Exercise and diet together improve weak muscles and low exercise ability in diabetic mice

Exercise and diet restrictions completely reversed impaired exercise capacity and skeletal muscle function in diet-induced diabetic mice.

• A high-fat diet significantly decreased exercise capacity and impaired skeletal muscle function in mice.
• Exercise training (EX) or diet restriction (DR) partially improved these impairments, while the combination of EX and DR completely normalized them.
• Mitochondrial function and oxidative stress in skeletal muscle were only restored with the combination of EX and DR.
• Obesity and insulin resistance were completely reversed by DR with an insulin-sensitizing drug, but did not normalize exercise capacity and muscle function.
• Improving skeletal muscle function may be a critical therapeutic target for enhancing exercise capacity in diabetes.

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