Exercise changes genes after just one workout

Even a few minutes of physical activity and exercise can cause significant changes in genes of an individual, a new European investigation says. During a study which involved 14 men and women who didn't usually exercise, researchers examined the genes of participants’ muscles before and after they spent 20 minutes on an exercise machine. Results showed that short physical activity sessions led to significant chemical changes in some genes within the muscle cells including several genes involved in fat metabolism which the chemical change allowed them to more easily make proteins involved in the breakdown of fat. Even short exercise sessions can turn on genes and affect boosting muscles and fat burning, says the report published in the journal Cell Metabolism. “We often say that you are what you eat,” said co-author Juleen Zierathof of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. “Well, muscle adapts to what you do,” “If you don’t use it, you lose it and this is one of the mechanisms that allows this to happen.” While each human being inherits his own unique version of the genetic code, epigenetic factors such as lifestyle and diet can radically change the genes’ function. The research team also found that coffee can have a similar effect as exercise, but a person should consume 50 to 100 strong coffees to get the same effect on muscles.