Are you in Canada? Click here to proceed to the HK Canada website.

For all other locations, click here to continue to the HK US website.

Human Kinetics Logo

Purchase Courses or Access Digital Products

If you are looking to purchase online videos, online courses or to access previously purchased digital products please press continue.

Mare Nostrum Logo

Purchase Print Products or Ebooks

Human Kinetics print books and Ebooks are now distributed by Mare Nostrum, throughout the UK, Europe, Africa and Middle East, delivered to you from their warehouse. Please visit our new UK website to purchase Human Kinetics printed or eBooks.

Feedback Icon Feedback Get $15 Off
Skip to content
  • Call Us

    800.747.4457

  • Hours

    Mon-Fri 7am - 5pm CST

  • Contact Us

    Get in touch with our team

  • FAQs

    Frequently asked questions

Human Kinetics
Search Log in Cart
Menu
  • Browse By Subject
    • Browse By Subject
    • A-F
      • Active Aging
      • Anatomy
      • Aquatics
      • Athletic Training and Therapy
      • Biomechanics
      • Coaching and Officiating
      • Dance
      • Fitness and Health
    • G-P
      • Health Care in Exercise and Sport
      • Health Education
      • Kinesiology/Exercise and Sport Science
      • Motor Behavior
      • Nutrition and Healthy Eating
      • Physical Education
      • Physical Therapy/Physiotherapy
      • Physiology of Sport and Exercise
      • Psychology of Sport and Exercise
    • Q-Z
      • Recreation and Leisure
      • Sport Management and Sport Business
      • Sports and Activities
      • Strength Training and Conditioning
      • Stretching, Flexibility, and Recovery
  • K-12 / Higher Education
    • K-12 / Higher Education
    • K-12
      • State Adoptions
      • Find a K-12 Sales Rep
      • K-12 Review/Desk Copy Request
    • Higher Education
      • Adopting a Textbook
      • Find a Higher Education Sales Rep
      • Higher Education Review/Desk Copy Request
      • Custom Textbooks
      • Instructor Ancillaries
  • Professional Education
    • Professional Education
    • Continuing Education Center
    • PE Central Professional Development
    • Teacher Professional Development
    • Coach Education
  • Student Resources
    • Student Resources
    • Accessing Online Materials
    • Browse HKPropel Access
    • K-12 Online Resources
  • Discover More
    • Discover More
    • Newsletters
    • Scholarly Journals
    • Blogs
      • Excerpts
      • Active at Home
      • Buying Guides
      • Dance
      • Learning with HK
      • Physical Education and Health
      • Strength, Conditioning, and Fitness
    • Podcast
    • Webinars
    • My Account
  1. Home
  2. Excerpts
  3. Does the Anti-Diabetic Agent Metformin Prevent the Beneficial Effects of Exercise?
  • Fitness & Health
  • Sport & Exercise Science
  • Physical Education
  • Strength & Conditioning
  • Sports Medicine
  • Sport Management
  • Dance

Does the Anti-Diabetic Agent Metformin Prevent the Beneficial Effects of Exercise?

This is an excerpt from Physiology of Sport and Exercise 9th Edition With HKPropel Access by W Larry Kenney,Jack H Wilmore,David L Costill.

Research Perspective 2.2

It is well known that both reductions in cardiorespiratory fitness and impairments in glucose control and insulin sensitivity—both of which occur as a part of normal aging—predict the development of disease, disability, and death. The Diabetes Prevention Program has shown that habitual aerobic exercise and, independently, metformin each substantially lower the risk of progressing from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Metformin is the most widely prescribed medication to treat T2DM. Although its precise mechanisms of action have not been definitively established, metformin appears to inhibit the mitochondria within skeletal muscle, which subsequently alters the energetic or redox status of the cell. Intriguingly, there is growing interest in using metformin to delay the onset of age-related cardiovascular disease, even in individuals without T2DM. However, most of the evidence suggests that adding metformin to exercise training not only does not have an additive effect but instead actually prevents the typical exercise training–induced improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and insulin sensitivity. Konopka and colleagues (2019) attempted to understand the mechanism through which this inhibitory effect occurs. The investigators tested the hypothesis that metformin restricts improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and insulin sensitivity by inhibiting the increase in skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiration and protein synthesis.

Similar to previous studies, the results clearly demonstrate that a clinical dose of metformin prevents the typical improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness and insulin sensitivity that occur after 12 weeks of aerobic exercise training in healthy older adults (see figure), as seen in skeletal muscle fiber biopsies from the vastus lateralis to evaluate mitochondrial respiration and protein synthesis rates. Metformin inhibited the increase in skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiration, which occurred in the absence of any effects of metformin on mitochondrial protein synthesis. These data add to the growing body of literature raising serious concerns about the broad recommendations for metformin as a treatment to target diseases of aging adults without T2DM. The results highlight the need for additional studies to examine how metformin interacts with exercise training to potentially produce both positive and negative effects before it is adopted for widespread use by adults without overt clinical disease.

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) measured before and after 12 weeks of aerobic exercise training plus placebo (AET+PLA) or aerobic exercise training plus metformin (AET+MET). Cardiorespiratory fitness significantly increased following AET+PLA, while a clinical dose of metformin prevented the exercise training–induced improvement in VO2max. Data from Konopka et al. (2019).
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) measured before and after 12 weeks of aerobic exercise training plus placebo (AET+PLA) or aerobic exercise training plus metformin (AET+MET). Cardiorespiratory fitness significantly increased following AET+PLA, while a clinical dose of metformin prevented the exercise training–induced improvement in VO2max.
Data from Konopka et al. (2019).

Konopka, A.R., Laurin, J.L., Schoenberg, H.M., et al. (2019). Metformin inhibits mitochondrial adaptations to aerobic exercise training in older adults. Aging Cell, 18(1), e12880.

More Excerpts From Physiology of Sport and Exercise 9th Edition With HKPropel Access

SHOP


    HK INSIDER

    Get the latest insights with regular newsletters, plus periodic product information and special insider offers.

    JOIN NOW


    Latest Posts

    • Outdoor recreation and adventure activities lead to positive health outcomes for children
    • Schools offer a wide variety of adventure programs for children
    • Using sport to change society
    • Despite progress, equity remains a pressing challenge for women in sport
    • What today’s athletes expect from coaches
    • Barriers to youth participation in physical activity and sport
    Back to top

    About Our Products

    • Catalogs
    • Special Offers
    • Newsletters
    • Report Piracy

    Services

    • Review/Desk Copies
    • Customer Service
    • Accessibility
    • Business to Business

    About Us

    • About Human Kinetics
    • About Lotus Books
    • Career Opportunities
    • Become an Author

    Contact Us

    1607 N. Market Street
    Champaign, IL 61820

    p: 800-747-4457 / f: 217-351-1549

    CustomerSupport@hkusa.com

    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    • TikTok
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    Payment methods accepted
    • American Express
    • Apple Pay
    • Diners Club
    • Discover
    • Google Pay
    • Mastercard
    • Visa

    © 2025 Human Kinetics.
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Product Safety
    • Safe Harbor Policy
    • Returns Policy
    • Shipping Policy
    • Continuing Education
    Human Kinetics Virtual Assistant