What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with other health threats such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and mental disorders. These complications have higher incidence and mortality rates among women despite their being more motivated in managing T2D. Some researchers think that women with T2D may not benefit as much from estrogen as other women because obesity can interfere with the way estrogen works in the body. Exercise is a good way to help manage T2D, and resistance training is especially beneficial.

What is Total Body Resistance Exercise (TRX)?

A new form of resistance training, Total Body Resistance Exercise (TRX), involves suspension training wherein one’s body weight and gravity are used to exercise the joints. It is a great way to get a good workout without putting too much stress on your body. For those who just started working out or have health problems that make it difficult to do traditional exercises, TRX might be a good option. With TRX, one can adjust the amount of resistance by changing the position on the straps, making it an excellent choice for people of all ages, but especially for older women.

What are the Benefits of TRX for Type 2 Diabetics?

TRX training has been shown to benefit non-diabetics in reducing body fat, waist circumference, blood pressure, and increasing muscle mass and strength. But there has not been a lot of research on how it affects people with diabetes. Some research has recently shown that TRX may help improve blood sugar and insulin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This finding is important because hyperinsulinemia is common in PCOS, suggesting that TRX may also help improve glycemic profiles in women with T2D.

Amino acid supplements, like taurine, have been shown to help improve glycemic and lipid markers in people with diabetes. Studies have shown that people with diabetes have lower taurine levels in their blood and platelets.

Combining these two interventions, TRX and taurine, may be essential to boost their positive impact on T2D. Therefore, this study aimed to see if an eight-week TRX training intervention and taurine supplementation would improve glycemic and lipid profiles in women with T2D.

The Study on Total Body Resistance Exercise for Type 2 Diabetics

40 T2D middle-aged females were randomly assigned to four groups: ten would do TRX suspension training and placebo (Group TP), ten would do TRX suspension training and taurine supplementation (Group TT), ten would undertake taurine supplementation (Group T) alone, and the others were placed in the Control Group (Group C). Body composition like body mass, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), fasting blood sugar (FBS), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin, and Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), and lipid markers such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride (TG), and total cholesterol (TC)) were assessed before and after interventions.

Before starting the training program, participants in both the TP and TT groups were familiarized with the exercises and techniques involved. The participants went through this training program three times a week for eight weeks. Each session lasted 60 minutes and consisted of 45 minutes of TRX suspension training and light jogging/stretching and 15 minutes for a warm-up and a cool-down stretching. The exercises included push-ups, chest press, standing rowing, lunges, and squats. The intensity of the workouts was controlled based on how hard they felt, with repetitions ranging from 8 to 12.

Participants in both TT and T consumed five capsules, 500 milligrams (mg) of taurine in the morning and before bed. Participants in the TP and C group ingested a placebo, 500 mg dextrose-filled capsules.

The Results

Significant decreases in body mass, BMI, and BFP were observed in all the three interventions; however, BFP changes in the TT group were considerably greater than in the other groups. FBS significantly lessened in TT and TP. Reductions in insulin concentration were significantly greater in all experimental groups than C; however, no differences were observed among TT, TP, and T. Regarding HOMA-IR, decreases in TT were considerably greater than in all other groups. Significant increases in HDL values were seen only in the TT group, while TC significantly decreased in TP and TT groups. Changes in HbA1c, TG, HDL, and TC were significantly greater in the TT compared with all other groups.

The Conclusion

The synergic effects of TRX training and taurine supplementation were notable in glycemic and lipid profiles, particularly the changes in HbA1c, HOMA-IR, TG, TC, HDL, and BFP. These outcomes suggest that TRX training and taurine supplementation combined may be an effective adjuvant therapy for individuals with T2D.

Reference

The Effects of TRX Suspension Training Combined with Taurine Supplementation on Body Composition, Glycemic and Lipid Markers in Women with Type 2 Diabetes