Exercise affects multiple physiological processes regulated by hormones, including stress responses and energy balance. Yet scientists still do not fully understand how some hormone precursors travel through the bloodstream during these demanding moments. A new study explored how vigorous exercise changes the way a major hormone precursor, called proopiomelanocortin (POMC), travels through the bloodstream and helps it reach sensitive tissues like the brain. The study involved 15 healthy, endurance-trained adults who completed a 50-minute treadmill run at high intensity. The researchers focuse... blood-brain barrier brain exercise hormones
Read moreDr. Darren Candow and Dr. Rhonda Patrick discuss the science of creatine for muscle performance and brain health. ... supplements brain aging muscle strength creatine cognition
Watch nowStudy link: Athletes often warm up before a big race, but does heating your muscles make a difference? An early study found that warming muscles boosts performance by 11% during intense exercise—but at a cost. Researchers asked four young, healthy adults to perform 20-second high-intensity sprints on an exercise bike under four different muscle temperature conditions: room temperature, after leg immersion in hot water (44°C/111.2°F), and after immersion in cool water (18°C/64.4°F and 12°C/53.6°F). They measured the participants' muscle temperature and analyzed their peak force and power outpu... exercise heat stress cold stress sauna
Read moreProlonged sitting is a prominent feature of modern life. Unfortunately, it carries considerable health risks, including impaired glucose metabolism and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. A recent study found that interrupting prolonged sitting periods with short bursts of activity – especially frequent walks or squats – improves blood glucose levels. The study involved 18 men with overweight and obesity who engaged in four different activities on separate days: sitting uninterrupted for 8.5 hours, or sitting interrupted by a single 30-minute walk, ten three-minute walks (every 45 minutes),... exercise diabetes muscle blood sugar exercise snacks
Read moreCognitive function typically declines with aging, but evidence suggests physical activity can help mitigate some of these declines. A recent study in mice found that exercise improves memory and spatial learning by inhibiting neuroinflammation, primarily via the actions of irisin, a myokine, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a growth factor and signaling protein. Researchers conducted a two-part study to investigate the effects of regular, low-intensity exercise on cognitive function in mouse models of inflammation-driven memory impairment and microglia (brain immune cell) degener... exercise brain inflammation memory dementia nrf2
Read moreTaurine is an amino acid that participates in immune health and neurological function. Findings from a recent study suggest that taurine influences longevity. Mice that received supplemental taurine lived as much as 12 percent longer than those that didn't. Researchers conducted a multi-part experiment in several species. First, they measured blood taurine concentrations in mice, monkeys, and humans at different ages and found that taurine decreased in all three species over time. Notably, taurine concentrations were 80 percent lower in older adult humans than in young children. Then they gav... aging inflammation dna damage mitochondria taurine
Read moreThe euphoria known as a “runner’s high” is caused by activation of the endocannabinoid system, a complex signaling system that regulates energy metabolism, inflammation, pain, and brain biology. The gut microbiota, which coordinates its activity with the brain and immune system, also modulates energy metabolism and inflammation and brain functions such as mood and cognition. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6469458/) Findings of a new report suggest that the endocannabinoid system is involved in communication between the gut and the immune system. The gut microbiota, the community... exercise cannabinoid
Read moreAerobic exercise provides many health benefits, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular, metabolic, and other chronic diseases. Some of these benefits are due to adaptations in skeletal muscle that arise from the repair of cellular damage produced by the demand of exercise. One team of researchers aimed to determine the effects of antihistamines on muscle adaptation following acute and chronic high intensity interval training, often referred to as HIIT. Histamine is an organic molecule that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord, while also regulating gut and immune functio... exercise drug muscle blood sugar cardiovascular
Read moreA sedentary lifestyle is associated with a 77% increased risk of kidney cancer and a 73% increased risk of bladder cancer independent of obesity and other health lifestyle factors. Several biological mechanisms have been proposed to account for an association between physical inactivity and cancer. These include an increase in circulating levels of sex hormones, increased chronic inflammation, impaired insulin sensitivity, impaired immune surveillance and responsiveness, increased adiposity, and a dysregulated adipokine milieu. While this study found the association between physical inactivity... exercise cancer insulin
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