We all know that frequent exercise is key to healthy living. But what exactly triggers the benefits we get from being active?
The answer is a chemical reaction, sparked by only 10 minutes of brisk exercise, and it lasts at least an hour after you’ve stopped exercising.
Harvard Researchers found this out using new testing called metabolic profiling – part of a growing field known as metabolomics.
This new knowledge reinforces how critical it is to be physically active on a daily basis,” said Dr. Arlette Perry, chair of the University of Miami’s Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences.
Exercise has been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of developing diabetes. This new research, published in Science Translational Medicine, gives us a new understanding of why.
“With exercise a release of several chemicals at once can help improve muscles’ sensitivity to sugar,” explains UM’s Dr. Wesley Smith.
He says people at high risk for diabetes could benefit from several brief exercise spurts daily, instead of long workouts every few days “because you have this lingering effect of exercise in improving insulin sensitivity for about an hour after exercise.”
Health
The Institutes of Medicine recommends 60 minutes of daily exercise. That's rarely practical, says Dr.Perry.
But hearing how 10 minutes can cause important chemicals to increase will hopefully encourage more people to be active.
