Frequent exercise can actually affect your genetics

Frequent exercise has been shown to prevent various chronic diseases. This protective effect is obtained through several physiological processes in the body, such as increasing metabolism, increasing blood flow, and increasing oxygen intake.

However, research in recent years has also found changes in activity in the body to the smallest cellular level that are triggered by frequent exercise.

Recognizing genetics in the human body

Cells are the smallest part of an organism that has a collection of genetic material or genes. The main function of genes is as blueprint cell formation and also regulates the process of inheritance.

At a higher level, genes form a collection called the genome which functions to regulate cell activity and form cells as a result of the process of genetic expression. The genome works specifically and has a big influence on the physiological mechanisms of human organs.

The workings of the genome in the human body are complex and dynamic with fluctuating levels of activity, depending on the biochemical signals received by cells. When genetic expression occurs, it triggers a physiological response in certain parts of the body. Researchers believe that the increase and decrease in genetic activity in a person's body can be affected by exercise.

Why often exercise can affect a person's genetics?

Exercise can affect human genetics without changing the make-up of genetic material or the DNA in their bodies. This physical activity affects the process of genetic expression in the physiological functions of the genes themselves. This process is known as methylation. Although an organ or cell activity has been determined by the DNA contained in the cell, methylation can change this activity.

Methylation is a process in which a collection of methyl compounds consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms attach to the genes in cells. This triggers changes in gene activity which also affect the organ level. So that in this process, genes act as triggers for metabolic activity and strengthening organs with genes that undergo methylation.

Other things that can affect the body's genetics

The methylation process is flexible and it is not affected only by exercise. Methylation patterns can change according to lifestyle changes, especially those related to diet and exercise routines. This process can also be interfered with in other ways, for example if the body is exposed to toxins, causing changes in genetic expression.

However, the effects of lifestyle changes on genetics are slow. So that to get the benefits of frequent exercise against genetic changes, a healthy lifestyle needs to be done consistently.

The methylation process is a unique process because it is influenced by a person's behavior and habits. In other words, the process of methylation in the body makes the genetic condition of an organ or a person's body can be changed by changes in lifestyle.

Methylation effect on muscles

One study published in the journal Epigenetic in 2014 showed that frequent exercise can actually increase the strength of the organs being trained. The study was conducted by trying to train only one of the participants' legs and the other leg as a comparison, then muscle strength and performance were measured by muscle biopsy. After three months, the trained leg muscles were much stronger than the untrained.

Changes in muscle strength are due to changes in structure and changes in chemical molecular components in muscle cells. The methylation process in muscle cells is triggered by muscle contraction and causes physiological reprogramming of muscle strength so that it slowly changes the chemical structure and metabolism of muscle cells.

Effects of methylation on metabolism

Besides helping cells work more efficiently, the methylation process also helps metabolize blood sugar and fat and both occur when a person is exercising. The methylation process of glucose metabolism is by balancing the metabolites that regulate blood sugar absorption and insulin function so that blood sugar levels tend to be stable.

Meanwhile, the metabolism of fat by the methylation mechanism is by producing protein to burn body fat and slowing down the process of storing food in the form of fat. This mechanism occurs with a higher intensity when a person is exercising. This is evidenced by a study in Sweden which shows that with frequent exercise, your body can reduce the proportion of large amounts of fat storage after six months.

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