Virginia Tech scientists at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute show that resistance training outperforms endurance exercise in improving insulin sensitivity in obesity and Type 2 diabetes models.
Running may help burn calories, but when it comes to preventing diabetes and obesity, pumping iron might have the edge, according to preclinical findings from Virginia Tech scientists at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.
The research, published Oct. 30 in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, compared the effects of endurance and resistance exercise in mice fed a high-fat diet, a widely used model of obesity, hyperglycemia, and Type 2 diabetes.
A team led by exercise medicine researcher Zhen Yan found that while both running and weightlifting helped the body clear excess sugar from the blood, resistance training was more effective in reducing subcutaneous and visceral fat, improving glucose tolerance, and lowering insulin resistance — key factors in preventing and managing diabetes.
“We all want to live a long, healthy life,” said Yan, professor and director of the institute’s Center for Exercise Medicine Research. “We all know the benefits of regular exercise. There is plenty of evidence in humans that both endurance exercise, such as running, and resistance exercise, such as weightlifting, are effective in promoting insulin sensitivity.”
But while both support metabolic function, a rigorous side-by-side comparison was lacking. Is one type of exercise better than the other?
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