Our hypothesis is that sustained activation of the GLP-1 receptor with Liraglutide and exercise training each will enhance microvascular insulin responses and angiogenesis in both cardiac and skeletal muscle to increase muscle insulin delivery and action and the combination of both is more effective than either alone in adults with metabolic syndrome.
The primary objective of this study is to examine whether exercise training alone, liraglutide treatment alone or exercise training plus liraglutide treatment increases cardiac and skeletal muscle microvascular blood volume, improves vascular function of the conduit vessels, and enhances insulin's metabolic action in humans with Metabolic Syndrome. Subjects will be randomized to one of the 4 groups: control, exercise training, liraglutide treatment, and exercise + liraglutide. They will be studied at the baseline and then after 24 weeks of intervention.