Resistance training improves heart risk markers in type 2 diabetes

If you have type 2 diabetes, you know heart health is a constant worry. A new review of past trials looked at what happens when middle-aged and older adults add resistance training, like lifting weights, to their routine. The analysis combined data from studies involving 1,396 people. It found that resistance training significantly reduced the atherogenic index of plasma, a measure of heart disease risk. It also lowered hemoglobin A1c, a marker of blood sugar control, and improved insulin resistance. Participants saw their systolic blood pressure drop, their body fat decrease, and their VO2max, a measure of fitness, increase. The review did not report on safety issues or side effects. However, the findings come with important caveats. The included studies were quite different from one another in design, the people they involved, and where they were done. This means the results should be interpreted with caution, even though they point to a clear benefit for adding strength work to diabetes care.