Gaining Muscle Mass Reduces Risk Of Diabetes | Men's Health Magazine Australia

Gaining Muscle Mass Decreases Risk Of Developing This Chronic Disease By 32 Per Cent

Sure, getting jacked might help your chances at the local watering hole or give you a rig worth showing off at the beach, but new research confirms there’s another benefit that will definitely make it all worthwhile. A new study conducted by Iowa State University found that gaining muscle mass can decrease your risk of […]

Sure, getting jacked might help your chances at the local watering hole or give you a rig worth showing off at the beach, but new research confirms there’s another benefit that will definitely make it all worthwhile.

A new study conducted by Iowa State University found that gaining muscle mass can decrease your risk of developing diabetes by 32 per cent.

And no, before you ask, you don’t have to take up bodybuilding. Researchers found that even the smallest amounts of resistance training can help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Featuring over 4500 people, scientists noted that even moderate amounts of increased muscle mass could improve health.

RELATED: This Is The Minimum Amount of Exercise You Need To Do To Live Longer 

Type 2 Diabetes is the preventable kind: the condition is usually the result of obesity or a sedentary lifestyle leading to high blood sugar levels.

However, authors of the study admit that more work is needed to figure out the exact amount of resistance training needed.

“Naturally, people will want to know how often to lift weights or how much muscle mass they need, but it’s not that simple,” Lead researcher Dr Duck-Chul Lee told Healthline.

“As researchers, we have several ways to measure muscle strength, such as grip strength or bench press. More work is needed to determine the proper dose of resistance exercise, which may vary for different health outcomes and populations.”

If you’re looking for somewhere to start, check out this 20-minute circuit that will pump up your arms.

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