Which is better, aerobic exercise (like running, biking or swimming) or strength training (exercises like lifting weights, planks or push-ups)?
The answer: it depends…
Aerobic exercise burns more calories than strength training, so it’s good for weight loss. And it’s good for your heart health (probably why we call it “cardio” for short). Research also shows that it may be better for stress reduction.
On the other hand, studies have found that strength training is actually better for reducing a certain type of dangerous heart fat linked to cardiovascular disease.
And it may be better than cardio for promoting better sleep quality and duration. Plus, it’s great for keeping your muscles strong and preventing age-related frailty.
What about blood sugar control? Well, researchers at Virginia Tech have discovered one stands out as the clear winner in that regard….
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Weightlifting for the win
For the study, the researchers built the first-ever mouse model of weightlifting. In this model, cages were designed to feed mice a high-fat diet via a hinged, weighted lid. To eat, the mice had to lift the lid while wearing a small shoulder collar.
This caused the mice to perform a squat-like movement that engaged the same muscle contractions humans use during resistance exercise. The weight load on the lid was gradually increased over several days to mimic progressive strength training.
A second group of mice fed a high-fat diet had access to a running wheel, an established model of aerobic exercise. There were also control groups of sedentary mice on either a normal or a high-fat diet.
The research team monitored weight gain, body composition and fat distribution over eight weeks. They used treadmill runs to test exercise capacity, assessed heart and muscle function and measured how well blood sugar was regulated in the mice. Skeletal muscle tissue was analyzed to study insulin signaling at the molecular level.
By using these models, the researchers were able to directly compare how the two training styles affect obesity, blood glucose and insulin sensitivity in a way that closely mirrors human exercise.
While both types of exercise helped the body clear excess sugar from the blood, resistance training was more effective at reducing subcutaneous and visceral fat, improving glucose tolerance, and lowering insulin resistance. All these are key factors in preventing and managing diabetes.
“Our data showed that both running and weightlifting reduce fat in the abdomen and under the skin, and improve blood glucose maintenance, with better insulin signaling in skeletal muscle,” says Zhen Yan, an exercise medicine researcher at Virginia Tech who led the team. “Importantly, weightlifting outperforms running in these health benefits.”
The findings confirm decades of studies demonstrating endurance, resistance and high-intensity interval training all reduce HbA1c — a key measure of long-term blood sugar control — while also lowering body mass index and blood pressure and improving quality of life.
Interestingly, these benefits weren’t explained by changes in muscle mass or exercise performance. This suggests there may be unique metabolic mechanisms involved.
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Drugs can’t replace exercise
Yan says the findings are good news for people who can’t engage in aerobic exercise. “Weight training has equal, if not better, anti-diabetes benefits,” he notes.
Yan adds that the study reinforces the idea that popular drug interventions like GLP-1 agonists, while effective for diabetes management and weight loss, cannot fully replace the benefits of a well-balanced exercise program.
“The take-home message is that you should do both endurance and resistance exercise, if possible, to get the most health benefit,” he says.
You don’t need to be a hardcore bodybuilder to get the benefits of strength training. You don’t even need a gym membership. Here are some tips for getting started:
- Use your body weight: Exercises like push-ups and squats create the resistance that puts your muscles to work. Or you can do yoga, which is also considered strength training.
- Go slow: Begin with two 20-minute sessions a week, then work your way up to three to five 45-minute sessions. And take your time — whatever amount of strength training you do will have benefits.
- Stay hydrated and nourished: Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, and have a snack afterwards that has carbs to refuel your energy and protein to rebuild muscle.
Drugs can’t replace exercise. That’s why most doctors implement a strategy for their patients that includes exercise. But it’s important to note that some medications may cancel out the benefits of exercise in diabetic patients, according to recent research.
Source:
Weightlifting outmuscles running for blood sugar control, study finds — EurekAlert!
Weightlifting outperforms voluntary wheel running for improving adiposity and insulin sensitivity in obese mice — Journal of Sport and Health Science
Cardio or Strength Training: Which Is Better? — Cleveland Clinic
Weightlifting is better for the heart than cardio — News Medical Life Sciences
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