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RESEARCH ROUND-UP We round up some of the latest research in the area of health, fitness and wellbeing


Science snapshots U


We must push ourselves out of our comfort zone to get results GETTING INTENSE I 74


ntense exercise has a molecular level impact on the muscles and body that doesn’t occur in milder forms of activity, according to a US study. Although based on mice, the study suggests we must go beyond our comfort zone if we want fitness results. CRTC2 – a protein released during intense exercise – integrates


signals from the adrenalin and calcium pathways and has a direct impact on the muscles being used. The scientists bred mice that would produce much more CRTC2 when faced with a two-week strenuous activity programme, and these modified animals saw a 15 per cent increase in their muscles; metabolic parameters, indicating the amount of fuel available to muscles, improved substantially; and endurance soared – up 103 per cent in the exercise stress test (non-modified mice improved by just 8.5 per cent). Lead author Michael Conkright says: “The sympathetic nervous


system gets turned on during intense exercise, but many had believed this wasn’t specific enough to drive adaptations in exercised muscle. We’ve shown it not only targets specific muscles, but also improves them: the long-term benefits correlate with the workout intensity.” ● The EMBO Journal – The Scripps Research Institute, Florida


Health Club Handbook 2015 www.healthclubhandbook.com CELLULAR CLEAN-UP


S scientists have found that exercise aids a cellular cleaning process in the body known as autophagy. The research, which was based on mice, showed that exercise increases the ability of skeletal muscle


cells to remove damaged components and other cellular debris – the result of daily wear and tear on the body’s cells. In turn, autophagy is vital for muscles to adapt to exercise – and for the body to receive the health benefits of working out. A cell recycles some components to help keep the rest of itself


alive, but when it’s starved or under physiological stress – like exercise – the autophagy process speeds up. Without this process, cells can become blocked, malfunction or die. Some scientists are even beginning to link faulty autophagy function to diseases such as diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s. It’s thought the slowing of this mechanism as we get older also plays a part in the ageing process. The research could also shed light on why some people see


little benefit from exercise: if there’s a problem with the cellular cleaning process, the muscle may not be able to adapt to exercise and improve performance. In turn, this could impact the effect of exercise in dealing with metabolic diseases such as diabetes. ● The FASEB Journal – University of Virginia School of Medicine, US


Exercise aids cellular cleaning,


which in turn helps the body deal with metabolic diseases


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