Research

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Resistance exercise training improves systemic glucose homeostasis in individuals with type 2 diabetes by decreasing HbA1c and fasting blood glucose levels.

If you have type 2 diabetes, adding resistance training to your routine can significantly lower your HbA1c and blood sugar. You don't need to lift heavy weights; focus on performing exercises with good form and gradually increasing the difficulty (sets, reps, or resistance). Doing this 2-3 times a week can yield substantial benefits.

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Resistance exercise training has been shown to improve systemic glucose control in both individuals and rodents with type 2 diabetes. Studies in both men and women with type 2 diabetes have demonstrated the following beneficial effects: (1) 8 weeks of progressive free weight and weight machine training involving arms and legs (2 days/week, 7 exercises/session, 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 60% 1 repetition max up to 100% of initial 1 repetition max) decreased HbA1c levels ~18% [8]...
Parker L. Evans et al. · Nutrients · 2019

Why this rating

Review of multiple human and rodent studies showing consistent beneficial effects, though specific protocols vary.

Source

Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Glucose Transport and Glucose Metabolism by Exercise Training

Parker L. Evans et al. · Nutrients · 2019

DOI 10.3390/nu11102432

narrative_reviewCited 184×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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