Exercise training affects the activity of 500 genes

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Exercise training in ordinary people affects the activity of 500

genes

Medical Study News 2-May-2005

A new study from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm shows that

hundreds of genes in the thigh muscle are activated in regular cycle

training. The study also reveals that great differences in training

response may be due to the ability in some people to activate their

genes much more forcefully. The study is published May 2 in FASEB

Journal.

It is common knowledge that it is very dangerous to be inactive and

that regular physical activity brings health, improves quality of

life and extends life span. How these positive effects are created in

the body is not known. Influences on gene activity in the heart,

vessels and muscles are probably immensely important.

In this study, the first of its kind, Drs Timmons, Carl J

Sundberg and co-workers show that hundreds of genes are activated by

regular cycle training for six weeks in young healthy men. Some of

these genes are most likely linked to diabetes and cardiovascular

disease. These training study findings can therefore be important for

the development of new treatment strategies for such diseases.

Some people respond more easily to training than others. It is not

known what explains this. The results from the training study show

that those individuals that improved their performance most also

activated several genes in the muscles markedly more. This has not

been shown before.

Finally, the researchers made a comparison between the effects of

endurance training and the situation in patients with Duchenne's

muscle dystrophy, a muscle wasting disease. Most of the muscle genes

previously claimed to be specific for Duchenne were also activated

with endurance training. Maybe the musculature in Duchenne patients

strive to adapt in part similar to what happens in training. The

results from this study will help to clarify which genes are uniquely

affected in Duchenne.

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