Single Protein Is Responsible For Health Benefits Of Short, Intensive Exercise

Recent research has demonstrated the health benefits of brief but rigorous exercise, but until a new U.S. study, no one knew why. Intensive physical activity – as little as seven minutes several times a week – improves overall fitness, boosts the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and accelerates weight loss. In a mouse study, researchers showed that high-intensity exercise enlists the sympathetic nervous system's "fight or flight" response and activates a protein known as CRTC2. The protein integrates signals from the adrenaline and calcium pathways to direct muscle adaptation and growth by 15 percent in the contracting muscle. The amount of fuel available to the muscles also increased substantially: triglycerides rose 48 percent and glycogen rose 121 percent.