Researchers have discovered a molecule that is produced during exercise and contributes to the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolism.
Senior author Dr. Robert Gerszten, of the Cardiology Division and Cardiovascular Research Center said that their study bolsters the underlying notion that signals generated in one organ are released into the circulation and influence other tissues such as fat cells and liver.
The findings suggest that B-aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA) may contribute to exercise-induced protection from metabolic diseases.
Seminal studies had made it clear that exercise can improve health and longevity, but the changes that occur in the body to facilitate these benefits had been unclear.
The study was published in the January issue of Cell Press journal Cell Metabolism.