Interesting data, recently published in Cell Metabolism, suggests that what we do can influence our genes. Researchers from Lund University, Karolinska Institute and Copenhagen University have demonstrated that exercise can change gene expression.
They studied muscle fiber DNA from healthy but inactive humans, before and after exercise. They then confirmed these changes in the lab with muscle fibers they made to contract in vitro.
After a short bout of exercise they noted that methyl groups (-CH3) had been removed from certain places on the DNA. This change turned on certain genes that were either not working or only at a low level. As an example the removal of these markers from the outside of the DNA strand caused an increase of transport of glucose into the cell. Dr. Zierath, on of the authors commented on the results, "Exercise is medicine", with obvious implications for diabetes Type 2.
This is the study of epi- (from the Greek, outside or above) genetics. What we do can change the way our genes are expressed and initial research shows that the change persists for a few hours after just a short burst of exercise. Imagine what you could do with a lifetime!
What if you have a gene that is not expressed but exercise makes that gene up-regulate to become expressed and that gene, when expressed properly, prevents breast cancer, wouldn't you want to do that for yourself?
What if exercise then became a lifestyle and the epigenetic change caused by exercise became a permanent part of the genetic code you passed on to your children?
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
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