AIMS: To assess the determinants of exercise training-induced improvements in glucose control (HbA1C) including changes in serum total adiponectin and FFA concentrations, and skeletal muscle peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) protein content. METHODS: A sub-cohort (n = 35; 48% men; 74% caucasian) from the HART-D study undertaking muscle biopsies before and after 9 months of aerobic (AT), resistance (RT), or combination training (ATRT). RESULTS: Changes in HbA1C were associated with changes in adiponectin (r = -0.45, p = 0.007). Participants diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for a longer duration had the largest increase in PGC-1alpha (r = 0.44, p = 0.008). Statistical modeling examining changes in HbA1C suggested that male sex (p = 0.05), non-Caucasian ethnicity (p = 0.02), duration of type 2 diabetes (r = 0.40; p < 0.002) and changes in FFA (r = 0.36; p < 0.004), adiponectin (r = -0.26; p < 0.03), and PGC-1alpha (r = -0.28; p = 0.02) explain about 65% of the variability in the changes in HbA1C. CONCLUSIONS: Decreases in HbA1C after 9 months of exercise were associated with shorter duration of diabetes, lowering of serum FFA concentrations, increasing serum adiponectin concentrations and increasing skeletal muscle PGC-1alpha protein expression. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00458133.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• PubMed Central
• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher