Reductions in resistance exercise‐induced hyperglycaemic episodes are associated with circulating interleukin‐6 in Type 1 diabetes

Aims To determine the influence of different volumes of resistance exercise on circulating interleukin‐6 ( IL ‐6) and to explore the relationships between IL ‐6 and glycaemia. Methods Eight participants with complication‐free Type 1 diabetes, whose mean ± sem age was 38 (6) years, mean ± sem HbA 1c concentration was 71 ±11 mmol/mol (8.7 ±1.0%) and mean ± sem Type 1 diabetes duration was 15 ±13 years, attended the research facility after an overnight fast on four separate occasions, having administered their basal insulin the night before (glargine 27.5±3.1U, n =8), but omitted morning rapid‐acting insulin. Participants completed either a one‐set (14‐min), two‐set (28‐min), or three‐set (42‐min) resistance exercise trial (eight exercises × 10 repetitions) at 67±3% one‐repetition maximum followed by a 60‐min recovery, or a resting control trial. Venous blood samples were taken before and after exercise. Data were analysed using repeated‐measures anova ( P ≤0.05). Results Whereas IL ‐6 levels remained similar to baseline levels after one set of resistance exercises (30 min, P= 0.287; 60 min, P =0.318), IL ‐6 levels were > baseline levels at 60 min post‐exercise after a two‐set exercise trial (2.94 ± 0.94 pg/ml, P= 0.002) and doubled at both 30 min (4.01 ± 1.00 pg/ml, P= 0.048) and 60 min (4.28 ± 1.25 pg/ml, P= 0.084) post‐exercise after the three‐set resistance exercise trial. Post‐exercise blood glucose area under the curve (mmol/l/60 min) was greater after both the one‐set ( P= 0.025) and two‐set trials (P =0.008), than after the control trial, but similar between the three‐set trial and the control trial ( P= 0.240). The rise in IL ‐6 from baseline to peak concentration significantly correlated inversely with blood glucose area under the curve ( r =‐0.65, P= 0.041). Conclusions Circulating IL ‐6 is increased by resistance exercise in a volume‐dependent manner, and resistance exercise‐induced increases in IL ‐6 correlated with reductions in post‐exercise hyperglycaemia in Type 1 diabetes, suggesting a role for IL ‐6 in improving post‐resistance exercise glycaemic disturbances in Type 1 diabetes. (Clinical Trials Registry No: ISRCTN60407046)