exercise tagged posts

Exercise may play a role in reducing the growth of colon cancer cells according to new research published in The Journal of Physiology. The study found that after a short session of high intensity interval training (HIIT), growth of colon cancer cells was reduced, and this also increased indicators of inflammation.

For a long time, the focus on exercise has been on the positive changes in the body that occur following a longer period of training. However, these findings suggest that the effects following a single session of HIIT, an exercise regime involving short, high energy bursts are also important...

Six-Week Endurance Exercise Alters Gut Metagenome That Is not Reflected in Systemic Metabolism in Over-weight Women. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2018; 9 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02323

According to recent research, endurance exercise training beneficially modifies gut microbiota composition. After six weeks of training, potentially inflammation causing microbes (Proteobacteria) decreased and microbes that are linked to enhanced metabolism (Akkermansia) increased. Even though there was no significant drop in the weight of the subjects, exercise had other beneficial health effects, says Academy of Finland research fellow Satu Pekkala from the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences of the University of Jyväskylä.

“We found that phospholipids and cholesterol in VLDL particles decreased in respons...

Sitting and low physical activity may accelerate aging in older women. Photo courtesty of Pixabay

UCSD School of Medicine reports that elderly women who sit for >10 hours a day with <40 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily have cells that are biologically older by 8 years vs women who are less sedentary. Specifically they have shorter telomeres that protect chromosomes from deterioration and progressively shorten with age. Obesity and smoking, may also accelerate that process. Shortened telomeres are associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and major cancers.

“Our study found cells age faster with a sedentary lifestyle...

One is never too old to exercise for brain health and to stave off the risk for developing dementia.

Using the landmark Framingham Heart Study to assess how physical activity affects the size of the brain and one’s risk for developing dementia, UCLA researchers found an association between low physical activity and a higher risk for dementia in older individuals. This suggests that regular physical activity for older adults could lead to higher brain volumes and a reduced risk for developing dementia.

Physical activity particularly affected the size of the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain controlling short-term memory. Also, the protective effect of regular physical activity against dementia was strongest in people age 75 and older...