Edinburgh Napier University

  Exercise is regarded as a potential strategy to assist in the management of blood glucose in people with type 1 diabetes. However, currently there is little evidence-based information detailing the acute effects weight training has on glycaemia in type 1 diabetes. The aim of this review is to identify studies investigating the acute effects of weight training on blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetes.
A search of Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane, Medline and SPORTDiscus databases was conducted. A systematic review of these studies was undertaken to address the issue.
After fulfilling the inclusion criteria, eight articles were retrieved. The individual studies reported comparatively different results.
Study findings from this review are inconclusive regarding the acute glycaemic response to weight training exercise. Analyses of the intervention studies highlight that weight training may increase, minimally affect or decrease post-exercise glycaemia in type 1 diabetes. It is likely that the heterogeneity regarding the weight training methods used among the studies, as well as the pre/post-exercise insulin and carbohydrate intake of the study participants have impacted on the findings.
There remains a gap in the evidence base to inform health care professionals of the likely acute glycaemic response to weight training exercise. Problems in managing patient glycaemia may arise due to erroneous insulin and carbohydrate alterations based on unfounded and anecdotal-based guidance. The studies highlighted in this review have reported some of the potential effects that weight training may have on glycaemia.