Insulin-Sensitivity Response to a Single Bout of Resistive Exercise in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Context: Little is known about the acute effects of resistance exercise on insulin sensitivity in people with type I diabetes. Design: Repeated-measures design with 2 independent variables: group (exercise and nonexercise control) and time (preexercise and 12 and 36 h postexercise). Setting: General Clinical Research Center, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Patients: 14 physically active subjects (I I men and 3 women) with type I diabetes. Intervention: The exercise group completed 5 sets of 6 repetitions of strenuous (80% 1-RM) quadriceps and hamstring exercises while the control group performed only activities of daily living. Main Outcome Measures: Insulin sensitivity was assessed with the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic-clamp technique preexercise and 12 and 36 h postexercise. Results: Insulin-sensitivity values were not significantly different between the exercise and control groups (P=.92) or over time (P=.67). Conclusions: A single bout of strenuous resistance exercise does not alter insulin sensitivity in people with type I diabetes.