Type 2 Diabetes: Cardio and Weights Leave Different Marks in Blood
Graded Moderate — an analysis of 60 randomized studies with 2,741 people; data on interleukin-6 were partly inconsistent, and the authors call the findings early hints.
- Design
- Meta-analysis
- Participants
- 2,741
- Duration
- —
- Funding
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In type 2 diabetes, cardio was more often linked to better fat hormone levels and strength training to fewer inflammation messengers.
For people with type 2 diabetes, cardio and strength training seem to shift different blood values. After aerobic exercise, adiponectin, a hormone made by fat tissue, went up. Leptin, another fat tissue hormone, went down. Two inflammation messengers, TNF-alpha and interleukin-6, also fell. Strength training was mainly linked to drops in those same two inflammation markers.
The researchers pooled 60 studies in which a random draw decided who exercised and who did not. Together they included 2,741 adults with type 2 diabetes. A special statistical method let them compare training types that were never tested head to head. Interval training with short, hard bursts also lowered TNF-alpha. People who did cardio more often saw a larger drop in interleukin-6.
The authors urge caution themselves. For interleukin-6, data from different comparisons did not always agree. Extra analyses by age and body weight offer only early hints. The authors see the results as a source of new questions, not as grounds for ranking training types or making exercise recommendations.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.