables were measured at baseline and endpoint. Participants completing the study (n = 213) experienced significant changes in muscle strength or muscle function, which did not differ significantly between healthy (n = 198), prediabetic (n = 20), and T2DM participants (n = 17). Changes in serum glucose during the intervention differed by group: only glucose improved significantly in the prediabetic group, glucose and triacylglycerol improved significantly in the healthy group, whereas no serum parameter improved significantly in the T2DM group. A 12-week resistance exercise program improves muscle strength and muscle function to a similar extent in healthy, prediabetic, and T2DM elderly people. However, according to our data, T2DM participants do not experience favorable changes in fasting glucose or HbA(1C). Icelandic Technology Development Fund 071323008 University of Iceland Landspitali National University Hospital Research Fund Helga Jonsdottir and Sigurlidi Kristjansson Geriatric Research Fund