Mitochondrial function, specifically the capacity for oxidative enzymes, is impaired in individuals with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

“the maximum velocity for the oxidative enzymes which are the enzymes in the mitochondria like cytochrome SE oxidase were lowest in subjects with type two diabetes and so what they're basically showing here they say in summary an inbalance between glycolytic and oxidative enzyme capacities is present in non-insulin dependent diabetic sub objects and it's even more severe than an obese or lean glucose tolerant subjects the altered ratio between glycolytic and oxidative enzyme activities found in skeletal muscles of individuals with diabetes suggests that a disregulation between mitochondrial oxidative capacity and a capacity for glycolysis is an important component of the expression of insulin resistance”