Why Lifting Weights Is So Healthy for Type 1 Diabetes

If you're living with type 1 diabetes, you've probably already been told how beneficial cardiovascular exercise can be for managing your condition. But if you've only been focusing on that type of physical activity, it may be time to consider adding strength training to the mix.

What Is Strength Training?

Sheri R. Colberg, PhD, a professor emerita of exercise science at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, gives these examples of strength training, which have many benefits for people who have diabetes.

• Weight lifting with free weights (dumbbells and barbells)
• Weight or resistance machines
• Resistance bands and tubes
• Isometric exercises
• Calisthenics using body weight as resistance (such as push-ups)

Improved Insulin Sensitivity

“Increasing and/or retaining muscle mass with repeated training improves insulin sensitivity by giving your body a bigger ‘glucose tank' in which to store any excess carbohydrates that you eat or that your body produces (via the liver),” says Dr. Colberg.

“In most cases, strength training allows you to better maintain your blood glucose levels during the activity compared to aerobic workouts,” says Colberg.

A Healthier Body Weight

“Resistance training causes the retention and growth of muscle mass, which can cause body weight to stay the same, decrease very slowly, or even increase in some cases,” says Colberg. “Even without weight loss, strength training still benefits a person by creating a bigger storage tank for carbohydrates in the diet.”

Other Health Benefits of Strength Training for People With TD1

The perks of lifting weights are many and varied, but some have special importance for people who live with diabetes.

Cardiovascular Health

“Resistance training supports heart health by improving blood pressure, cholesterol profiles, and overall metabolic health,” says Jessica Jones, CDCES, RDN, a certified diabetes care and education specialist and the cofounder of Diabetes Digital, a virtual nutrition counseling platform for people with diabetes and prediabetes.

Visceral Fat

“People with type 1 diabetes don't inherently carry more visceral fat than people without diabetes,” says Jones. “The bigger issue is that when visceral fat does develop, it can raise cardiovascular risk even in people who appear lean.”

Diabetic Neuropathy

“Studies have looked at reduction in neuropathic pain with a variety of types of exercise training and recommended it for adults with type 2 diabetes, but studies looking at type 1 diabetes are sparse,” says Colberg. Despite the lack of data in this population, she adds, “it is probably safe to conclude that people with T1D will have similar, positive responses to exercise training, including strength training.”

Jones says it's key to anyone who has neuropathy to take precautions about the type of strength exercises they try.

“If your gait is affected, it is safer to focus on non-weight-bearing strength exercises like machine-based or seated workouts,” she says. “This keeps you active while protecting your feet.”

Muscle Loss

“Resistance training increases muscle mass, strength, and physical function and improves body composition, thereby counteracting muscle loss and muscle loss risk across the lifespan,” says Alex McDonald, MD, a family medicine and sports medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center in Fontana, California.

Strategies for Strength Training for People With Type 1 Diabetes

If you have type 1 diabetes and want to get started with strength training, Dr. McDonald says you should always first consult with your primary care physician and, if possible, work with a personal trainer to minimize the risk of injury. Ideally, you can work up to doing resistance training regularly. Colberg says that people with type 1 diabetes should do resistance training at least two to three days a week.

• Start slowly. If you haven't lifted weights much before — or it's been a long time — don't go overboard right away. “It's always best to start out slowly and progress slowly to give muscles time to adapt and recover stronger and keep diabetes in check,” says Colberg. If you can't manage the recommended two or three days a week of resistance training, do it less frequently until you build up strength and stamina.

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• Know how much to lift. You don't want to overdo it with this one, either. McDonald suggests calculating your single rep maximum, which is the amount of weight you can lift one time using proper technique. Start by lifting about half that weight and do around 12 to 15 repetitions. Work your way up to three sets.
• Track your progress. Rome wasn't built in a day; nor will your muscles be. McDonald says you should check your progress at about six to eight weeks. He says to pay attention to factors such as an increased number of reps per exercise, adding more weight, feeling less tired while exercising or afterward, or changes to your physique.
• Monitor your blood sugar. “The risk of going low during resistance training is a lot less than for other types of activities,” Colberg says. But she adds that lows may be delayed as the glucose in the muscles is used up. “This makes it very important to monitor blood glucose and make adjustments for hours afterward.” It's also possible to experience high blood sugars after high-intensity anaerobic exercise.

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• Keep snacks at the ready. Colberg encourages people with type 1 diabetes to always keep a rapid-acting carbohydrate like glucose tablets or gels with them to rapidly treat any hypoglycemia. “Using snacks after exercise strategically can prevent lows later on as well.”

The Takeaway

• Strength training may improve insulin sensitivity, aid in blood sugar control, and potentially reduce insulin requirements for people who have type 1 diabetes.
• Regular strength training encourages muscle growth, which can help with weight management and improve heart health.
• Start strength training slowly and monitor your blood sugar levels before and after workouts to manage potential fluctuations in glucose.
• Keep quick-acting carbohydrates handy while exercising, and see a healthcare professional or a trained fitness expert to help you create a resistance-training regimen.