Impact of single and multiple sets of resistance exercise in type 1 diabetes

To examine glycemic and glucoregulatory responses to resistance exercise ( RE ) sessions of different volume in type 1 diabetes ( T1DM ). Eight T1DM (seven males: one female; age: 38 ± 6 years, HbA 1C : 8.7 ± 1.0%/71 ± 11 mmol/mol) attended the research facility fasted and on four separate occasions, having taken their usual basal insulin, but omitted morning rapid‐acting insulin. Participants completed a 1SET (14 min), 2SET (28 min), 3SET (42 min) RE session (eight exercises × 10 repetitions) at 67 ± 3% one‐repetition‐maximum followed by 60‐min recovery, or a resting trial ( CON ). Venous blood samples were taken before and after exercise. Data (mean ±  SEM ) were analyzed using repeated‐measures analysis of variance ( P  ≤ 0.05). RE did not induce hypoglycemia ( BG  < 4 mmol/L). During recovery, blood glucose ( BG ) concentrations remained above pre‐exercise after 1SET (15–60 min, P  < 0.05) and 2SET (0–60 min, P  < 0.05) but comparable ( P  > 0.05) with pre‐exercise after 3SET . BG IAUC(area‐under‐curve) (mmol/L/60 min) was greater after 1SET and 2SET vs CON ( 1SET 103.6 ± 36.9 and 2SET 128.7 ± 26.1 vs CON −24.3 ± 15.2, P  < 0.05), but similar between 3SET and CON ( 3SET 40.7 ± 59.3, P  > 0.05). Under all trials, plasma creatine kinase levels at 24 h post‐exercise were similar ( P  > 0.05) to pre‐exercise. RE does not induce acute hypoglycemia or damage muscle. BG progressively rose after one and two sets of RE . However, inclusion of a third set attenuated exercise‐induced hyperglycemia and returned BG to that of a non‐exercise trial.