The overall purpose of this study is to identify how empagliflozin (a drug commonly used to
treat type 2 diabetes) impacts skeletal muscle metabolic health among adults with
prediabetes. Our aims are to: 1) Test the ability of empagliflozin to improve regulation of
glucose metabolism (i.e., blood sugar) among overweight and obese individuals with
prediabetes, and 2) Identify mechanisms to explain how empagliflozin may improve skeletal
muscle glucose metabolism. We hypothesize empagliflozin will improve regulation of glucose
metabolism due to changes in whole-body and skeletal muscle metabolism (e.g., increased rates
of whole-body fat oxidation, evidence of impaired skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiratory
function and increased energetic stress, lower accumulation of skeletal muscle lipids and
improved skeletal muscle insulin signaling compared with placebo treatment).