A new study has uncovered how type 2 diabetes interferes with the body’s ability to produce energy in muscle cells—helping explain one of the key reasons why people with the condition often experience fatigue and reduced physical performance.
The research, conducted by scientists at the University of Copenhagen and published in a peer-reviewed journal, highlights how type 2 diabetes disrupts mitochondrial function—the process by which cells generate energy—in skeletal muscle.
This dysfunction could play a major role in both the development and symptoms of the disease.
Mitochondria: The Power Plants of the Cell
Mitochondria are often referred to as the “powerhouses” of cells because they produce most of the energy cells need to function.
In muscle cells, this energy is crucial for movement, endurance, and metabolic health. When mitochondrial function is impaired, muscles can’t work as effectively, and the body struggles to manage glucose and fat properly.
In people with type 2 diabetes, previous research has suggested that mitochondrial dysfunction may be involved, but this new study provides more detailed insight into how this impairment happens.
Researchers examined muscle tissue from people with and without type 2 diabetes and discovered that those with diabetes had:
- Lower mitochondrial energy production capacity
- Reduced expression of genes involved in mitochondrial metabolism
- Decreased ability to use fat and glucose for fuel in muscle cells
The study found that even when participants with diabetes were matched for age and activity level with those without diabetes, their muscle mitochondria still worked less efficiently. This suggests the diabetes itself—not just aging or lack of exercise—is contributing to the problem.
Importantly, the researchers also linked this dysfunction to insulin resistance—a key feature of type 2 diabetes in which the body’s cells don’t respond properly to insulin. Poor insulin sensitivity can limit how well glucose is taken up into cells, leaving sugar in the blood and worsening energy production.
Why This Matters
These findings help explain why people with type 2 diabetes often feel tired, have lower exercise capacity, and struggle with weight management. If muscles can’t efficiently convert nutrients into energy, it becomes harder to stay active and maintain healthy glucose levels.
It also opens the door for more targeted treatments. By focusing on improving mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle, future therapies might help restore better energy balance in people with diabetes and improve their quality of life.
The researchers suggest that exercise—especially endurance training—might help improve mitochondrial health, but more studies are needed to confirm whether it can reverse the energy deficit in diabetic muscle. They also plan to explore whether certain medications or dietary interventions can directly target and improve mitochondrial function.
This study adds to the growing understanding that type 2 diabetes is not just a disease of blood sugar, but one that deeply affects the body’s ability to produce and use energy—especially in muscle. Addressing mitochondrial dysfunction could be a promising strategy in the fight against diabetes-related fatigue and complications.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about bananas and diabetes, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more health information, please see recent studies about Vitamin D that may reduce dangerous complications in diabetes and results showing plant-based protein foods may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
The research findings can be found in Science Translational Medicine.
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