Impact of muscle mass on blood glucose level

Murtada Taha; Yaser A. AlNaam; Thekra Al Maqati; Lenah Almusallam; Gharam Altalib; Deema Alowfi; Nafish Haider

doi:10.1515/jbcpp-2021-0316

Article

Impact of muscle mass on blood glucose level

Murtada Taha , Yaser A. AlNaam , Thekra Al Maqati , Lenah Almusallam , Gharam Altalib , Deema Alowfi and Nafish Haider

Published/Copyright: December 3, 2021

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From the journal Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology Volume 33 Issue 6

Abstract

Objectives

At present, diabetes is one of the leading causes of mortality across the world. It was hypothesized that muscle mass could have a significant influence on blood glucose level and this corelation if established successfully could pave way for novel treatment modalities for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In the present study, the association between muscle mass and blood glucose level was examined in a healthy population who was not having T2DM at baseline and was undergoing a regular course of exercise.

Methods

The clinical study was performed involving 53 healthy male populations between 10 and 60 years of age. The participants were sampled in accordance with the quantitative experimental study design, using nonprobability sampling techniques. The independent variable measured among the subjects included muscle mass and blood glucose level, using bioelectrical impedance and a simple glucometer respectively. Subgroup analysis amongst different substantial parameters including body mass index (BMI), myostatin inhibitor usage, and age factor that could affect the muscle mass and glucose level correlation were also studied simultaneously.

Results

The study findings demonstrated a negative correlation between muscle mass and glucose utilization levels. There was a significant difference in the mean muscle mass of the participants which was 36.2453, and the mean glucose utilization level which was 15.1493%. Pearson correlation between the muscle mass and percentage of glucose utilization of the participants indicated a significant difference (since p-value <0.05) between these two studied parameters.

Conclusions

The study finding suggests an inverse association of the skeletal muscle mass with blood glucose level which encourages the implication of muscle-building exercises as the preventive measure for T2DM.

Keywords: bioelectrical impedance; blood glucose level; glucometer; muscle mass; Pearson correlation; type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)

Corresponding author: Dr. Murtada Taha, Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences, Dhahran 34313, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, E-mail: murtada@psmchs.edu.sa

Research funding: None declared.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.
Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study.
Ethical approval: The local Institutional Review Board deemed the study.

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Received: 2021-10-19

Accepted: 2021-11-09

Published Online: 2021-12-03

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp-2021-0316

Keywords for this article

bioelectrical impedance; blood glucose level; glucometer; muscle mass; Pearson correlation; type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)