30/07/2025
When most people hear “muscle,” they think of fitness, strength, or bodybuilders.
But here’s something most doctors don’t emphasize enough:
Muscle is one of the most powerful tools we have to control blood sugar.
Let me explain why.
Muscle tissue is your body’s largest reservoir for glucose.
In fact, over 80% of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake happens in skeletal muscle.
When insulin is working properly, it helps shuttle glucose into your muscles, where it’s either used for energy or stored for later use.
But when you have low muscle mass—or your muscle cells aren’t functioning well—your body has nowhere to put the excess glucose.
And it builds up in your blood.
This is one of the silent drivers of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
💡 Research shows that people with lower muscle mass are significantly more likely to develop:
➡️ Insulin resistance
➡️ Fatty liver
➡️ Type 2 diabetes
➡️ And even cardiovascular disease
On the other hand…
➡️ Just adding light strength training twice a week can dramatically improve your insulin sensitivity.
➡️ You don’t need a gym or heavy weights—just resistance bands, bodyweight, or small dumbbells can help.
➡️ And it’s never too late. Studies show people in their 60s, 70s, even 80s can build functional muscle and improve glucose control.
Here’s the real power of muscle:
➡️ It lowers blood sugar without medication
➡️ It improves mitochondrial function (your cell’s energy factories)
➡️ It reduces inflammation
➡️ And it protects your metabolism long-term
So if you’re focusing only on diet or pills—and not movement—you may be missing one of the simplest and most natural ways to support your body.
You don’t need to become a bodybuilder.
But you do need to move, lift, stretch, and build strength.
Because when you lose muscle, you lose your best ally in the fight against type 2 diabetes.
– Dr. Meher Abbas-Senior Consultant Cardiologist & Diabetes Reversal Coach
https://rbmemorialhospital.com
