Can Diabetes Affect Your Muscles?

5 Necessities To Build Muscle And Strength As A Diabetic

The music at my gym is blaring hardcore rock as I’m setting up to do my third heavy set on bench press. I have already warmed up and found my groove and I hear “BEEP! BEEP!”. Low blood sugar. Great. My entire workout gets put on pause as shove a mini pack of gummies in my mouth while other lifters stare at me (probably jealous of my mid-set snack). I walk around and wait for my blood sugar to go up little before I can even think about getting back in the groove— all while I’m starring at the vending machine, holding myself back from eating everything I can get my hands on. Diabetes can be a pain— especially when you are trying to build muscle and strength. Having your life run by this number on a machine can be like some new age blood glucose dictatorship if you don’t manage it while you train. But it is not impossible to build an epic physique and get ridiculously strong as a diabetic. Quite the opposite actually as bodybuilders take insulin to get bigger. Insulin is one of the most anabolic (muscle building) hormones in the human body. It just takes control and understanding Here are five methods to controlling your diabetes during exercise so that you can build an awesome body and get strong: Understand what’s Going On: Depending on what type of exercise you are doing, your blood sugar may react differently so you have to be prepared by understanding the process! Both cardio and weight training increase insulin sensitivity during and up to 7 hours post-exercise so reducing your basal or bolus may help you control the extreme lows post exercise. This means any insulin you take will be more effective at a lower dose after exercise. High intensity exercise resulting in roughly >70% VO2 max or >85% max heart rate like strength training and crossfit can ca Continue reading >>

How Type 2 Diabetes Can Damage Your Body

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in the U.S.(ISTOKEPHOTO) Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes by farmaking up more than 90% of the 24 million cases in the U.S. Experts use words like "epidemic" and "worldwide crisis" when they talk about it: Millions of people have it and a staggering number are expected to get it (300 million worldwide by 2025, according to one study). Diabetes doesn't get the attention of, say, cancer or scary viruses. One reason might be because type 2 diabetes is so incredibly commonabout 20% of people over age 60 get it. A large chunk of the population just seems to have the genetic programming to develop the disease with age. Type 2 diabetes is showing up in young people However, diabetes is also on the rise because our modern lifestylelots of food and little exercisespeeds up the process. So people who might have developed this "old-age disease" in their 60s and 70s are now developing the disease much earlier due to obesity and lack of exercise; sometimes in their teens or in childhood. Anyone can get diabetes. But some people are at much higher risk, particularly those who are obese. (Are you overweight? Use this body mass index calculator to find out.) One in three children born in the U.S. in 2000 will develop diabetes at some point in their life (including more than half of Hispanic females), according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published in 2003. But not all is gloom and doom. If you have diabetes, you have a lot more control over the disease now than just about any other point in history. And if you have prediabetes, you have a good chance of preventing or delaying the disease by making lifestyle changes or taking medication. What happens in the body when you have type 2 diabetes Wit Continue reading >>

How To Treat Muscle Loss In Diabetics

Diabetes mellitus has many symptoms, including overactive bladder, excessive thirst and hunger, weight loss, a tingling sensation in the digits, and weakened vision. Another lesser known symptom of diabetes is muscle loss. The diabetic mechanism of muscle loss is multifactorial. In other words, diabetes can contribute to muscle loss in several ways. The three main ways muscle loss may occur in diabetics includes: 1. Muscle contracture and disuse It is common for patients with diabetes to suffer from hardened muscles, or muscles that have contracted as a result of thickening soft tissue. This type of general diabetic muscle contracture can be pervasive, and makes it much harder for a patient to move or use their muscles. Movement becomes limited, and muscle disuse that leads to atrophy is the result. 2. Atherosclerosis While atherosclerosis and diabetes are not directly related, diabetes can promote atherosclerosis, or the thickening of arterial walls. This contributes to restricted blood flow, which can cause cramps, pain, or general discomfort. In severe cases, the lack of oxygenated blood to localized areas of muscle can cause infarction, or tissue death caused by restricted blood flow. Infarctions of the heart can lead to heart attacks. 3. Nerve damage Lastly, infarction can cause the death of motor and sensory neurons that are involved in muscle movement and blood supply. The death of these vital neurons can further contribute to muscle disuse and atrophy, and can lead to muscle twitching and pain. An uncomfortable type of muscle atrophy in which the muscles of the shoulders and hips waste away, known as “limb girdle wasting”, is common in diabetics and often referred to as diabetic amyotrophy. In all three cases, muscle loss occurs slowly, but is pervasive and Continue reading >>

Diabetic Muscular Infarction

Dr. Marinescu is a Senior Rheumatology Fellow, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York. Diabetic muscular infarction, or DMI, was once considered an extremely rare complication of diabetes. Today, now that we can use non-invasive MRI imaging to detect DMI very easily — rather than using a muscle biopsy, the old way — we know that the condition is more common than previously thought, though still fairly rare. Because its symptoms can be easy to miss, DMI is often not noticed or treated as quickly as it should be. Anyone who has diabetes or who has a loved one with the disease should be aware of the possibility of developing DMI. If you suspect that you or a loved one might have DMI, then you should seek immediate medical attention. Diabetic muscular infarction causes a sore, painful area in a muscle, usually a thigh muscle; it is called diabetic because it is caused by circulation problems that are the result of long-term diabetes. Infarction is a medical condition in which tissue dies because its blood supply is cut off. DMI sometimes occurs in the calf muscles (19% of all cases). It is most common in people who have lived for years with type 1 diabetes (which typically is childhood diabetes and requires insulin) and who have poor glycemic control; that is, for whatever reason, they have not been able to keep their blood sugar levels under control. Women are more likely than men to get DMI. Most of the patients with DMI have diabetes-related damage to other organs as well, including the kidneys (71%), eyes (57%) and nerves (54.5%). Because its symptoms can be easy to miss, DMI is often not noticed or treated as quickly as it should be. DMI can come and go. It typically begins with muscle pain and swelling. After that, the pain partially subsides and a tender m Continue reading >>

The Effects Of Diabetes On Your Body

When you hear the word “diabetes,” your first thought is likely about high blood sugar. Blood sugar is an often-underestimated component of your health. When it’s out of whack over a long period of time, it could develop into diabetes. Diabetes affects your body’s ability to produce or use insulin, a hormone that allows your body to turn glucose (sugar) into energy. Here’s what symptoms may occur to your body when diabetes takes effect. Diabetes can be effectively managed when caught early. However, when left untreated, it can lead to potential complications that include heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, and nerve damage. Normally after you eat or drink, your body will break down sugars from your food and use them for energy in your cells. To accomplish this, your pancreas needs to produce a hormone called insulin. Insulin is what facilitates the process of pulling sugar from the blood and putting it in the cells for use, or energy. If you have diabetes, your pancreas either produces too little insulin or none at all. The insulin can’t be used effectively. This allows blood glucose levels to rise while the rest of your cells are deprived of much-needed energy. This can lead to a wide variety of problems affecting nearly every major body system. The effects of diabetes on your body also depends on the type you have. There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1, also called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is an immune system disorder. Your own immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, destroying your body’s ability to make insulin. With type 1 diabetes, you must take insulin to live. Most people are diagnosed as a child or young adult. Type 2 is related to insulin resistance. It used to occur i Continue reading >>

What May Cause Your Muscle Aches And Pains When You Have Diabetes?

Moving with diabetes is more difficult for those with persistent muscle aches and pains. Diabetic neuropathy causes nerve damage that can lead to tingling, pain, and numbness. Find out what may cause pain when you have diabetes and how you can feel better. What is Diabetic Neuropathy? Diabetic neuropathy is a nerve disorder that affect people with diabetes. Some people have no symptoms. Others get tingling, pain, or loss of feeling in the extremities including the legs, feet, arms, and hands. Nerve problems can impact every organ system. Up to 70 percent of people with diabetes have some form of neuropathy. The condition is more common in people with diabetes who have other conditions such as poor blood glucose control, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity. Possible Causes of Diabetic Neuropathy Nerve damage makes it painful to move. Diabetic neuropathy can be caused by one or more factors. The biggest cause is out of control high blood sugar. Autoimmune factors can lead to nerve inflammation. Neurovascular issues may damage the blood vessels that transport nutrients and oxygen to the nerves. Other factors include the use of alcohol, smoking, genetics, and injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Almost any nerve can be affected by diabetes and symptoms may include pain, numbness, nausea, difficulty urinating, constipation, diarrhea, weakness, faintness, wasting of the muscles of the hands or feet, and a feeling of weakness. Basic Types of Diabetic Neuropathy Diabetic neuropathy can have an impact on various parts of the body, including the muscles and how they feel and function. Types of neuropathy include proximal, peripheral, focal, and autonomic. With proximal neuropathy, people feel pain in the hips, buttocks or thighs which can make their legs feel Continue reading >>

Can Diabetes Cause Fatigue, Body Ache?

May 18, 2011 at 07:47 | Report abuse | Reply Heather, I have had tremendous success dealing with my sleep-related fatigue problems (non-restorative sleep) and significantly reduced my fibromyalgia by taking a low dose (30mg to 40mg) of desipramine just before bedtime. Desipramine is a low dose antidepressant and been in use for years. I have been using it for the last 18 years with great success. Your symptoms sound exactly like mine just before I started this treatment. Just a suggestion. It is important to note that at its early stages, diabetes does not cause many symptoms and may pass unnoticed. But the disease develops silently, causing damage to eyesight, kidneys and the cardiovascular system. PS – men can also have fibromyalgia. It is either underdiagnosed (possibly) or may be more common in women. I know a few men who have been diagnosed. Not enough is known about it to make the assumption that it doesn't occur more often (than diagnosed) in men. May 18, 2011 at 07:51 | Report abuse | Reply I am in the Marine Corps and need to run atleast 3 milesbut can't run 1/2 mile anymore. I am on a Beta blocker for chest pain and atrial tach. I lift weights and I try to run but have a shortness of breath while attempting to run, yard work, and walking up one flight of stairs. Cardiologist says all is good with my heart no obstructions. What else could be causing my shortness of breath. May 18, 2011 at 08:05 | Report abuse | Reply Have you been to a cardiologist who ran a stress-test scan on your heart? That particular test lets the examiner look at your hear function under duress. Your problem may be respiratory-related, maybe you should see a pneumologist, as compromized lung function may tax your heart and give you chest pain. Also, you might want to lay off the weight Continue reading >>

How To Build Muscle With Diabetes

Editor’s Note: Phil Graham (BSc, CISSN) is a certified sports nutritionist and competitive body builder. Learn more of his training tips on his site Diabetic Muscle and Fitness. This is a basic overview of how muscle tissue is built and the important considerations people living with diabetes need to make in order to maximize their muscle growth potential. This advice is suitable for anyone interested in improving the look of their body or for the professional bodybuilder and athlete looking to increase performance. How do you build muscle? Lift heavy weights? Consume enough protein? Get enough rest? Pretty much! Generally speaking, these behaviours can be classified into two distinct categories: Stimulus Recovery Stimulus Throughout our life, muscle mass increases as we age up until a certain point. This is naturally dictated by our day-to-day activity, genetics and the influence of key hormones. Everyone has the potential to build muscle. However, some people want to build more muscle than others. This is largely for aesthetic and sporting performance reasons. To accelerate muscle growth, there needs to be a stimulus. Weight-resistance training serves as the perfect stimulus for muscle growth. While the body’s muscles are challenged on a daily basis through movements like squat, deadlift, press and pull. Not many of these movements are loaded heavily or frequently enough to stimulate substantial gains in muscle mass. This is where scheduled weight training comes into play. Through frequent training exposure, the body adapts itself to deal with loaded movements by increasing its physical strength through newly acquired muscle mass. Load and training frequency are the limiting factors to muscle growth; however, for the body to make the most out of a regular laoded t Continue reading >>

Diabetes Leg Pain And Cramps: Treatment Tips

Diabetes can lead to a variety of complications. Leg pain and cramps often occur as a result of nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy. If diabetes damages nerves in your arms or legs, it’s called diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This condition can be a direct result of long-term high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) in those who have diabetes. Pain, burning, tingling, and numbness are common symptoms. Peripheral neuropathy can also result in serious foot and leg conditions. Catching nerve damage early is important in preventing symptoms. This can help prevent lower leg amputations. You have options for alleviating leg pain and cramps due to diabetic neuropathy. Managing leg pain and cramps may also help prevent the condition from progressing and improve your quality of life. Diabetic neuropathy is most common in the legs and feet. Without treatment and management, it can become debilitating. The most important thing you can do to lower your risk of all complications, including diabetic neuropathy, is to keep your blood sugar level within the target range. If you have neuropathy, controlling blood sugar is still very important. But there are some other steps you can take to help control this condition. One of the first courses of action is pain management through medication. Over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, may help alleviate mild to moderate pain. Two medications are currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy: Other medications and treatment options include the use of opioid medications, such as tramadol and tapentadol, and topical remedies and sprays. Certain dietary supplements may also help ease pain, including leg discomfort associated with diabetes. Some nutrie Continue reading >>

Joint And Muscle Problems Associated With Diabetes

Home » Related Health Issues » Joint and Muscle Problems Associated with Diabetes Joint and Muscle Problems Associated with Diabetes Introduction Connective Tissue Disorders Tests Your Doctor May Carry Out Myopathy Cheiroarthropathy Frozen Shoulder Trigger Finger Dupuytren’s Contracture Carpel Tunnel Stiff Man’s Syndrome [SMS] Also Known as Stiff Person’s Syndome Diffuse idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis [DISH] Introduction Joint and skeletal disorders, known as connective tissue disorders, are recognised as complications of diabetes but they tend to receive less attention than the other complications and the progress of these conditions is often not monitored. This could be because they are not life-threatening but they can be distressing and painful conditions that may adversely affect lifestyles for many people. One thing that seems clear, is that no one seems to know the causes of these conditions or if there are certain people who are more susceptible to them. It seems unacceptable to simply put them down to ‘long-term diabetes’. In the IDDT Newsletter April 2003, Rae Price described how she had developed pains in her hands and feet and was diagnosed with cheiroarthropathy but no one seemed to have heard of it! But she changed to animal insulin and not only felt better but the general stiffness and pain had disappeared. Rae’s diary resulted in many phone calls and letters from people with various joint and muscle problems, so we decided to take a look! Continue reading >>

The Musculoskeletal Effects Of Diabetes Mellitus

Go to: Abstract Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a multi-system disease characterized by persistent hyperglycemia that has both acute and chronic biochemical and anatomical sequelae, with Type-2 DM representing the most common form of the disease. Neuromusculoskeletal sequelae of DM are common and the practicing chiropractor should be alert to these conditions, as some are manageable in a chiropractic office, while others are life and/or limb threatening. This paper reviews the effects of DM on the musculoskeletal system so as assist the chiropractor in making appropriate clinical decisions regarding therapy, understanding contraindications to therapy, referring patients to medical physicians when appropriate and understanding the impact that DM may have on the prognosis for their patients suffering from the myriad musculoskeletal conditions associated with this disease. Keywords: diabetes, musculoskeletal, chiropractic Go to: Introduction Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a multi-system disease characterized by persistent hyperglycemia that has both acute and chronic biochemical and anatomical sequelae. It is thought to affect almost 17 million Americans, only 11 million of whom have been diagnosed according to the American Diabetes Association. In type 1 diabetes, a lack of insulin results in poor carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. Insulin is functionally absent, typically due to immune-mediated destruction of the beta cells of the pancreas, though other etiologies of beta cell destruction have also been implicated, including drugs, chemicals, viruses, mitochondrial gene defects, pancreatectomy and ionizing radiation.1 Type 1 DM (DM1) occurs most commonly in juveniles. It can occur in adults, especially in those in their late 30s and early 40s. Unlike people with Type 2 DM ( Continue reading >>

More Muscle Mass Knocks Out Insulin Resistance And Prediabetes

Having more muscle mass can protect against insulin resistance and prediabetes, no matter overall body size, researchers said.… In a cross-sectional study, every 10% increase in the ratio of skeletal muscle mass to total body weight was associated with an 11% reduction in risk of insulin resistance and a 12% drop in risk of transitional, prediabetes, or overt diabetes. The findings point to the importance of gauging muscle mass, in addition to other established risk factors such as body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, when assessing a patient’s metabolic health, the researchers said. The results may also have implications for the role of muscle-building exercises in preventing metabolic dysfunction. It’s known that very low muscle mass (sarcopenia) is a risk factor for insulin resistance, but it’s unclear whether increasing muscle mass outside of the sarcopenic range can boost insulin sensitivity or protect against diabetes. So to determine whether increases in muscle mass are associated with improved glucose regulation, the researchers looked at data on 13,644 patients from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III, conducted from 1988 to 1994. Patients had data on homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR); glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c); prevalence of transitional, prediabetes, or overt diabetes (PMD); and prevalence of overt diabetes mellitus. These four factors served as the study outcomes. Muscle mass was assessed via bioelectrical impedance, which measures opposition to the flow of an electric current through body tissues, determining total body water to estimate body composition. The researchers found that all four of the outcomes declined across quartiles from lowest to highest skeletal muscle index, or t Continue reading >>

Building Muscle With Diabetes

Tweet Having diabetes won't stop you from building muscle. However, it's wise to follow a few precautions when it comes to gaining muscle. There are many different types of exercise and one of the most popular is strength or power training, which is very effective for building strong bones and muscles. Strong muscles collect oxygen and nutrients from the blood much more efficiently than weak ones, meaning that any physical activity you do will require less cardiac work and put less strain on your heart. As well as being good for the heart, they also improve weight control and help the body remain sensitive to the hormone insulin, which is vital for keeping blood sugar levels in check and preventing or controlling type 2 diabetes. Here are some tips on how you can build strong, lean muscle, without affecting your diabetes: Load up on protein Protein intake is vital for building muscle. However, your body constantly drains its protein reserves for other uses such as producing hormones, resulting in less protein available for muscle building. To counteract this, you need to build and store new proteins faster than your body breaks down old proteins. You should look to consume about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, which is roughly the maximum amount your body can use in a day. Good sources of protein include: Chicken Tuna Eggs, milk and cottage cheese Protein shakes (see below for more about shakes) Remember, the more protein your body stores (protein synthesis), the larger your muscles grow. Have a protein shake before your workout Protein shakes are very effective for improving strength. While many trainers have a post-workout shake, research has shown that drinking a shake containing at least 6 grams of amino acids - the muscle-building blocks of protein - an Continue reading >>

Muscular System - Diabetes And Muscles

Together, our muscles can hold a large quantity of stored glucose The muscular system is made up of around 650 muscles and account for around half of the weight of our body. As well controlling the movement of our body, they also control the movements of organs such as the bladder and intestines. The muscles need fuel to operate and take in glucose from our blood, thus playing in the regulation of our blood sugar levels. Our skeletal muscles are voluntary muscles meaning our thoughts dictate which muscles contract and when, thus allowing us walk or run, write or type and play sports or music. Muscles work by contracting, that is they shorten and become more compact. Our biceps work by contracting which folds the forearm closer the upper arm. The biceps cannot move the arm the other way but they can relax and allow the triceps, on the opposite side of the upper arm, to contract and straighten the arm. As well as controlling our movement, the skeletal muscles are able to generate heat helping us to maintain body temperature. Smooth muscles are muscles which are controlled by our nerves without us having to think about it. These involuntary muscles are found in our arteries, veins, within the bladder and within our intestines. If diabetes damages the nerves of these muscles, it can cause problems. For example, if the smooth muscles of the bladder are affected, this may lead to incontinence or being unable to urinate. The cardiac muscles control the beating of our heart and have to work constantly through our life to keep us alive. The cardiac muscle can also be affected by diabetes. If the nerves that control the beating of the heart become damaged, beating of the heart can be disrupted, resulting in irregular heart beats or even heart failure. The heart can also be affec Continue reading >>

Type 2 Diabetes, Muscle Strength, And Impaired Physical Function

The tip of the iceberg? There is growing recognition that the complications associated with type 2 diabetes may translate into functional impairment in older people (1). This may reflect a link between the metabolic and mechanical functions of muscle. However, the possibility that the link between glucose tolerance and physical function extends to people without diabetes has not been previously considered. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship among glucose tolerance, muscle strength, and physical function in men and women with and without type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A cross-sectional survey within a cohort study design was used. Information was obtained on self-reported diabetes status cross-checked with medication data, glucose, and insulin levels 2 h after an oral glucose tolerance test (for participants without a previous diagnosis of diabetes) (2), grip strength using a Jamar dynamometer (3), and physical function using the physical function component of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short form questionnaire. This is a measure of subjective health status widely validated in both men and women (4,5). The population-based study sample consisted of 1,391 men and women aged between 60 and 70 years and living in the English county of Hertfordshire. Additional information was collected on medical and social history, physical activity, height, and weight. The study had ethical approval from the North and East Hertfordshire Local Research Ethics Committee, and all subjects gave written informed consent. The methods for the cohort study have been described previously (6). Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and linear and logistic regression were used to analyze the data with the Stata 8.0 statistical package. Known di Continue reading >>