Lowering your chances of this pervasive metabolic disease could be within closer grasp after reading the evidence new research has found.
New Research: This Surprising Strength Test Could Reveal Higher Diabetes Risk
Published on Jan. 11, 2025
With almost 140 million Americans living with type 2 diabetes or meeting the criteria for prediabetes, you’re probably aware of at least a few of the conditions that increase the risk: Being overweight or obese, having a family history of diabetes, having a personal history of pre-diabetes or gestational diabetes, and having high blood pressure or cholesterol, to name just a few. Interestingly, new research suggests that there’s another little-known sign that you may be at increased risk.
According to a January 2025 meta-analysis study published in Acta Diabetologica, poor grip strength was one manifestation of diabetes predisposition. The researchers suggest this may indicate that a patient’s muscle mass and strength can be important indicators of blood sugar imbalance. The explanation they outline is fascinating.
The analysis looked at 25 past studies, encompassing data collected from more than 650,000 participants. The researchers found that handgrip strength, when it corresponds appropriately to body weight, demonstrates a strong inverse association with Type 2 diabetes incidence. The logic is, perhaps, one of the most telling revelations about diabetes prevention: “Skeletal muscle is the largest insulin-sensitive tissue in the human body,” the researchers explain. “Alteration in muscle mass and strength substantially impact glucose [blood sugar] metabolism.”
Several previous studies had focused their attention on grip strength as a sign of diabetes. In fact, a 2016 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggested that it could be used to help identify undiagnosed cases. Using a handheld device known as a dynamometer to measure isometric hand grip strength taken from the sum of kilograms exerted from both hands, that team determined that:
- People with undiagnosed diabetes had a mean grip strength of 51.9 kilograms (114 pounds)
- People with diagnosed diabetes had a mean grip strength of 61.7 kilograms (136 pounds)
- People without diabetes had a mean grip strength of 69.8 kilograms (154 pounds)
They also noted that grip strength was lower among individuals with high blood pressure—a demonstrated risk factor for diabetes.
Yet another study, published in the journal Diabetes Care in 2005, made its own compelling observation: Even people at the upper end of the normal range of glucose concentration, but who had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), developed poorer physical function and reduced grip strength. This suggests that not only could grip strength help spot an undiagnosed case of diabetes, it could also be predictive of future cases.
Symptoms of diabetes can include, but are not limited to:
- Excessive thirst
- Frequent urination
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Mood changes
- Blurry vision
- Slow-healing wounds
- Frequent infections
If you suspect you may have a blood sugar imbalance, a doctor can run blood tests, such as an A1C or fasting blood sugar, to assess.
This could help explain one reason some scholars have been suggesting that muscle is one of the best predictors of longevity. When it comes to diabetes prevention, it’s clear multiple studies have shown that focusing on building muscle mass can help your body use up sugar in a powerful way for your health.
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